Hotel Price Index 2026: How Much Rates Vary Across Booking Platforms
Destination
Select dates
Destination
Check-in – Check-out
Destination
Check-in
Check-out
Guests
Travorio compared hotel rates from Booking.com, Expedia, and Hotels.com across 394 hotel stays in 18 destinations. The median price gap was 4%, but 29% of searches showed differences above 10%. Istanbul and Bangkok had the widest variation at 20% and 19% average gaps.
Nearly 1 in 3 Hotel Comparisons Showed Price Differences Above 10%
Travorio reviewed hotel prices across major booking platforms to measure how often travelers encounter a meaningful difference for the same property and travel dates. The study covered 394 hotel comparisons across 18 destinations, with rates drawn from Booking.com, Expedia, and Hotels.com for a three-night stay in September 2026 for two adults.
Key Numbers
The study found that most comparisons were fairly close. The median difference between the lowest and highest available rate was 4%. The average difference was 8%. The larger gaps are where comparison becomes useful: 29% of searches showed a difference above 10%, and 10% showed a difference above 20%. The largest gap in the sample was 106%, equal to $213, for the Elasophia Hotel in Istanbul.
Where the Biggest Differences Appeared
The size of the price gap varied by destination. Istanbul (20% average gap) and Bangkok (19%) stood out in this sample, followed by Tokyo (14%), Marrakech (12%), and Cancun (12%). Several North American and European cities showed much tighter pricing: New York averaged 4%, Barcelona 4%, Singapore 2%, Miami 2%, and Doha 2%. Dubai had only four hotels with rates from two or more platforms, so its 5% average should be interpreted with caution.
What the Numbers Mean for Travelers
A 4% median gap means many travelers will see only a small difference when comparing major booking sites. The more useful finding is that larger gaps appeared often enough to matter. In 29% of comparisons, the difference exceeded 10%. On a $2,000 hotel booking, a 10% difference is $200. On a $4,000 stay, it is $400. For families booking multi-night international stays, comparison can yield savings equivalent to a day of activities or several restaurant meals.
Price Variation by Hotel Rating
The widest average gaps in this sample appeared among 3-star hotels (12% average gap across 103 properties). Budget 1-2 star hotels averaged 10% across 20 properties, while 4-star hotels averaged 7% (125 properties) and 5-star hotels averaged 6% (47 properties). The study did not test the cause, so these figures describe this dataset rather than a general rule about hotel categories.
Why Prices Can Differ
Hotel prices vary across platforms because each platform receives inventory from different suppliers, applies different promotions or markups, and updates availability at different times. Taxes, mandatory fees, breakfast inclusions, and cancellation terms also affect the displayed price. The study compared total-stay prices in USD but did not control for every room condition, so the lowest rate on one site was not always an identical room product to the lowest rate on another.
Methodology
Pricing data came from the Stay22 hotel price aggregation API, which returned rates from Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, and VRBO for matching hotel properties. Search parameters: check-in September 8, 2026; check-out September 11, 2026 (3 nights); 2 adults; 1 room; USD currency. A total of 600 hotel searches were run across 20 destinations. Of those, 394 returned prices from at least two platforms and were included. Hotels were matched using property name and geographic coordinates. Member-only and loyalty rates were excluded.
Limitations
Prices were captured at one point in time and may have changed afterward. The study does not show that any one platform is consistently the cheapest. The comparison used the lowest available rate per platform, not identical room categories in every case. The main platforms represented were Booking.com, Expedia, and Hotels.com. One travel window and one length of stay were used; other dates and booking windows may produce different results.
Bottom Line
Most hotel price differences in this sample were modest. Still, nearly one in three comparisons showed a gap above 10%. That is large enough to matter on expensive or multi-night stays and a practical reason to compare rates before booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions answered clearly and concisely
Based on Travorio's analysis of 394 hotel comparisons, the median price gap was 4% and the average was 8%. However, 29% of searches showed differences above 10%, and 10% showed gaps above 20%.
Istanbul (20% average gap), Bangkok (19%), Tokyo (14%), Marrakech (12%), and Cancun (12%) showed the widest price variation. North American cities like New York (4%) and Miami (2%) had tighter pricing.
For 29% of searches, the difference exceeded 10%. On a $2,000 booking, that is $200. On expensive or multi-night stays, comparison can yield meaningful savings.
In this study, 3-star hotels showed the widest average gap (12%), followed by 1-2 star (10%), 4-star (7%), and 5-star (6%). Budget and mid-range hotels showed more variation than luxury properties.
Platforms receive inventory from different suppliers, apply different markups and promotions, and update availability at different times. Taxes, fees, breakfast inclusions, and cancellation terms also affect the displayed price.
The study compared rates from Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, and VRBO using the Stay22 price aggregation API. 394 hotel searches across 18 destinations were included.
The largest gap was 106% ($213) for the Elasophia Hotel in Istanbul. This was an outlier; most differences were much smaller.
Compare rates across multiple platforms before booking. Travorio aggregates hotel inventory from multiple supplier networks to surface competitive pricing. You can also use pay-in-4 installments to spread the cost.