Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on August 2, 2026
Average rent in
National City, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on August 2, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
National City, CA rent slipped 5.2% year over year, with a current median of $2,395/month. Renters today are paying $133 less per month on average than last year, while month-to-month rent is essentially flat.
Compared to national trends
National City runs 23.4% more expensive than the $1,940/month national median, placing it in the higher price tier for California metros despite having just 75 total rentals available.
Rent ranges by bedroom
In National City, studios rent for $2,020/month, 1-bedrooms for $1,850/month, 2-bedrooms for $2,600/month, 3-bedrooms for $3,200/month, and 4+ bedrooms for $6,500/month. This range shows the variation in rents by unit size.
Neighborhood spotlight
The 4+ bedroom segment in National City climbed 66.7% year over year, contrasting with the overall citywide rent decline. This segment's strong rise stands out amid generally softer rent trends in the city.
Median rent
Median rent in National City
$2,395/mo
5%vs previous year
The average rent in National City is $2,395 per month as of August 2026. This is 23% above the national average rent, or $455 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in National City
75
for rent on Zumper.com as of August 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 remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 5% 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 $2,350, whereas a house costs $2,850. 1-bedroom apartments in National City run $1,895 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,588.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,020 |  8% | 16% | |
1 bedroom | $1,850 | 7% | 1% | |
2 bedroom | $2,600 | 1% | 4% | |
3 bedroom | $3,200 | 3% | 4% | |
4 bedroom | $6,500 | 11% | 105% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
National City | $2,395 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,350 | 1% | No Change | |
Condos | $2,000 | 4% | No Change | |
Houses | $2,850 | 12% | No Change | |
Rooms | $900 | No Change | - |
Studio
Average rent
$2,020
Last 30 days
8%
Last year
16%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$1,850
Last 30 days
7%
Last year
1%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$2,600
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
4%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$3,200
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
4%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$6,500
Last 30 days
11%
Last year
105%
National City
Average rent
$2,395
Apartments
Average rent
$2,350
Last 30 days
1%
Condos
Average rent
$2,000
Last 30 days
4%
Houses
Average rent
$2,850
Last 30 days
12%
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
23%higher than the national median
47%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in National City, CA is 16% lower than the median rent in Bonita, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,850
22%$2,495
12%$3,100
2%$6,897
25%$6,122
38%$2,095
2%$2,895
1%$2,295
10%$2,595
7%$2,757
$2,795
3%$2,395
11%Discover rentals in National City, CA
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in National City
2 beds
1 bath
$1,600
Apartment for rent
Available Aug 14
5d+ ago
House for rent in National City
2 beds
1 bath
$1,795
House for rent
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in National City
2 beds
1 bath
$2,095
Apartment for rent
23h ago
629 R Ave, National City, CA 91950
2 beds
2 baths
$2,195
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
3 beds
3 baths
$6,385
$5,335
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Condo for rent in National City
2 beds
2 baths
$4,000
Condo for rent
1d ago
Apartment for rent in National City
2 beds
2 baths
$3,575
$3,399
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in National City
2 beds
1 bath
$3,300
Apartment for rent
1d ago
1447 Sheryl Ln, National City, CA 91950
1 bed
1 bath
$2,295
Apartment for rent
2d ago
1924 Harding Ave, National City, CA 91950
2 beds
2 baths
$2,950–$2,995
Apartment for rent
3d ago
142 E 31st St, National City, CA 91950
1 bed
1 bath
$2,495
Apartment for rent
8h ago
702 R Avenue, National City, CA 91950
2 beds
1 bath
$2,790
Apartment for rent
Available Sep 27
2d ago
Verified
4 beds
2 baths
$6,201
$4,905
Price drop
Apartment for rent
4d ago
Verified
3 beds
3 baths
$4,540
$4,129
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
129 National City Blvd, National City, CA 91950
1 bed
1 bath
$2,295
Apartment for rent
1d ago
1627 E 9th St, National City, CA 91950
1–3 beds
1 bath
$2,050–$2,750
Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
4 beds
2 baths
$6,201
$4,905
Price drop
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
3 beds
3 baths
$6,385
$5,335
Price drop
Apartment for rent
4d ago
Verified
3 beds
3 baths
$4,540
$4,129
Price drop
Apartment for rent
3d ago
608 E 24th St, National City, CA 91950
1 bed
1 bath
$1,725
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 $2,395 per month as of August 1, 2026.
Is rent up or down in National City?
Average rent prices in National City have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 5% since last year.
How does National City rent compare to the national average?
Rent in National City is 23% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $455 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 $96,000/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?
Based on Zumper's July 2026 data, one-bedroom apartments in National City average around $1,870/month and two-bedrooms approximately $2,640/month. Both bedroom types are running a little softer than last year, with one-bedrooms down 3.9% and two-bedrooms down 2.9% year over year.
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).