Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on October 30, 2026
Average rent in
Santa Barbara, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on October 30, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
Where Santa Barbara rent stands today
Santa Barbara, CA rent rose 6.4% year over year, with a current median of $4,250/month. Renters today are paying $255 more per month on average than last year, with rent recovering from a trough earlier in 2025 but still below the peak of $4,775/month in October 2024.
Vs. national rents
Santa Barbara rents run roughly 2.2× the $1,900/month national median, placing it among the priciest coastal metros for renters. The city offers 155 total rentals, a smaller high-cost market.
Price ranges
Studio rents in Santa Barbara sit around $2,550/month, 1-bedrooms at $2,867/month, and 2-bedrooms at $4,198/month, with 3-bedrooms at $6,495/month and 4+ bedrooms reaching $9,625/month. Houses rent for a median of $6,500/month while apartments are around $3,200/month, with apartments making up 45.6% of total rentals.
Neighborhood spotlight
Campanil rents fell 89.2% year over year to $3,450/month across 22 rentals. Eucalyptus Hill also saw a decline of 79.5%, while North State rents climbed 32.2%, showing wide variation across Santa Barbara neighborhoods.
Median rent
Median rent in Santa Barbara
$4,250/mo
6%vs previous year
The average rent in Santa Barbara is $4,250 per month as of October 2026. This is 124% above the national average rent, or $2,350 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Santa Barbara
155
for rent on Zumper.com as of October 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Santa Barbara rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Santa Barbara, CA
Average rent prices in Santa Barbara have increased by 6% over the last month and have increased by 6% 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
Santa Barbara, CA
Rent prices in Santa Barbara vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Santa Barbara is $3,200, whereas a house costs $6,500. 1-bedroom apartments in Santa Barbara run $2,850 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $3,647.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,550 | 7% | 2% | |
1 bedroom | $2,867 | No Change | 10% | |
2 bedroom | $4,197 | No Change | No Change | |
3 bedroom | $6,495 | No Change | 5% | |
4 bedroom | $9,625 | No Change |  32% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Alta Mesa | $3,850 | |
Bel Air | $4,200 | |
East Beach | $4,250 | |
East Mesa | $4,500 | |
Eastside | $4,200 | |
Laguna | $3,600 | |
Lower Riviera | $4,300 | |
Oak Park | $3,175 | |
Upper East | $4,102 | |
West Downtown | $3,475 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $3,200 | No Change | 6% | |
Condos | $4,400 | 4% | 12% | |
Houses | $6,500 | 6% | 6% | |
Rooms | $1,465 | No Change | - |
Studio
Average rent
$2,550
Last 30 days
7%
Last year
2%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,867
Last year
10%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$4,197
Last year
No Change
3 bedroom
Average rent
$6,495
Last year
5%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$9,625
Last year
32%
Oak Park
Average rent
$3,175
Eastside
Average rent
$4,200
Upper East
Average rent
$4,102
Alta Mesa
Average rent
$3,850
West Downtown
Average rent
$3,475
Lower Riviera
Average rent
$4,300
Laguna
Average rent
$3,600
East Mesa
Average rent
$4,500
Bel Air
Average rent
$4,200
East Beach
Average rent
$4,250
Apartments
Average rent
$3,200
Last year
6%
Condos
Average rent
$4,400
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
12%
Houses
Average rent
$6,500
Last 30 days
6%
Last year
6%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,465
The table above reflects average rent prices in Santa Barbara, 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 Santa Barbara, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in Santa Barbara and Carpinteria by all bedroom counts and property types.
Santa Barbara
124%higher than the national median
137%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Santa Barbara, CA is 6% lower than the median rent in Carpinteria, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$4,500
13%$3,700
32%$5,889
31%$3,930
51%$23,750
58%$2,737
6%$2,900
16%$2,395
4%$3,477
10%$4,722
27%$4,545
$2,983
3%Discover rentals in Santa Barbara, CA
1d ago
West Downtown condo for rent in Santa Barbara
1 bed
1 bath
$1,900
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
Available Nov 7
6h ago
Laguna apartment for rent in Santa Barbara
311 E Victoria St #C, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
2 beds
1 bath
$2,900
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
16h ago
409 W Islay St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
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
1d ago
529 529 W Victoria Street - 1236 San Pascual Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
2 beds
1 bath
$2,995–$3,495
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
House for rent in Santa Barbara
Hill Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
4 beds
4.5 baths
$80,000
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.House for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in Santa Barbara
Stonehouse Ln, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
5 beds
6.5 baths
$70,000
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.House for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in Santa Barbara
Hot Springs Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
4 beds
3.5 baths
$65,000
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.House for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in Santa Barbara
Ortega Ridge Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
3 beds
4 baths
$60,000
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.House for rent
5m ago
Verified
3999 Via Lucero, Santa Barbara, CA 93110
1 bed
1 bath
$2,867–$3,237
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
2d ago
835 E Canon Perdido St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,395–$4,445
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
2 beds
2 baths
$3,999
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
Available Aug 1
5d+ ago
Townhouse for rent in Santa Barbara
1 bed
1 bath
$2,750
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.House for rent
Available Aug 22
5d+ ago
Verified
2 beds
2 baths
$3,999
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
Available Aug 1
5m ago
Verified
3999 Via Lucero, Santa Barbara, CA 93110
1 bed
1 bath
$2,867–$3,237
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
8h ago
Verified
121 W Arrellaga St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
2–3 beds
1 bath
$3,695–$3,950
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
Verified
444 Por La Mar Cir #444, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
2 beds
2 baths
$6,000
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.Condo for rent
Available Oct 10
12h ago
1001 1001 & 1003 Neil Park Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
2 beds
1 bath
$3,710
Total Monthly Price. The price shown includes base rent and all known required monthly fees, based on information provided by the property.Apartment for rent
2d ago
825 De La Vina St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
1 bed
1 bath
$5,950
Price droppedFees 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
Eastside house for rent in Santa Barbara
2 beds
2 baths
$4,950
Price dropped $300Fees 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.House for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
444 Por La Mar Cir #444, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
2 beds
2 baths
$6,000
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.Condo for rent
Available Oct 10
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Frequently asked questions for Santa Barbara, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the Santa Barbara rental market.
How much is rent in Santa Barbara?
The average rent in Santa Barbara is $4,250 per month as of October 24, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Santa Barbara?
Average rent prices in Santa Barbara have increased by 6% over the last month and have increased by 6% since last year.
How does Santa Barbara rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Santa Barbara is 124% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $2,350 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Santa Barbara?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Santa Barbara are Oak Park ($3,175/mo), West Downtown ($3,475/mo), and Laguna ($3,600/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Santa Barbara?
To comfortably afford rent in Santa Barbara, you'd need to earn approximately $170,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in Santa Barbara?
December offers the best rental deals in Santa Barbara, with rents running about 16% lower than the peak summer season. June sees the highest prices, so timing your search for winter months can lead to meaningful savings.
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).