Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on September 19, 2026
Average rent in
El Cajon, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on September 19, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
El, CA rent slipped 2.1% year over year, with a current median of $2,100/month. Renters today are paying $55 less per month on average than last year, while month-to-month rent is essentially flat.
Compared to national trends
El, CA runs 10.5% more expensive than the $1,900/month national median, positioning it as a pricier metro with a total of 198 rentals available.
Rent ranges by bedroom
Studios and 1-bedrooms in El, CA are around $1,750/month, while 2-bedrooms sit at $2,195/month. Larger units rise to $3,295/month for 3-bedrooms and $4,548/month for 4+ bedrooms, covering a broad spectrum of rental prices.
Neighborhood spotlight
Studio units in El, CA climbed 12.9% year over year, diverging from the overall market decline. Similarly, 3-bedroom rents rose 10.4%, showing distinct trends within bedroom segments compared to the citywide slip.
Median rent
Median rent in El
$2,100/mo
2%vs previous year
The average rent in El is $2,100 per month as of September 2026. This is 11% above the national average rent, or $200 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in El
198
for rent on Zumper.com as of September 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of El rentals at each price point
Rent trends in El Cajon, CA
Average rent prices in El have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 2% 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
El Cajon, CA
Rent prices in El vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in El is $2,014, whereas a house costs $3,562. 1-bedroom apartments in El run $1,765 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,150.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,750 | 1% |  18% | |
1 bedroom | $1,757 | 4% | 12% | |
2 bedroom | $2,195 | No Change | 4% | |
3 bedroom | $3,295 | 3% | 4% | |
4 bedroom | $4,547 | 11% | 13% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
El Cajon | $2,097 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,014 | 1% | No Change | |
Condos | $2,397 | 5% | No Change | |
Houses | $3,562 | 6% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,500 | 18% | - |
Studio
Average rent
$1,750
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
18%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$1,757
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
12%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$2,195
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
4%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$3,295
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
4%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$4,547
Last 30 days
11%
Last year
13%
El Cajon
Average rent
$2,097
Apartments
Average rent
$2,014
Last 30 days
1%
Condos
Average rent
$2,397
Last 30 days
5%
Houses
Average rent
$3,562
Last 30 days
6%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,500
Last 30 days
18%
The table above reflects average rent prices in El Cajon, 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 El, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in El and Bonita by all bedroom counts and property types.
El
11%higher than the national median
18%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in El, CA is 6% lower than the median rent in Bonita, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,243
5%$2,992
$6,500
14%$4,985
2%$2,995
4%$2,395
2%$2,550
10%$2,397
5%$2,895
13%$2,795
$2,747
3%$2,459
1%Discover rentals in El Cajon, CA
3d ago
1040 E Washington Ave, El Cajon, CA 92020
2 beds
1 bath
$1,795–$1,875
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Apartment for rent in El Cajon
2 beds
1 bath
$1,930
$1,830
Price drop
Apartment for rent
2d ago
Apartment for rent in El Cajon
2 beds
1 bath
$1,850
Apartment for rent
2d ago
254 Orlando St, El Cajon, CA 92021
2 beds
1 bath
$1,890
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
4 beds
2 baths
$8,513
$6,275
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
1 bed
1 bath
$6,265
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in El Cajon
4 beds
3 baths
$5,850
House for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in El Cajon
4 beds
3 baths
$5,500
House for rent
1d ago
Verified
1110 Petree St, El Cajon, CA 92020
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,955–$2,161
Apartment for rent
14h ago
Verified
1240 Petree St, El Cajon, CA 92020
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,847–$2,947
Price drop
Apartment for rent
21h ago
Verified
2950 Fletcher Pkwy, El Cajon, CA 92020
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,603–$2,990
Price drop
Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
150 South Mollison Avenue, El Cajon, CA 92020
2 beds
1 bath
$2,195
Apartment for rent
14h ago
Verified
1240 Petree St, El Cajon, CA 92020
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,847–$2,947
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
1110 Petree St, El Cajon, CA 92020
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,955–$2,161
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
800 E Lexington Ave, El Cajon, CA 92020
2–3 beds
2 baths
$2,390–$3,295
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
1360 E Madison Ave, El Cajon, CA 92021
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,970–$2,435
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
1110 Petree St, El Cajon, CA 92020
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,955–$2,161
Apartment for rent
14h ago
Verified
1240 Petree St, El Cajon, CA 92020
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,847–$2,947
Price drop
Apartment for rent
21h ago
Verified
2950 Fletcher Pkwy, El Cajon, CA 92020
2 beds
2 baths
$2,748–$2,973
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
800 E Lexington Ave, El Cajon, CA 92020
2 beds
2 baths
$2,528
Price drop
Apartment for rent
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Frequently asked questions for El Cajon, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the El rental market.
How much is rent in El?
The average rent in El is $2,100 per month as of September 19, 2026.
Is rent up or down in El?
Average rent prices in El have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 2% since last year.
How does El rent compare to the national average?
Rent in El is 11% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $200 more per month.
What salary do I need to afford rent in El?
To comfortably afford rent in El, you'd need to earn approximately $84,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in El?
Winter months offer the best rental deals in El Cajon, with January seeing the lowest rents of the year. November and December also experience less demand, while July and August are the most competitive months with higher demand.
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).