Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on June 13, 2026
Average rent in
San Mateo, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on June 13, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
Where San Mateo rent stands today
San Mateo, CA rent rose 3.3% year over year, with a current median of $3,500/month. Renters today are paying $113 more per month on average than last year, though rent has eased 3.4% since last month after peaking at $3,857 in May 2026.
Vs. national rents
San Mateo rents run roughly 1.8× the $1,950/month national median, placing it among the priciest metros in the country with limited total rentals at 56 units.
Price ranges
Studios in San Mateo rent for $2,295/month, 1-bedrooms for $2,900/month, and 2-bedrooms for $3,825/month, with larger units reaching $7,938/month for 4+ bedrooms. Houses command a median of $4,975/month compared to $3,528/month for apartments.
Neighborhood spotlight
Sugarloaf rents climbed 52.0% year over year to $4,217/month, Marina Lagoon rose 43.0% to $4,101/month, and Western Hills increased 47.3% to $4,050/month. These gains contrast with the citywide 3.3% rise and show strong local growth in San Mateo's priciest neighborhoods.
Median rent
Median rent in San Mateo
$3,499/mo
3%vs previous year
The average rent in San Mateo is $3,499 per month as of June 2026. This is 79% above the national average rent, or $1,549 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in San Mateo
56
for rent on Zumper.com as of June 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of San Mateo rentals at each price point
Rent trends in San Mateo, CA
Average rent prices in San Mateo have decreased by 3% over the last month and have increased by 3% 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 Mateo, CA
Rent prices in San Mateo vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in San Mateo is $3,528, whereas a house costs $4,975. 1-bedroom apartments in San Mateo run $3,127 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $4,200.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,295 |  10% | 12% | |
1 bedroom | $2,900 | 2% | 8% | |
2 bedroom | $3,825 | 3% | 11% | |
3 bedroom | $5,474 | 13% | 3% | |
4 bedroom | $7,937 | 11% | 14% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Beresford Park | $3,550 | |
Downtown San Mateo | $3,300 | |
Hayward Park | $3,978 | |
Hillsdale | $3,800 | |
Marina Lagoon | $4,101 | |
North Central | $3,250 | |
Northwest Heights | $3,600 | |
Shoreview | $3,012 | |
Sugarloaf | $4,217 | |
Western Hills | $4,050 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $3,528 | 2% | No Change | |
Condos | $2,995 | 9% | No Change | |
Houses | $4,975 | 15% | No Change |
Studio
Average rent
$2,295
Last 30 days
10%
Last year
12%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,900
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
8%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$3,825
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
11%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$5,474
Last 30 days
13%
Last year
3%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$7,937
Last 30 days
11%
Last year
14%
Hayward Park
Average rent
$3,978
Hillsdale
Average rent
$3,800
Marina Lagoon
Average rent
$4,101
Northwest Heights
Average rent
$3,600
Shoreview
Average rent
$3,012
Downtown San Mateo
Average rent
$3,300
North Central
Average rent
$3,250
Sugarloaf
Average rent
$4,217
Beresford Park
Average rent
$3,550
Western Hills
Average rent
$4,050
Apartments
Average rent
$3,528
Last 30 days
2%
Condos
Average rent
$2,995
Last 30 days
9%
Houses
Average rent
$4,975
Last 30 days
15%
The table above reflects average rent prices in San Mateo, 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 Mateo, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in San Mateo and Alameda by all bedroom counts and property types.
San Mateo
79%higher than the national median
28%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in San Mateo, CA is 40% higher than the median rent in Alameda, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,500
5%$2,972
33%$3,000
12%$2,495
10%$4,089
6%$2,250
3%$4,400
5%$3,362
18%$4,000
16%$2,306
2%$3,707
10%$2,915
4%Discover rentals in San Mateo, CA
4d ago
500 2nd Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401
Studio
1 bath
$1,100
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Beresford Park condo for rent in San Mateo
1919 Alameda De Las Pulgas, San Mateo, CA 94403
1 bed
1 bath
$1,800
Condo for rent
Available Jul 1
1d ago
Hillsdale condo for rent in San Mateo
3098 Kyne St W, San Mateo, CA 94403
1 bed
1 bath
$1,800
Condo for rent
Available Jul 1
5d+ ago
3603 Colegrove St, San Mateo, CA 94403
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,275–$3,050
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Marina Lagoon house for rent in San Mateo
3 beds
2.5 baths
$8,500
House for rent
2d ago
2089 Pacific Blvd, San Mateo, CA 94403
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$4,282–$8,166
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
2 beds
2 baths
$6,140
Apartment for rent
15h ago
Verified
1101 Park Pl, San Mateo, CA 94403
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$4,098–$6,091
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
55 W 5th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94402
1 bed
1 bath
$3,464–$3,903
Price drop
Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
460 N Humboldt St, San Mateo, CA 94401
3 beds
2 baths
$4,026–$7,500
Apartment for rent
7h ago
Verified
430 Station Park Cir, San Mateo, CA 94402
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,437–$5,569
Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
460 N Humboldt St, San Mateo, CA 94401
3 beds
2 baths
$4,026–$7,500
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
55 W 5th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94402
1 bed
1 bath
$3,464–$3,903
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
2 beds
2.5 baths
$5,540
House for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
4 beds
2 baths
$5,610
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
55 W 5th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94402
1 bed
1 bath
$3,464–$3,903
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
1101 Park Pl, San Mateo, CA 94403
2 beds
1 bath
$5,030–$5,113
Price drop
Apartment for rent
23h ago
Verified
337 S Fremont St #1123, San Mateo, CA 94401
1 bed
1 bath
$4,880
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 Mateo, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the San Mateo rental market.
How much is rent in San Mateo?
The average rent in San Mateo is $3,499 per month as of June 6, 2026.
Is rent up or down in San Mateo?
Average rent prices in San Mateo have decreased by 3% over the last month and have increased by 3% since last year.
How does San Mateo rent compare to the national average?
Rent in San Mateo is 79% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,549 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in San Mateo?
The most affordable neighborhoods in San Mateo are Shoreview ($3,012/mo), North Central ($3,250/mo), and Downtown San Mateo ($3,300/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in San Mateo?
To comfortably afford rent in San Mateo, you'd need to earn approximately $140,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in San Mateo?
San Mateo's 2025 rental market shows one-bedroom apartments averaging around $2,900 per month, while two-bedroom units average around $3,900 monthly. One-bedroom rents remained relatively stable compared to the previous year, while two-bedroom apartments saw a decline of 4.8%.
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).