With the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games now in full swing, the spotlight has shifted from sport to the growing controversy around the event’s real-world impact – from environmental concerns to a sharp surge in housing and accommodation prices across Milan and Cortina. In response, I’m sharing a data-driven analysis that breaks down current accommodation options and hotel and rental pricing across the host destinations, offering a clear picture of how the Games are reshaping the cost of staying in the region.
To assess the real cost of attending the 2026 Olympic Games, the PlayersTime team analysed data from multiple sources, covering tickets, accommodation, food, and travel expenses across five key host venues – Milan, Cortina, Livigno, Bormio and Val di Fiemme. Ticket prices were organised by discipline and used to calculate average costs for three visitor profiles – budget, mid-range, and luxury – based on a short, three-day stay. In parallel, regional cost data were collected, and aligned with these visitor profiles to ensure consistent comparisons. The complete dataset supporting this analysis is available on Google Drive via the provided link.
Our research identifies Val di Fiemme as the most budget-friendly Olympic destination for accommodation in the area right now, with short-term rental prices starting at €378 for a couple staying three nights. Despite the recent surge in real estate prices, Milan follows as the second most affordable option, with entry-level rates beginning at €498, while Cortina records the highest costs for budget accommodation, starting at €1,188.
Here are a few key highlights from the report:
- Val di Fiemme stands out as the most affordable destination among the locations analysed. For a couple staying three nights, for both Airbnb and hotel accommodation, costs average €378 for budget options, €998 for the mid-range bracket, and rising to €2,922 for luxury, 5-star hotels. Hosting events in both Tesero and Predazzo, the area offers a broad and well-balanced accommodation mix for the visitors to choose from.
- Milan follows as the next most budget-friendly destination in terms of accommodation costs, with prices ranging from €498 to €1,055. The city offers a wide range of options for all needs and budgets, but perhaps more importantly, true value for money – despite the widely publicised increase in real estate prices and rental rates.
- Interestingly, Bormio is more competitively priced than Milan when it comes to luxury accommodation. Its leading premium option is priced at €3,438 for a 3-night stay, compared with €4,550 in Milan, making it the more attractive choice for high-end stays. In addition, its Airbnb offerings are relatively affordable at an average price of €552, positioning it below Livigno, where comparable stays start at €786.
- In contrast to the more budget-friendly destinations, Cortina commands the highest accommodation prices. A three-night stay for two people starts at €1,188 for budget Airbnb options and reaches €2,680 for three- and four-star hotels. At the luxury end, five-star hotels can reach €6,378 for the same period, reinforcing Cortina’s status as the most exclusive and premium destination overall.
‘A global event on the scale of Milano Cortina 2026 promises unforgettable moments and a world-class experience for its visitors. Yet beyond the competitions themselves, planning a stay in Italy requires careful consideration of schedules, pricing, travel times, and distances between venues. Our analysis cuts through headline prices to surface what travellers are actually facing on the ground, comparing real accommodation costs, availability, and trade-offs across Milan, Cortina, and the wider area where the Olympic Games are taking place.’
– comments Aleksandra Dimitrova, data analyst and author at PlayersTime.
Further insights into the cost of attending the Olympics – varying by location, discipline, and other factors – along with a detailed explanation of the methodology, are available in the full report. The complete dataset can also be accessed on Google Drive via the provided link. All data and graphics may be used for publication, provided the original report is properly credited.
