Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on September 5, 2026
Average rent in
San Marcos, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on September 5, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
San Marcos, CA rent slipped 4.9% year over year, with a current median of $3,200/month. Renters today are paying $162 less per month on average than last year despite a 3.9% month-over-month increase in August.
Vs. national rents
San Marcos rent is 67.5% more expensive than the $1,910/month national median. The market offers 65 total rentals, reflecting a relatively small inventory in this coastal metro.
Rent ranges by bedroom
Studios in San Marcos rent for $2,438/month, 1-bedrooms for $2,388/month, 2-bedrooms for $2,898/month, 3-bedrooms for $3,976/month, and 4+ bedrooms for $4,972/month. These figures represent the range renters face by bedroom size.
Neighborhood spotlight
San Elijo Hills rents fell 61.2% year over year to $3,468/month across 18 rentals. This decline contrasts with the citywide 4.9% drop, marking a significant local cooldown within San Marcos.
Median rent
Median rent in San Marcos
$3,200/mo
5%vs previous year
The average rent in San Marcos is $3,200 per month as of August 2026. This is 68% above the national average rent, or $1,290 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in San Marcos
65
for rent on Zumper.com as of August 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 increased by 4% 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
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 $2,750, whereas a house costs $3,800. 1-bedroom apartments in San Marcos run $2,509 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,795.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,438 | No Change |  99% | |
1 bedroom | $2,388 | 5% | 4% | |
2 bedroom | $2,898 | 1% | 4% | |
3 bedroom | $3,976 | 4% | 26% | |
4 bedroom | $4,972 | 12% | 2% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
San Elijo Hills | $3,468 | |
University Commons | $3,762 | |
Village O | $3,099 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,750 | 8% | No Change | |
Condos | $3,312 | 7% | No Change | |
Houses | $3,800 | 6% | No Change |
Studio
Average rent
$2,438
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
99%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,388
Last 30 days
5%
Last year
4%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$2,898
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
4%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$3,976
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
26%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$4,972
Last 30 days
12%
Last year
2%
University Commons
Average rent
$3,762
Village O
Average rent
$3,099
San Elijo Hills
Average rent
$3,468
Apartments
Average rent
$2,750
Last 30 days
8%
Condos
Average rent
$3,312
Last 30 days
7%
Houses
Average rent
$3,800
Last 30 days
6%
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
68%higher than the national median
99%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in San Marcos, CA is 16% lower than the median rent in Carlsbad, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$3,795
5%$6,195
12%$5,000
10%$2,495
5%$2,100
3%$2,195
3%$2,950
1%$3,655
11%$2,600
1%$4,925
49%$2,595
10%$2,650
2%Discover rentals in San Marcos, CA
5d+ ago
251 Autumn Dr, San Marcos, CA 92069
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$930–$2,400
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
1607 Grandon Ave, San Marcos, CA 92078
1–2 beds
1 bath
$1,557–$2,241
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in San Marcos
560 S Pacific St, San Marcos, CA 92078
2 beds
1 bath
$1,800
House for rent
Available Aug 19
2d ago
250 W San Marcos Blvd, San Marcos, CA 92069
2 beds
1 bath
$2,150
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in San Marcos
3 beds
3 baths
$12,900
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in San Marcos
3 beds
3 baths
$12,800
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in San Marcos
3 beds
3 baths
$12,675
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in San Marcos
3 beds
3 baths
$11,643
Apartment for rent
2d ago
506 E Barham Dr, San Marcos, CA 92078
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,495–$3,095
Apartment for rent
4d ago
580 Los Vallecitos Blvd, San Marcos, CA 92069
2 beds
2 baths
$2,600
Apartment for rent
11h ago
Verified
823 Nordahl Rd, San Marcos, CA 92069
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,570–$3,420
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
823 Nordahl Rd #451A, San Marcos, CA 92069
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,470–$3,660
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
823 Nordahl Rd #451A, San Marcos, CA 92069
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,470–$3,660
Apartment for rent
11h ago
Verified
823 Nordahl Rd, San Marcos, CA 92069
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$2,570–$3,420
Price drop
Apartment for rent
2d ago
506 E Barham Dr, San Marcos, CA 92078
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,495–$3,095
Apartment for rent
4d ago
580 Los Vallecitos Blvd, San Marcos, CA 92069
2 beds
2 baths
$2,600
Apartment for rent
1d ago
University Commons condo for rent in San Marcos
3 beds
3.5 baths
$4,200
$3,900
Price drop
Condo for rent
2d ago
250 W San Marcos Blvd, San Marcos, CA 92069
2 beds
1 bath
$2,150
Apartment for rent
3d ago
305 W San Marcos Blvd, San Marcos, CA 92069
2 beds
1 bath
$2,650
Apartment for rent
4d ago
580 Los Vallecitos Blvd, San Marcos, CA 92069
2 beds
2 baths
$2,600
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 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 $3,200 per month as of August 29, 2026.
Is rent up or down in San Marcos?
Average rent prices in San Marcos have increased by 4% over the last month and have decreased by 5% since last year.
How does San Marcos rent compare to the national average?
Rent in San Marcos is 68% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,290 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in San Marcos?
The most affordable neighborhoods in San Marcos are Village O ($3,099/mo), San Elijo Hills ($3,468/mo), and University Commons ($3,762/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 $128,000/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?
April offers the lowest rents in San Marcos, running roughly 18% below July's peak pricing. Winter months generally provide better deals compared to the competitive summer season when demand outpaces inventory.
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).