Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on October 27, 2026
Average rent in
San Mateo, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on October 27, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Median rent
Median rent in San Mateo
$3,782/mo
12%vs previous year
The average rent in San Mateo is $3,782 per month as of October 2026. This is 99% above the national average rent, or $1,882 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in San Mateo
49
for rent on Zumper.com as of October 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 increased by 7% over the last month and have increased by 12% 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 $3,585, whereas a house costs $5,500. 1-bedroom apartments in San Mateo run $3,332 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $3,907.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,600 | 12% |  2% | |
1 bedroom | $3,125 | 5% | 3% | |
2 bedroom | $4,500 | 5% | 18% | |
3 bedroom | $5,497 | 13% | 10% | |
4 bedroom | $10,747 | No Change | 56% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Beresford Park | $4,162 | |
Downtown San Mateo | $5,157 | |
Hayward Park | $4,868 | |
Hillsdale | $4,323 | |
Marina Lagoon | $3,570 | |
North Central | $4,750 | |
Northwest Heights | $4,500 | |
Shoreview | $4,995 | |
Sugarloaf | $5,085 | |
Western Hills | $4,750 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $3,585 | 4% | 6% | |
Condos | $2,995 | 25% | 12% | |
Houses | $5,500 | 5% | 15% |
Studio
Average rent
$2,600
Last 30 days
12%
Last year
2%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$3,125
Last 30 days
5%
Last year
3%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$4,500
Last 30 days
5%
Last year
18%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$5,497
Last 30 days
13%
Last year
10%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$10,747
Last year
56%
Hillsdale
Average rent
$4,323
Hayward Park
Average rent
$4,868
Northwest Heights
Average rent
$4,500
Shoreview
Average rent
$4,995
Marina Lagoon
Average rent
$3,570
North Central
Average rent
$4,750
Downtown San Mateo
Average rent
$5,157
Sugarloaf
Average rent
$5,085
Western Hills
Average rent
$4,750
Beresford Park
Average rent
$4,162
Apartments
Average rent
$3,585
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
6%
Condos
Average rent
$2,995
Last 30 days
25%
Last year
12%
Houses
Average rent
$5,500
Last 30 days
5%
Last year
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
99%higher than the national median
39%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in San Mateo, CA is 43% higher than the median rent in Alameda, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,650
4%$2,704
10%$3,200
12%$2,500
9%$4,179
10%$2,300
10%$4,305
15%$3,766
13%$4,560
27%$2,495
18%$3,810
12%$2,997
8%Discover rentals in San Mateo, CA
3d ago
1521 Lago St, San Mateo, CA 94403
2 beds
1 bath
$2,950
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
North Central apartment for rent in San Mateo
2 beds
1 bath
$3,300
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
Available Oct 5
5d+ ago
27 Crystal Springs Rd, San Mateo, CA 94402
2 beds
1 bath
$3,600
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Marina Lagoon condo for rent in San Mateo
2 beds
2 baths
$3,995
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Condo for rent
1d ago
Verified
337 S Fremont St #1807, San Mateo, CA 94401
2 beds
2 baths
$5,920
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
2 beds
2 baths
$5,800
Price dropped $390Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
2 beds
2 baths
$5,750
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
1h ago
Verified
430 Station Park Cir, San Mateo, CA 94402
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,287–$4,989
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
50m ago
Verified
85 W 5th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94402
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$3,357–$4,845
Price droppedAdditional fees apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Based on information provided by the property, additional fees may apply, but no required monthly charges have been confirmed. See all fees for details.Apartment for rent
1h ago
Verified
1600 E 3rd Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,161–$3,879
Price droppedAdditional fees apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Based on information provided by the property, additional fees may apply, but no required monthly charges have been confirmed. See all fees for details.Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
460 N Humboldt St, San Mateo, CA 94401
3 beds
1 bath
$4,190–$7,500
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
55 W 5th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94402
2 beds
2 baths
$5,159
Additional fees apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Based on information provided by the property, additional fees may apply, but no required monthly charges have been confirmed. See all fees for details.Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
460 N Humboldt St, San Mateo, CA 94401
3 beds
1 bath
$4,190–$7,500
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
1h ago
Verified
2 beds
2.5 baths
$4,200
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
1 bed
1 bath
$4,270
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
4 beds
2 baths
$5,310
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
1h ago
Verified
1600 E 3rd Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,161–$3,879
Price droppedAdditional fees apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Based on information provided by the property, additional fees may apply, but no required monthly charges have been confirmed. See all fees for details.Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
85 W 5th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94402
2–3 beds
2 baths
$4,146–$4,845
Price droppedAdditional fees apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Based on information provided by the property, additional fees may apply, but no required monthly charges have been confirmed. See all fees for details.Apartment for rent
1h ago
Verified
2 beds
2.5 baths
$4,200
Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
2 beds
2 baths
$5,800
Price dropped $390Fees may apply. The price shown reflects base rent. Complete fee information is not available from the property, so additional fees may increase the total monthly cost.Apartment for rent
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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 $3,782 per month as of October 24, 2026.
Is rent up or down in San Mateo?
Average rent prices in San Mateo have increased by 7% over the last month and have increased by 12% since last year.
How does San Mateo rent compare to the national average?
Rent in San Mateo is 99% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,882 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in San Mateo?
The most affordable neighborhoods in San Mateo are Marina Lagoon ($3,570/mo), Beresford Park ($4,162/mo), and Hillsdale ($4,323/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 $151,000/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?
December offers the best rental deals in San Mateo with the lowest seasonal pricing and reduced competition, while August sees the highest rents with an 11% difference between peak and off-peak 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).