Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on September 18, 2026
Average rent in
Costa Mesa, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on September 18, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
Costa Mesa, CA rent fell 14.4% year over year, with a current median of $2,995/month. Renters today are paying $464 less per month on average than last year, continuing a decline from the peak of $3,395/month in July 2025.
Vs. national rents
Costa Mesa rents run roughly 1.6× the $1,900/month national median, placing it among pricier Southern California metros despite a recent cooldown. The market offers 94 total rentals, indicating a limited inventory.
Price ranges
Studios in Costa Mesa rent around $2,095/month, 1-bedrooms around $2,448/month, 2-bedrooms around $3,216/month, 3-bedrooms around $4,500/month, and 4+ bedrooms reach $6,998/month. These bedroom tiers represent the range of rents available across the city.
Neighborhood spotlight
Mesa Verde rents fell 51.1% year over year to $2,997/month across 20 rentals, a much steeper decline than the citywide 14.4% drop. This indicates a pronounced local cooldown in that neighborhood compared to the broader Costa Mesa market.
Median rent
Median rent in Costa Mesa
$2,995/mo
14%vs previous year
The average rent in Costa Mesa is $2,995 per month as of September 2026. This is 58% above the national average rent, or $1,095 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Costa Mesa
94
for rent on Zumper.com as of September 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 decreased by 2% over the last month and have decreased by 14% 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 $2,875, whereas a house costs $5,125. 1-bedroom apartments in Costa Mesa run $2,495 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $3,150.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,095 | 2% |  2% | |
1 bedroom | $2,447 | 2% | 13% | |
2 bedroom | $3,216 | 1% | 10% | |
3 bedroom | $4,500 | 6% | 4% | |
4 bedroom | $6,997 | 10% | 11% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Central Costa Mesa | $2,885 | |
Eastside Costa Mesa | $3,900 | |
John Wayne Airport | $3,500 | |
Mesa North | $3,095 | |
Mesa Verde | $2,997 | |
Sobeca | $3,269 | |
South Coast Metro | $2,844 | |
Westside Costa Mesa | $2,650 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,875 | 3% | No Change | |
Condos | $3,900 | 8% | No Change | |
Houses | $5,125 | 8% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,390 | 4% | - |
Studio
Average rent
$2,095
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
2%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,447
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
13%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$3,216
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
10%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$4,500
Last 30 days
6%
Last year
4%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$6,997
Last 30 days
10%
Last year
11%
Central Costa Mesa
Average rent
$2,885
Eastside Costa Mesa
Average rent
$3,900
Westside Costa Mesa
Average rent
$2,650
Mesa North
Average rent
$3,095
South Coast Metro
Average rent
$2,844
John Wayne Airport
Average rent
$3,500
Sobeca
Average rent
$3,269
Mesa Verde
Average rent
$2,997
Apartments
Average rent
$2,875
Last 30 days
3%
Condos
Average rent
$3,900
Last 30 days
8%
Houses
Average rent
$5,125
Last 30 days
8%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,390
Last 30 days
4%
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
58%higher than the national median
29%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Costa Mesa, CA is 22% higher than the median rent in Anaheim, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,450
7%$2,295
1%$2,397
9%$2,550
3%$2,550
2%$3,150
5%$4,500
11%$1,995
6%$6,295
29%$3,013
4%$2,689
6%$2,850
4%Discover rentals in Costa Mesa, CA
1d ago
1059 Presidio Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1 bed
1 bath
$1,400
House for rent
Available Sep 18
1d ago
1053 Presidio Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1 bed
1 bath
$1,400
House for rent
Available Sep 18
19h ago
1955 Wallace Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,186–$3,006
Apartment for rent
2d ago
2345 Newport Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,520–$4,350
Apartment for rent
9h ago
Eastside Costa Mesa house for rent in Costa Mesa
3 beds
3 baths
$7,300
House for rent
1d ago
286 Costa Mesa St, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
2 beds
1 bath
$4,800
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
555 Paularino Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,080–$3,930
Price drop
Apartment for rent
4h ago
2855 Pinecreek Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,275–$3,515
Apartment for rent
3h ago
Verified
1850 Whittier Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,478–$4,272
Price drop
Apartment for rent
13h ago
Verified
1250 Adams Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,379–$3,657
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Mesa North house for rent in Costa Mesa
4 beds
2 baths
$4,950
House for rent
46m ago
Verified
555 Paularino Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,235–$3,215
Price drop
Apartment for rent
13h ago
Verified
1250 Adams Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,379–$3,657
Apartment for rent
46m ago
Verified
555 Paularino Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,235–$3,215
Price drop
Apartment for rent
3h ago
Verified
1850 Whittier Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,478–$4,272
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
555 Paularino Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,080–$3,930
Price drop
Apartment for rent
3h ago
Verified
1850 Whittier Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
2 beds
2 baths
$3,478–$4,272
Price drop
Apartment for rent
13h ago
Verified
1250 Adams Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,379–$3,657
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Mesa North house for rent in Costa Mesa
4 beds
2 baths
$4,950
House for rent
46m ago
Verified
555 Paularino Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,235–$3,215
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 $2,995 per month as of September 12, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Costa Mesa?
Average rent prices in Costa Mesa have decreased by 2% over the last month and have decreased by 14% since last year.
How does Costa Mesa rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Costa Mesa is 58% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,095 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Costa Mesa?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Costa Mesa are Westside Costa Mesa ($2,650/mo), South Coast Metro ($2,844/mo), and Central Costa Mesa ($2,885/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 $120,000/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?
February offers the best rental deals in Costa Mesa with the lowest rents of the year, while September sees peak pricing with roughly 10% higher costs. November and December are less competitive months for apartment hunting.
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).