Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on October 31, 2026
Average rent in
National City, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on October 31, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
National City, CA rent has modestly declined year over year, with a current median of $2,295/month. Month over month, rents cooled 2.0%.
Compared to national trends
National City is 20.8% more expensive than the $1,900/month national median. The city has a total of 73 rentals available.
Rent ranges by bedroom
Studios rent for $1,850/month, 1-bedrooms for $1,895/month, and 2-bedrooms for $2,495/month. Larger units include 3-bedrooms at $3,195/month and 4+ bedrooms at $4,500/month. The 2-bedroom median is a key price point in the market.
Median rent
Median rent in National City
$2,295/mo
1%vs previous year
The average rent in National City is $2,295 per month as of October 2026. This is 21% above the national average rent, or $395 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in National City
73
for rent on Zumper.com as of October 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of National City rentals at each price point
Rent trends in National City, CA
Average rent prices in National City have decreased by 2% over the last month and have decreased by 1% 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
National City, CA
Rent prices in National City vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in National City is $2,250, whereas a house costs $3,500. 1-bedroom apartments in National City run $1,895 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,495.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,850 | No Change |  3% | |
1 bedroom | $1,895 | 2% | 6% | |
2 bedroom | $2,495 | 3% | 3% | |
3 bedroom | $3,195 | 1% | 4% | |
4 bedroom | $4,500 | 4% | 3% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
National City | $2,295 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,250 | No Change | 1% | |
Condos | $3,812 | 3% | 69% | |
Houses | $3,500 | 4% | 8% | |
Rooms | $900 | No Change | - |
Studio
Average rent
$1,850
Last year
3%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$1,895
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
6%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$2,495
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
3%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$3,195
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
4%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$4,500
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
3%
National City
Average rent
$2,295
Apartments
Average rent
$2,250
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
1%
Condos
Average rent
$3,812
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
69%
Houses
Average rent
$3,500
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
8%
Rooms
Average rent
$900
The table above reflects average rent prices in National City, 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 National City, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in National City and Bonita by all bedroom counts and property types.
National City
21%higher than the national median
49%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in National City, CA is 19% lower than the median rent in Bonita, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,833
4%$2,745
18%$2,995
2%$6,400
7%$5,397
34%$2,125
3%$2,895
13%$2,395
4%$2,300
6%$2,850
$2,895
2%$2,347
7%Discover rentals in National City, CA
19h ago
Apartment for rent in National City
Studio
0 baths
$600
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.Apartment for rent
Available Oct 16
1d ago
116 Palm Ave, National City, CA 91950
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,695–$1,995
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.Apartment for rent
22h ago
31 N Highland Ave, National City, CA 91950
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,995–$2,395
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.Apartment for rent
1d ago
1937 L Ave, National City, CA 91950
2 beds
1 bath
$1,995
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.Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in National City
2 beds
2 baths
$3,399
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.Apartment for rent
2d ago
310 Palm Ave, National City, CA 91950
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,570–$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.Apartment for rent
2d ago
142 E 31st St, National City, CA 91950
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,495–$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.Apartment for rent
4d ago
723 E 7th St, National City, CA 91950
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,050–$2,550
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.Apartment for rent
1d ago
611 Highland Ave, National City, CA 91950
1 bed
1 bath
$2,395
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.Apartment for rent
1d ago
1447 Sheryl Ln, National City, CA 91950
2 beds
2 baths
$2,845
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.Apartment for rent
2d ago
1924 Harding Ave, National City, CA 91950
2 beds
2 baths
$2,850
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.Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
129 National City Blvd, National City, CA 91950
1 bed
1 bath
$1,995
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.Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
129 National City Blvd, National City, CA 91950
1 bed
1 bath
$1,995
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.Apartment for rent
22h ago
31 N Highland Ave, National City, CA 91950
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,995–$2,395
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.Apartment for rent
1d ago
NC18 Apartments, 1224-34 East 18th Street, National City, CA 91950
1 bed
1 bath
$1,795
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.Apartment for rent
2d ago
608 E 24th St, National City, CA 91950
1 bed
1 bath
$1,725
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.Apartment for rent
9h ago
629 R Ave, National City, CA 91950
2 beds
2 baths
$2,195
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.Apartment for rent
14h ago
Apartment for rent in National City
2 beds
1 bath
$2,500
Price dropped $150Fees 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.Apartment for rent
Available Dec 1
18h ago
Apartment for rent in National City
235 Civic Center Dr #2, National City, CA 91950
1 bed
1 bath
$1,750
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.Apartment for rent
Available Oct 30
1d ago
2303 E 8th St, National City, CA 91950
2 beds
1 bath
$2,200
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.Apartment for rent
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Frequently asked questions for National City, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the National City rental market.
How much is rent in National City?
The average rent in National City is $2,295 per month as of October 24, 2026.
Is rent up or down in National City?
Average rent prices in National City have decreased by 2% over the last month and have decreased by 1% since last year.
How does National City rent compare to the national average?
Rent in National City is 21% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $395 more per month.
What salary do I need to afford rent in National City?
To comfortably afford rent in National City, you'd need to earn approximately $92,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in National City?
May offers the best rental deals in National City, with rents running about 9% lower than February, which sees the highest prices of the year. November is also a good time to search since it's the least competitive month with lower overall 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).