Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on August 4, 2026
Average rent in
Costa Mesa, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on August 4, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
Costa Mesa, CA rent fell 6.3% year over year, with a current median of $3,215/month. Renters today are paying $209 less per month on average than last year, while month-to-month rent is essentially flat.
Compared to national trends
Costa Mesa runs roughly 1.7× the $1,940/month national median, placing it among pricier Southern California metros for renters seeking coastal amenities.
Price ranges
Studios in Costa Mesa rent for around $2,175/month, 1-bedrooms for $2,450/month, and 2-bedrooms for $3,295/month, with 3-bedrooms at $4,995/month and 4+ bedrooms reaching $6,300/month. Apartments make up 53% of total rentals, with houses renting at a median of $5,500/month.
Neighborhood spotlight
Mesa Verde rents fell 48.2% year over year to $2,695/month across 14 rentals. This local decline contrasts with the citywide market's 6.3% drop, showing a concentrated cooldown in that neighborhood.
Median rent
Median rent in Costa Mesa
$3,215/mo
6%vs previous year
The average rent in Costa Mesa is $3,215 per month as of August 2026. This is 66% above the national average rent, or $1,275 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Costa Mesa
99
for rent on Zumper.com as of August 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Costa Mesa rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Costa Mesa, CA
Average rent prices in Costa Mesa have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 6% since last year.
Rent trends
Rent prices on this page are calculated on a rolling 30-day basis and updated daily.
Compare rent prices in
Costa Mesa, CA
Rent prices in Costa Mesa vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Costa Mesa is $2,918, whereas a house costs $5,500. 1-bedroom apartments in Costa Mesa run $2,495 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $3,175.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,175 | 4% |  10% | |
1 bedroom | $2,450 | 1% | 2% | |
2 bedroom | $3,295 | 1% | 2% | |
3 bedroom | $4,995 | 6% | 5% | |
4 bedroom | $6,300 | 5% | 8% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Central Costa Mesa | $2,879 | |
Eastside Costa Mesa | $4,395 | |
John Wayne Airport | $3,265 | |
Mesa North | $2,999 | |
Mesa Verde | $2,695 | |
Sobeca | $3,166 | |
South Coast Metro | $2,999 | |
Westside Costa Mesa | $2,905 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,918 | 2% | No Change | |
Condos | $4,700 | 15% | No Change | |
Houses | $5,500 | 3% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,390 | 14% | - |
Studio
Average rent
$2,175
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
10%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,450
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
2%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$3,295
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
2%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$4,995
Last 30 days
6%
Last year
5%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$6,300
Last 30 days
5%
Last year
8%
Central Costa Mesa
Average rent
$2,879
Westside Costa Mesa
Average rent
$2,905
Eastside Costa Mesa
Average rent
$4,395
South Coast Metro
Average rent
$2,999
Mesa Verde
Average rent
$2,695
Mesa North
Average rent
$2,999
John Wayne Airport
Average rent
$3,265
Sobeca
Average rent
$3,166
Apartments
Average rent
$2,918
Last 30 days
2%
Condos
Average rent
$4,700
Last 30 days
15%
Houses
Average rent
$5,500
Last 30 days
3%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,390
Last 30 days
14%
The table above reflects average rent prices in Costa Mesa, CA, broken down by the number of bedrooms, neighborhoods, and property types. The availability of data for each category is dependent on market inventory and will adjust depending on your selected filters.
How does rent in Costa Mesa, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in Costa Mesa and Anaheim by all bedroom counts and property types.
Costa Mesa
66%higher than the national median
29%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Costa Mesa, CA is 29% higher than the median rent in Anaheim, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,500
1%$2,225
4%$2,495
2%$2,710
11%$2,500
3%$3,400
$4,812
2%$1,995
1%$7,925
3%$3,347
8%$2,710
8%$2,850
3%Discover rentals in Costa Mesa, CA
5d+ ago
1053 Presidio Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1 bed
1 bath
$1,400
House for rent
Available Aug 3
5d+ ago
1059 Presidio Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1 bed
1 bath
$1,400
House for rent
Available Aug 3
3d ago
Central Costa Mesa house for rent in Costa Mesa
841 Cortez St #NA, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1 bed
1 bath
$1,497
House for rent
Available Aug 23
16h ago
1955 Wallace Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,186–$3,006
Apartment for rent
4d ago
Eastside Costa Mesa house for rent in Costa Mesa
4 beds
3 baths
$10,995
House for rent
Available Jul 30
5d+ ago
Mesa Verde house for rent in Costa Mesa
1800 Oriole Dr #1, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
3 beds
2 baths
$7,900
House for rent
Available Jul 29
5d+ ago
Eastside Costa Mesa house for rent in Costa Mesa
3 beds
3 baths
$7,900
House for rent
4d ago
Eastside Costa Mesa house for rent in Costa Mesa
3 beds
3 baths
$7,500
House for rent
3d ago
Verified
1850 Whittier Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,484–$4,662
Price drop
Apartment for rent
23m ago
Verified
1250 Adams Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
2–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,909–$3,809
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
2244 Canyon Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
2 beds
1 bath
$2,700–$3,500
Apartment for rent
16h ago
Verified
1765 Santa Ana Ave #3487A, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Studio
1 bath
$3,220
Apartment for rent
23m ago
Verified
1250 Adams Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
2–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,909–$3,809
Apartment for rent
19h ago
Verified
555 Paularino Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,420–$3,240
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
1850 Whittier Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,484–$4,662
Price drop
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
555 Paularino Ave #3792A, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,390–$3,720
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
1850 Whittier Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
2 beds
2 baths
$3,484–$4,662
Price drop
Apartment for rent
4d ago
1995 Maple Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
2 beds
1 bath
$2,575
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
2244 Canyon Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
2 beds
1 bath
$2,700
Apartment for rent
18h ago
Verified
1765 Santa Ana Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Studio–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,280–$4,310
Price drop
Apartment for rent
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Frequently asked questions for Costa Mesa, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the Costa Mesa rental market.
How much is rent in Costa Mesa?
The average rent in Costa Mesa is $3,215 per month as of August 1, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Costa Mesa?
Average rent prices in Costa Mesa have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 6% since last year.
How does Costa Mesa rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Costa Mesa is 66% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,275 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Costa Mesa?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Costa Mesa are Mesa Verde ($2,695/mo), Central Costa Mesa ($2,879/mo), and Westside Costa Mesa ($2,905/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Costa Mesa?
To comfortably afford rent in Costa Mesa, you'd need to earn approximately $129,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in Costa Mesa?
Based on Zumper's July 2026 data, one-bedroom apartments in Costa Mesa average around $2,420/month and two-bedrooms approximately $3,150/month.
Methodology
Rent prices are based on Zumper's rental listings from the past 30 days. Median rent is calculated across all available listings and property types on the platform. If you filter the page by bedroom count or property type, the pricing throughout the page will update automatically to reflect that segment of the rental market.
Household and population data come from the U.S. Census Bureau. Cost-of-living data is sourced from the Council for Community and Economic Research's Cost of Living Index (COLI).