Last updated on October 30, 2026

Average rent in
La Mesa, La Mesa, CA

Median rent

Median rent in La Mesa

$2,395/mo

decreased by4%

vs previous year

The average rent in La Mesa is $2,395 per month as of October 2026. This is 26% above the national average rent, or $495 more per month.

$3.00

average price per square foot

Total rentals

Available rentals in La Mesa

112

for rent on Zumper.com as of October 2026

Rent price distribution

Share of La Mesa rentals at each price point

75%56%38%19%0%
$0 - $1,500
$1,501 - $3,000
$3,001 - $4,500
$4,501 - $6,000
$6,001 - $50,000

Rent trends in La Mesa, La Mesa, CA

Average rent prices in La Mesa have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 4% 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 La Mesa, La Mesa, CA

Rent prices in La Mesa vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in La Mesa is $2,295, whereas a house costs $3,350. 1-bedroom apartments in La Mesa run $1,995 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,527.

Listings

Studio

$1,770

No Change

1%

1 bedroom

$1,995

2%

No Change

2 bedroom

$2,595

No Change

No Change

3 bedroom

$3,372

5%

2%

4 bedroom

$7,300

No Change

51%

Studio

Average rent

$1,770

Last 30 days

No Change

Last year

1%

1 bedroom

Average rent

$1,995

Last 30 days

2%

2 bedroom

Average rent

$2,595

3 bedroom

Average rent

$3,372

Last 30 days

5%

Last year

2%

4 bedroom

Average rent

$7,300

Last 30 days

No Change

Last year

51%

The table above reflects average rent prices in La Mesa, La 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 La Mesa, La Mesa, CA compare to other neighborhoods?

Compare median rent prices in La Mesa and El Cajon by all bedroom counts and property types.

La Mesa

Median rent price$2,395
increased by26%

higher than the national median

Median rent price$2,110
increased by11%

higher than the national median

Takeaway

The median rent for all rentals in La Mesa, La Mesa, CA is 14% higher than the median rent in El Cajon, El, CA.

Discover rentals in La Mesa, La Mesa, CA

Boulevard Apartments - Photo 1 of 1

19h ago

7.8

Very good

Boulevard Apartments

6925 Boulevard Dr, La Mesa, CA 91941

2 beds

1 bath

$1,850

Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.
7576 Parkway Drive - Photo 1 of 1

14h ago

9.4

Excellent

7576 Parkway Drive

7576 Parkway Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942

1–2 beds

1 bath

$1,895–$2,245

Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.
Volterra Apartments - Photo 1 of 1
3D tour

1d ago

9.4

Excellent

Volterra Apartments

9071 Dallas St, La Mesa, CA 91942

1–3 beds

1–2 baths

$1,995–$2,895

Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.
5123 Wilson St #5123 - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

Condo for rent in La Mesa

2 beds

1 bath

$2,050

Additional fees apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Based on information provided by the property, additional fees may apply, but no required monthly charges have been confirmed. See all fees for details.

Stay up to date with rental market insights

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Frequently asked questions for La Mesa, La Mesa, CA

Quick answers to common questions about the La Mesa rental market.

How much is rent in La Mesa?

The average rent in La Mesa is $2,395 per month as of October 24, 2026.

Is rent up or down in La Mesa?

Average rent prices in La Mesa have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 4% since last year.

How does La Mesa rent compare to the national average?

Rent in La Mesa is 26% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $495 more per month.

What salary do I need to afford rent in La Mesa?

To comfortably afford rent in La Mesa, you'd need to earn approximately $96,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.

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).

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