Last updated on August 12, 2026

Average rent in
San Francisco, CA

Key takeaways for renters

  • Where San Francisco rent stands today

    San Francisco, CA rent rose 25.1% year over year, with a current median of $4,315/month. Renters today are paying $829 more per month on average than last year, with rent near the peak of $4,589/month reached last month.

  • Vs. national rents

    San Francisco rents are 124.2% more expensive than the $1,925/month national median. The market offers 602 total rentals, mostly apartments, across a high-cost urban setting.

  • Rent ranges by bedroom

    Studios in San Francisco rent for $2,750/month, 1-bedrooms for $4,095/month, and 2-bedrooms for $5,995/month, with 3-bedrooms at $7,500/month and 4+ bedrooms at $8,500/month. Apartments make up 74.7% of total rentals, with houses renting higher at $5,850/month.

  • Neighborhood spotlight

    Seacliff rents rose 71.9% year over year to $5,500/month, far outpacing the citywide 25.1% rise. This contrasts with Corona Heights, where rents fell 29.7% year over year to $5,095/month, showing strong local variation in San Francisco's rental market.

Median rent

Median rent in San Francisco

$4,315/mo

increased by25%

vs previous year

The average rent in San Francisco is $4,315 per month as of August 2026. This is 124% above the national average rent, or $2,390 more per month.

$5.79

average price per square foot

Total rentals

Available rentals in San Francisco

602

for rent on Zumper.com as of August 2026

Rent price distribution

Share of San Francisco rentals at each price point

30%23%15%8%0%
$0 - $1,500
$1,501 - $3,000
$3,001 - $4,500
$4,501 - $6,000
$6,001 - $50,000

Rent trends in San Francisco, CA

Average rent prices in San Francisco have remained the same over the last month and have increased by 25% 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 Francisco, CA

Rent prices in San Francisco vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in San Francisco is $4,269, whereas a house costs $5,850. 1-bedroom apartments in San Francisco run $4,295 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $5,995.

Listings

Studio

$2,750

2%

17%

1 bedroom

$4,095

1%

23%

2 bedroom

$5,995

1%

26%

3 bedroom

$7,500

10%

28%

4 bedroom

$8,500

10%

4%

Studio

Average rent

$2,750

Last 30 days

2%

Last year

17%

1 bedroom

Average rent

$4,095

Last 30 days

1%

Last year

23%

2 bedroom

Average rent

$5,995

Last 30 days

1%

Last year

26%

3 bedroom

Average rent

$7,500

Last 30 days

10%

Last year

28%

4 bedroom

Average rent

$8,500

Last 30 days

10%

Last year

4%

The table above reflects average rent prices in San Francisco, 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 Francisco, CA compare to other cities?

Compare median rent prices in San Francisco and Alameda by all bedroom counts and property types.

San Francisco

Median rent price$4,315
increased by124%

higher than the national median

Median rent price$2,600
increased by35%

higher than the national median

Takeaway

The median rent for all rentals in San Francisco, CA is 66% higher than the median rent in Alameda, CA.

Cost of living in San Francisco, 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 & Services21% higher
Groceries16% higher
Health24% higher
Housing156% higher
Transportation41% higher
Utilities47% higher

Discover rentals in San Francisco, CA

345 Taylor St Ofc 4 - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

Tenderloin apartment for rent in San Francisco

Tilden Hotel - Office 4

345 Taylor St Ofc 4, San Francisco, CA 94102

Studio

0 baths

$499

Apartment for rent

Available Aug 1

345 Taylor St Ofc 5 - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

Tenderloin apartment for rent in San Francisco

Tilden Hotel - Office 5

345 Taylor St Ofc 5, San Francisco, CA 94102

Studio

0 baths

$649

Apartment for rent

Available Aug 1

1226-1228 Grant Avenue (345rc) - Photo 1 of 1

2d ago

6.8

Good

1226-1228 Grant Avenue (345rc)

1226 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

Studio

1 bath

$675

Apartment for rent

858 Washington St #40 - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

Financial District apartment for rent in San Francisco

Private SRO Room in the Heart of Chinatown

858 Washington St #40, San Francisco, CA 94108

Studio

0 baths

$700

Apartment for rent

Available Jun 7

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 Francisco, CA

Quick answers to common questions about the San Francisco rental market.

How much is rent in San Francisco?

The average rent in San Francisco is $4,315 per month as of August 8, 2026.

Is rent up or down in San Francisco?

Average rent prices in San Francisco have remained the same over the last month and have increased by 25% since last year.

How does San Francisco rent compare to the national average?

Rent in San Francisco is 124% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $2,390 more per month.

Which neighborhoods are most affordable in San Francisco?

The most affordable neighborhoods in San Francisco are Tenderloin ($1,895/mo), Financial District ($1,975/mo), and Downtown ($2,395/mo).

What salary do I need to afford rent in San Francisco?

To comfortably afford rent in San Francisco, you'd need to earn approximately $173,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.

When is the best time of year to rent in San Francisco?

Based on Zumper's July 2026 data, one-bedroom apartments in San Francisco average around $3,690/month and two-bedrooms approximately $5,250/month, both up significantly 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).

For additional insights into rental trends, including month-over-month changes and historical comparisons, see Zumper's Monthly Metro Report.

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