Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on July 22, 2026
Average rent in
San Marcos, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on July 22, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
Where San Marcos rent stands today
San Marcos, CA rent rose modestly year over year, with a current median of $3,165/month. Renters are paying $14 more per month than last year, while month-to-month rent has softened by 2.4%.
Vs. national rents
San Marcos rents run roughly 1.6× the $1,945/month national median, placing it among pricier coastal metros. The market offers 60 total rentals, a relatively small inventory size.
Price ranges
Studio rents in San Marcos sit around $3,300/month, 1-bedrooms at $2,388/month, and 2-bedrooms at $2,950/month, with 4+ bedrooms reaching $5,400/month. Houses command a median of $4,048/month, while apartments are priced at $2,650/month.
Median rent
Median rent in San Marcos
$3,165/mo
1%vs previous year
The average rent in San Marcos is $3,165 per month as of July 2026. This is 63% above the national average rent, or $1,220 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in San Marcos
60
for rent on Zumper.com as of July 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of San Marcos rentals at each price point
Rent trends in San Marcos, CA
Average rent prices in San Marcos have decreased by 2% over the last month and have increased 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
San Marcos, CA
Rent prices in San Marcos vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in San Marcos is $2,650, whereas a house costs $4,047. 1-bedroom apartments in San Marcos run $2,463 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,898.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $3,300 | 5% | 137% | |
1 bedroom | $2,388 |  2% | 12% | |
2 bedroom | $2,950 | 1% | 4% | |
3 bedroom | $3,895 | 3% | 2% | |
4 bedroom | $5,400 | 8% | 10% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
San Elijo Hills | $3,128 | |
University Commons | $3,650 | |
Village O | $2,575 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,650 | No Change | No Change | |
Condos | $3,275 | 11% | No Change | |
Houses | $4,047 | 2% | No Change |
Studio
Average rent
$3,300
Last 30 days
5%
Last year
137%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,388
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
12%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$2,950
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
4%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$3,895
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
2%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$5,400
Last 30 days
8%
Last year
10%
Village O
Average rent
$2,575
University Commons
Average rent
$3,650
San Elijo Hills
Average rent
$3,128
Apartments
Average rent
$2,650
Last 30 days
No Change
Condos
Average rent
$3,275
Last 30 days
11%
Houses
Average rent
$4,047
Last 30 days
2%
The table above reflects average rent prices in San Marcos, 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 Marcos, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in San Marcos and Carlsbad by all bedroom counts and property types.
San Marcos
63%higher than the national median
95%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in San Marcos, CA is 17% lower than the median rent in Carlsbad, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$3,800
5%$7,200
7%$4,695
6%$2,500
2%$2,425
18%$2,170
3%$3,042
7%$3,187
6%$2,695
8%$7,250
10%$2,688
33%$2,690
2%Discover rentals in San Marcos, CA
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in San Marcos
2 beds
1 bath
$2,282
Apartment for rent
Available Jun 22
5d+ ago
141 Johnston Ln, San Marcos, CA 92069
2 beds
1 bath
$2,395
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in San Marcos
2 beds
2 baths
$2,400
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Condo for rent in San Marcos
2 beds
1 bath
$2,425
Condo for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in San Marcos
362 Via Los Arcos #NA, San Marcos, CA 92069
4 beds
2 baths
$10,400
House for rent
Available Mar 20
5d+ ago
House for rent in San Marcos
3 beds
2 baths
$5,500
House for rent
Available Jan 8
2h ago
Verified
823 Nordahl Rd #1100A, San Marcos, CA 92069
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$3,200–$4,760
Apartment for rent
10h ago
250 N City Dr, San Marcos, CA 92078
Studio–3 beds
1–3 baths
$2,199–$5,439
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
823 Nordahl Rd, San Marcos, CA 92069
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,255–$3,345
Price drop
Apartment for rent
2h ago
Verified
823 Nordahl Rd #1100A, San Marcos, CA 92069
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$3,200–$4,760
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
580 Los Vallecitos Blvd, San Marcos, CA 92069
2 beds
2 baths
$2,600
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Townhouse for rent in San Marcos
122 Johnston Ln, San Marcos, CA 92069
2 beds
1 bath
$3,150
House for rent
Available Aug 7
1d ago
Verified
823 Nordahl Rd, San Marcos, CA 92069
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,255–$3,345
Price drop
Apartment for rent
2h ago
Verified
823 Nordahl Rd #1100A, San Marcos, CA 92069
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$3,200–$4,760
Apartment for rent
1d ago
601 S Twin Oaks Valley Rd, San Marcos, CA 92078
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,350–$3,275
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
195 Johnston Ln, San Marcos, CA 92069
3 beds
2 baths
$2,975
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
823 Nordahl Rd, San Marcos, CA 92069
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,255–$3,345
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
320 Smilax Rd, San Marcos, CA 92069
Studio
1 bath
$1,695
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
195 Johnston Ln, San Marcos, CA 92069
3 beds
2 baths
$2,975
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in San Marcos
1 bed
1 bath
$1,909
Apartment for rent
Available Jun 23
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 Marcos, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the San Marcos rental market.
How much is rent in San Marcos?
The average rent in San Marcos is $3,165 per month as of July 18, 2026.
Is rent up or down in San Marcos?
Average rent prices in San Marcos have decreased by 2% over the last month and have increased by 1% since last year.
How does San Marcos rent compare to the national average?
Rent in San Marcos is 63% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,220 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in San Marcos?
The most affordable neighborhoods in San Marcos are Village O ($2,575/mo), San Elijo Hills ($3,128/mo), and University Commons ($3,650/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in San Marcos?
To comfortably afford rent in San Marcos, you'd need to earn approximately $127,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in San Marcos?
Based on Zumper's July 2026 data, one-bedroom apartments in San Marcos average around $2,440/month and two-bedrooms approximately $2,870/month.
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).