Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on September 25, 2026
Average rent in
San Diego, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on September 25, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
San Diego, CA rent is essentially flat year over year, with a current median of $2,795/month. Renters are paying roughly the same as last year, with only a negligible $5 difference per month on average.
Compared to national trends
San Diego rents run 47.1% more expensive than the $1,900/month national median, placing it in the higher tier of coastal metros with a total of 2,368 total rentals available.
Price ranges
Studio rents in San Diego sit around $1,895/month, 1-bedrooms at $2,198/month, 2-bedrooms at $2,995/month, 3-bedrooms at $4,195/month, and 4+ bedrooms reach $5,500/month. These figures reflect the range of bedroom sizes available to renters.
Price ranges
Houses rent for a median of $4,200/month while apartments are more affordable at $2,400/month. Apartments make up 50.8% of the inventory, followed by houses at 29.6%, showing a varied property-type market.
Median rent
Median rent in San Diego
$2,795/mo
vs previous year
The average rent in San Diego is $2,795 per month as of September 2026. This is 47% above the national average rent, or $895 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in San Diego
2,368
for rent on Zumper.com as of September 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of San Diego rentals at each price point
Rent trends in San Diego, CA
Average rent prices in San Diego have remained the same over the last month and have remained the same 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
San Diego, CA
Rent prices in San Diego vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in San Diego is $2,400, whereas a house costs $4,200. 1-bedroom apartments in San Diego run $2,195 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,845.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,895 |  1% | 2% | |
1 bedroom | $2,197 | No Change | 6% | |
2 bedroom | $2,995 | 1% | 4% | |
3 bedroom | $4,195 | 1% | 3% | |
4 bedroom | $5,500 |  1% | 12% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
College East | $3,995 | |
College West | $3,447 | |
Golden Hill | $2,295 | |
Hillcrest | $2,657 | |
Linda Vista | $2,795 | |
North Park | $2,400 | |
Pacific Beach | $3,200 | |
Park West | $2,775 | |
University City | $3,195 | |
University Heights | $2,395 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,400 | No Change | No Change | |
Condos | $2,995 | 1% | No Change | |
Houses | $4,200 | 1% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,150 | 15% | No Change |
Studio
Average rent
$1,895
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
2%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,197
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
6%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$2,995
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
4%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$4,195
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
3%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$5,500
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
12%
North Park
Average rent
$2,400
College East
Average rent
$3,995
Pacific Beach
Average rent
$3,200
University City
Average rent
$3,195
Hillcrest
Average rent
$2,657
Park West
Average rent
$2,775
College West
Average rent
$3,447
University Heights
Average rent
$2,395
Linda Vista
Average rent
$2,795
Golden Hill
Average rent
$2,295
Apartments
Average rent
$2,400
Last 30 days
No Change
Condos
Average rent
$2,995
Last 30 days
1%
Houses
Average rent
$4,200
Last 30 days
1%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,150
Last 30 days
15%
The table above reflects average rent prices in San Diego, 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 San Diego, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in San Diego and Bonita by all bedroom counts and property types.
San Diego
47%higher than the national median
18%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in San Diego, CA is 25% higher 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%$2,100
2%$4,985
2%$2,995
4%$2,395
2%$2,550
10%$2,397
5%$2,895
13%$2,747
3%$2,459
1%Cost of living in San Diego, CA
Explore the cost of essential expenses, and then use our rent calculator to find out how much rent you can afford.
Expenses accrued by most renters | Average cost compared to national average |
|---|---|
| Goods & Services | 15% higher |
| Groceries | 14% higher |
| Health | 6% higher |
| Housing | 106% higher |
| Transportation | 41% higher |
| Utilities | 52% higher |
Discover rentals in San Diego, CA
4d ago
720 4th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
1 bed
1 bath
$595
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
College East house for rent in San Diego
5 beds
2 baths
$875
House for rent
1d ago
College West house for rent in San Diego
4902 54th St, San Diego, CA 92115
1 bed
1 bath
$950
House for rent
Available Jul 15
1d ago
College East house for rent in San Diego
5124 Leo St, San Diego, CA 92115
1 bed
1 bath
$950
House for rent
Available Jul 15
5d+ ago
Bird Rock house for rent in San Diego
5204 Chelsea St, San Diego, CA 92037
5 beds
7.5 baths
$69,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
Hidden Valley house for rent in San Diego
7256 Rue Michael, San Diego, CA 92037
5 beds
5 baths
$65,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
Bird Rock house for rent in San Diego
5342 Chelsea Ave, San Diego, CA 92037
4 beds
4.5 baths
$40,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
Village house for rent in San Diego
1245 Coast Blvd, San Diego, CA 92037
3 beds
4.5 baths
$39,500
House for rent
16h ago
Verified
12435 Heatherton Ct, San Diego, CA 92128
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,390–$3,008
Price drop
Apartment for rent
16h ago
Verified
12629 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92130
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$3,385–$4,494
Price drop
Apartment for rent
23h ago
Verified
13138 Kellam Ct, San Diego, CA 92130
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,034–$4,124
Price drop
Apartment for rent
16h ago
Verified
12435 Heatherton Ct, San Diego, CA 92128
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,390–$3,008
Price drop
Apartment for rent
16h ago
Verified
12629 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92130
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$3,385–$4,494
Price drop
Apartment for rent
23h ago
Verified
13138 Kellam Ct, San Diego, CA 92130
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,034–$4,124
Price drop
Apartment for rent
16h ago
Verified
12435 Heatherton Ct, San Diego, CA 92128
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,390–$3,008
Price drop
Apartment for rent
16h ago
Verified
12629 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92130
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$3,385–$4,494
Price drop
Apartment for rent
23h ago
Verified
13138 Kellam Ct, San Diego, CA 92130
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,034–$4,124
Price drop
Apartment for rent
Stay up to date with rental market insights
Are you interested in licensing our current and historical rental real estate data, or do you have custom data requests? Contact datalicensing@zumper.com.
Frequently asked questions for San Diego, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the San Diego rental market.
How much is rent in San Diego?
The average rent in San Diego is $2,795 per month as of September 19, 2026.
Is rent up or down in San Diego?
Average rent prices in San Diego have remained the same over the last month and have remained the same since last year.
How does San Diego rent compare to the national average?
Rent in San Diego is 47% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $895 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in San Diego?
The most affordable neighborhoods in San Diego are Golden Hill ($2,295/mo), University Heights ($2,395/mo), and North Park ($2,400/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in San Diego?
To comfortably afford rent in San Diego, you'd need to earn approximately $112,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in San Diego?
December stands out as the best time to apartment hunt in San Diego, offering both the lowest seasonal rents and the least competition among renters, with roughly 4.5% savings compared to peak August pricing.
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).
For additional insights into rental trends, including month-over-month changes and historical comparisons, see Zumper's Monthly Metro Report.
San Diego Metro Report
The Zumper San Diego Metro Report analyzed active listings last month across metro cities to provide insights into rental trends, highlighting the most and least expensive cities and those with the fastest growing rents. The California one-bedroom median rent was $2,067 last month.
The Most Expensive
- Encinitas ranked as the most expensive city with one-bedrooms priced at $3,130.
- Carlsbad was the second priciest city with rent at $2,450.
- San Marcos placed third with rent at $2,420.
The Least Expensive
- El Cajon was the most affordable city, with one-bedroom rent priced at $1,790.
- National City ranked as second with rent at $1,880.
- Escondido placed third with rent at $1,920.
The Fastest Growing (Y/Y%)
- Encinitas had the fastest growing rent, climbing 11.4% since this time last year.
- Oceanside saw rent grow 7.5%, making it second.
- San Marcos placed third with rent increasing 1.3%.
The Fastest Growing (M/M%)
- Encinitas had the fastest growing rent last month, up 6.1%.
- National City saw rent climb 3.3% last month, making it second.
- La Mesa placed third with rent increasing 1.5%.
About
The Zumper San Diego Metro Area Report analyzed active listings that hit the market last month. Listings are aggregated by city to calculate median asking rents.
Words by
Crystal ChenCrystal Chen is a seasoned real estate and housing market expert with more than a decade of experience analyzing rental trends, housing affordability, and urban living. At Zumper, she leads data storytelling as well as press and media relations, where she translates complex housing research into easily digestible insights for renters, industry professionals, and journalists. Her reports can be seen cited in national outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and CNBC. She is passionate about helping renters navigate today’s evolving housing landscape with clarity and confidence. Living in New York City herself, she knows firsthand the chaos and challenges of navigating a competitive rental market.