Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on October 6, 2026
Average rent in
San Luis Obispo, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on October 6, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
San Luis Obispo, CA rent rose 20.6% year over year, with a current median of $2,895/month. Renters today are paying $503 more per month on average than last year, extending a strong upward trend since the recent trough in September 2025.
Vs. national rents
San Luis Obispo runs roughly 1.5× the $1,900/month national median, placing it among pricier California metros with a limited total rental inventory of 142 units.
Rent ranges by bedroom
Studios in San Luis Obispo rent for $1,850/month, 1-bedrooms for $1,975/month, and 2-bedrooms for $2,548/month, with 3-bedrooms at $3,800/month and 4+ bedrooms reaching $4,900/month. This range reflects the diversity of rental options by bedroom count.
Price ranges
Houses rent at a median of $3,800/month compared to $2,200/month for apartments. Apartments make up 48.5% of total rentals, while houses account for 45.1%, showing a balanced inventory between these property types.
Median rent
Median rent in San Luis Obispo
$2,895/mo
21%vs previous year
The average rent in San Luis Obispo is $2,895 per month as of October 2026. This is 52% above the national average rent, or $995 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in San Luis Obispo
142
for rent on Zumper.com as of October 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of San Luis Obispo rentals at each price point
Rent trends in San Luis Obispo, CA
Average rent prices in San Luis Obispo have increased by 3% over the last month and have increased by 21% 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 Luis Obispo, CA
Rent prices in San Luis Obispo vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in San Luis Obispo is $2,200, whereas a house costs $3,800. 1-bedroom apartments in San Luis Obispo run $1,900 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,400.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,850 |  1% | 7% | |
1 bedroom | $1,975 | 1% | 7% | |
2 bedroom | $2,547 | 4% | 3% | |
3 bedroom | $3,800 | 1% | 1% | |
4 bedroom | $4,900 | 31% | 14% |
At this time, we don't have enough active inventory for all rentals to generate data. Please check back soon to see neighborhood rent prices in San Luis Obispo, CA.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,200 | No Change | No Change | |
Condos | $2,700 | 15% | No Change | |
Houses | $3,800 | 21% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,350 | No Change | - |
Studio
Average rent
$1,850
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
7%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$1,975
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
7%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$2,547
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
3%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$3,800
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
1%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$4,900
Last 30 days
31%
Last year
14%
At this time, we don't have enough active inventory for all rentals to generate data. Please check back soon to see neighborhood rent prices in San Luis Obispo, CA.
Apartments
Average rent
$2,200
Last 30 days
No Change
Condos
Average rent
$2,700
Last 30 days
15%
Houses
Average rent
$3,800
Last 30 days
21%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,350
The table above reflects average rent prices in San Luis Obispo, 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 Luis Obispo, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande by all bedroom counts and property types.
San Luis Obispo
52%higher than the national median
42%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in San Luis Obispo, CA is 7% higher than the median rent in Arroyo Grande, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,700
4%$2,297
$3,950
17%$2,500
7%$2,000
3%$2,775
43%$3,250
27%$2,895
23%$2,425
9%$3,077
3%$4,222
6%$2,395
1%Discover rentals in San Luis Obispo, CA
2h ago
1050 E Foothill Blvd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
1 bed
1 bath
$599–$899
Apartment for rent
1d ago
740 W Foothill Blvd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
1 bed
2–3 baths
$850
Price drop
Apartment for rent
2d ago
1121 Montalban St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
2 beds
1 bath
$1,650
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Apartment for rent in San Luis Obispo
722 Boysen Ave #5, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
2 beds
1 bath
$2,200
$1,900
Price drop
Apartment for rent
Available Aug 13
5d+ ago
House for rent in San Luis Obispo
5 beds
6 baths
$12,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in San Luis Obispo
5 beds
3 baths
$12,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in San Luis Obispo
5 beds
3.5 baths
$10,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in San Luis Obispo
4 beds
2 baths
$7,200
House for rent
10h ago
3110 Duncan Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Studio
1 bath
$2,495–$2,595
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in San Luis Obispo
4 beds
3 baths
$5,650
House for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
2 beds
2 baths
$2,800
Apartment for rent
Available Aug 28
5d+ ago
Verified
3 beds
2 baths
$5,450
House for rent
Available Sep 1
3d ago
1025 E Foothill Blvd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
2 beds
1 bath
$2,000
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Townhouse for rent in San Luis Obispo
1 bed
1.5 baths
$2,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in San Luis Obispo
3 beds
1 bath
$3,900
House for rent
5d+ ago
735 735 & 745 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
2–3 beds
1 bath
$2,800–$2,895
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
735 735 & 745 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
3 beds
1 bath
$2,800
Apartment for rent
4h ago
284 N Chorro St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
2 beds
1 bath
$2,300
Apartment for rent
5h ago
1109 Pismo St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
2–4 beds
1–2 baths
$2,000–$3,500
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1d ago
House for rent in San Luis Obispo
3 beds
2.5 baths
$3,500
House for rent
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Frequently asked questions for San Luis Obispo, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the San Luis Obispo rental market.
How much is rent in San Luis Obispo?
The average rent in San Luis Obispo is $2,895 per month as of October 3, 2026.
Is rent up or down in San Luis Obispo?
Average rent prices in San Luis Obispo have increased by 3% over the last month and have increased by 21% since last year.
How does San Luis Obispo rent compare to the national average?
Rent in San Luis Obispo is 52% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $995 more per month.
What salary do I need to afford rent in San Luis Obispo?
To comfortably afford rent in San Luis Obispo, you'd need to earn approximately $116,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in San Luis Obispo?
October offers the lowest rents in San Luis Obispo, running about 11% below January's peak pricing. This seasonal pattern makes fall apartment hunting more budget-friendly than winter months.
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).