Last updated on September 14, 2026

Average rent in
Santa Barbara, CA

Key takeaways for renters

  • The bottom line

    Santa Barbara, CA rent rose 16.7% year over year to a current median of $4,200/month. This reflects a modest change in dollar terms despite the percentage increase, with a recent month-over-month decline of 2.3%.

  • Vs. national rents

    Santa Barbara runs roughly 2× the $1,900/month national median, placing it among the priciest metros for renters. The market offers a total of 146 rentals, a relatively small inventory compared to many larger cities.

  • Price ranges

    Studios in Santa Barbara rent for $2,300/month, 1-bedrooms for $2,900/month, and 2-bedrooms at the citywide median of $4,200/month, while 3-bedrooms and 4+ bedrooms reach $6,474 and $10,750/month respectively. Apartments make up 54.8% of total rentals, with houses renting at a median of $6,950/month.

  • Neighborhood spotlight

    Campanil saw rents fall by 89.6% year over year to $3,850/month, Riviera declined 84.1% to $4,300/month, and Eucalpytus Hill dropped 77.5% to $3,600/month. These steep local declines contrast with the overall citywide rent increase in Santa Barbara, CA.

Median rent

Median rent in Santa Barbara

$4,200/mo

increased by17%

vs previous year

The average rent in Santa Barbara is $4,200 per month as of September 2026. This is 121% above the national average rent, or $2,300 more per month.

$4.43

average price per square foot

Total rentals

Available rentals in Santa Barbara

146

for rent on Zumper.com as of September 2026

Rent price distribution

Share of Santa Barbara rentals at each price point

30%23%15%8%0%
$0 - $1,500
$1,501 - $3,000
$3,001 - $4,500
$4,501 - $6,000
$6,001 - $50,000

Rent trends in Santa Barbara, CA

Average rent prices in Santa Barbara have decreased by 2% over the last month and have increased by 17% 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 $3,295, whereas a house costs $6,950. 1-bedroom apartments in Santa Barbara run $2,900 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $3,750.

Listings

Studio

$2,300

No Change

4%

1 bedroom

$2,900

1%

5%

2 bedroom

$4,200

5%

2%

3 bedroom

$6,474

1%

2%

4 bedroom

$10,750

10%

30%

Studio

Average rent

$2,300

Last 30 days

No Change

Last year

4%

1 bedroom

Average rent

$2,900

Last 30 days

1%

Last year

5%

2 bedroom

Average rent

$4,200

Last 30 days

5%

Last year

2%

3 bedroom

Average rent

$6,474

Last 30 days

1%

Last year

2%

4 bedroom

Average rent

$10,750

Last 30 days

10%

Last year

30%

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

Median rent price$4,200
increased by121%

higher than the national median

Median rent price$4,600
increased by142%

higher than the national median

Takeaway

The median rent for all rentals in Santa Barbara, CA is 9% lower than the median rent in Carpinteria, CA.

Average rent in nearby cities

Explore rent trends in neighboring markets

Carpinteria

$4,600

decreased by26%
Last year
Goleta

$3,700

increased by8%
Last year
Isla Vista

$11,000

increased by212%
Last year
Mission

$6,450

decreased by3%
Last year
Montecito

$20,000

decreased by13%
Last year
Oxnard

$2,704

decreased by6%
Last year

Discover rentals in Santa Barbara, CA

Leadbetter Lofts Student Inspired Living - Photo 1 of 1

2d ago

8.3

Very good

Leadbetter Lofts Student Inspired Living

221 Bath St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

1–2 beds

1 bath

$1,095–$3,295

1070 Miramonte Drive, Unit 33 - Photo 1 of 1

3d ago

7.2

Very good

1070 Miramonte Drive, Unit 33

1070 Miramonte Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93109

1 bed

1 bath

$1,900

423 - Photo 1 of 1

2h ago

8.5

Very good

423

130 W Valerio St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

2 beds

1 bath

$3,200

3453 Richland Dr. - Photo 1 of 1

6h ago

8.5

Very good

3453 Richland Dr.

3453 Richland Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93105

2 beds

1 bath

$3,200

Stay up to date with rental market insights

View the National Rent Report

National Rent Report

View the Canadian Rent Report

Canadian Rent Report

View the Annual Rent Report

Annual Rent Report

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 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 $4,200 per month as of September 12, 2026.

Is rent up or down in Santa Barbara?

Average rent prices in Santa Barbara have decreased by 2% over the last month and have increased by 17% since last year.

How does Santa Barbara rent compare to the national average?

Rent in Santa Barbara is 121% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $2,300 more per month.

Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Santa Barbara?

The most affordable neighborhoods in Santa Barbara are Oak Park ($3,200/mo), West Downtown ($3,750/mo), and Alta Mesa ($3,925/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 $168,000/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).

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1057 Monte Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93110, USA
1111 E Cota St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, USA
1711 La Coronilla Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93109, USA
1730 Calle Poniente, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA
844 Meigs Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93109, USA
909 Alameda Padre Serra, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, USA
1008 Carpinteria St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, USA
1061 Via Regina, Santa Barbara, CA 93111, USA
122 Santa Rosa Pl, Santa Barbara, CA 93109, USA
1476 Crestline Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, USA
2084 Alisos Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93108, USA
327 Rancheria St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA
34 Ocean View Ave, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, USA
345 N Ontare Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, USA
438 Por La Mar Cir, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, USA
4905 Rhoads Ave, Santa Barbara, CA 93111, USA
937 Camino Viejo, Santa Barbara, CA 93108, USA
504 Consuelo Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93110, USA
1138 N Patterson Ave, Santa Barbara, CA 93111, USA
1347 Sage Hill Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93109, USA