Disclosed are a positive electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery and a rechargeable lithium battery including the same. The positive electrode includes a current collector and a positive electrode layer on the current collector, the positive electrode layer including a nickel-based positive active material of Chemical Formula 1 having a BET specific surface area of about 0.5 m2/g to about 2.5 m2/g, a metal fluoride, a conductive material, and a binder, wherein an amount of the metal fluoride is about 1 wt % to about 10 wt % based on 100 wt % of the positive electrode layer. In Chemical Formula 1, 0.9≤a≤1.1, 0.8≤x≤0.98, 0.01≤y≤0.01≤z≤0.1, x+y+z=1, and A is Mn or Al. LiaNixCoyAzO2  Chemical Formula 1