How much can you earn renting your timeshare week?

Before calculating earnings potential, you need a clear view of your current cost. Most South African timeshare owners pay an annual maintenance levy — a fee charged by the resort to cover the property's upkeep, management, and services for the year. This levy is payable whether or not you use the week.

Levy costs vary significantly by resort and unit type, but a typical range for a two-bedroom unit at a mid-to-premium SA resort runs from R8,000 to R18,000 per year. Some older resorts with ageing infrastructure charge at the lower end; newer or premium resorts with extensive facilities charge more.

If you don't know your current levy amount, check your most recent statement from the resort or managing agent. That number is your baseline — it's what rental income needs to cover at minimum to make listing your week financially worthwhile.

MangoGroove rental pricing reflects both the resort's quality and the demand for that region. Based on current listings and market comparisons:

• Cape Town (Atlantic Seaboard): R6,500–R7,500 per week — the premium end of the market
• Plettenberg Bay / Garden Route: R4,500–R5,500 per week for established resorts
• Pilanesberg / Kruger area: R4,000–R5,500 per week for Big Five resort properties
• KwaZulu-Natal coast (uMhlanga): R3,800–R4,500 per week
• Drakensberg: R3,500–R4,500 per week
• KZN South Coast: R2,800–R3,500 per week

These are indicative ranges. Peak-season (school holiday) weeks command the top of the range. Mid-season weeks sit in the middle. Off-peak weeks are at the lower end — but still typically cover levy costs.

Four factors determine where your week sits within that range:

• Resort tier. A five-star resort with a strong brand (Beacon Island, Kwa Maritane, Sun City) commands a meaningful premium over a comparable mid-tier property.
• Week number / season. Red weeks (school holidays) are worth 30–50% more than off-peak weeks at the same resort. If you own a red week, you're holding a significantly more valuable asset.
• Unit size. Two-bedroom apartments rent for more than studios or one-bedrooms, because they serve a broader market (families, groups of friends).
• Listing quality. A well-described listing with accurate detail and responsive owner communication converts browsers into bookings faster. MangoGroove's listing template guides you through what to include.

MangoGroove charges a platform fee on each transaction. The exact fee structure is shown at the point of listing — but to illustrate realistic net returns, here are three scenarios:

• KZN South Coast, off-peak week: Gross rental R2,900 → Net to owner approximately R2,500. Annual levy R9,500 → shortfall R7,000. Not a full cover, but a meaningful reduction.
• Drakensberg, mid-season week: Gross rental R4,200 → Net to owner approximately R3,600. Annual levy R11,000 → shortfall R7,400. Same pattern — partial offset.
• Plettenberg Bay, peak red week: Gross rental R5,500 → Net to owner approximately R4,700. Annual levy R14,000 → shortfall R9,300. Or: if you own two peak weeks and list one, the rental covers one year's levies for both.

Full levy cover in a single rental is achievable for peak-week owners at premium resorts. For mid-tier or off-peak weeks, partial cover is the realistic expectation — but it's still income that didn't exist before.

The comparison isn't between "renting and not renting." It's between "renting" and "paying the full levy with nothing in return."

An owner who pays R12,000 per year in levies on a week they never use spends R120,000 over ten years for zero holidays taken. An owner who lists that week and earns R4,000 per year in rental income spends a net R80,000 over the same ten years — and has the option to use the week in any year they choose not to list it.

The financial case for listing isn't complicated. The question is usually simpler: most owners didn't know it was this straightforward.