Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on September 15, 2026
Average rent in
Santa Cruz, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on September 15, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
Santa Cruz, CA rent slipped 5.7% year over year, with a current median of $3,300/month. Renters today are paying $240 less per month on average than last year, continuing a downward trend from the peak of $3,975/month in September 2024.
Vs. national rents
Santa Cruz rents run roughly 1.7× the $1,900/month national median, placing it among pricier coastal metros with a limited total rental inventory of 91 units.
Price ranges
Studios and 1-bedrooms in Santa Cruz run around $2,550/month, 2-bedrooms at $3,500/month, and 3-bedrooms at $4,825/month, with 4+ bedrooms reaching $7,950/month. Houses rent for a median of $4,225/month, while apartments are lower at $2,922/month, reflecting the city's mix of housing types.
Neighborhood spotlight
Beach Hill rents rose 82.0% year over year to $3,595/month across 19 rentals, contrasting with the citywide decline. Downtown Santa Cruz also saw a 28.4% increase to $3,275/month, while Westside cooled by 10.9%.
Median rent
Median rent in Santa Cruz
$3,300/mo
6%vs previous year
The average rent in Santa Cruz is $3,300 per month as of September 2026. This is 74% above the national average rent, or $1,400 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Santa Cruz
91
for rent on Zumper.com as of September 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Santa Cruz rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Santa Cruz, CA
Average rent prices in Santa Cruz have decreased by 4% over the last month and have decreased 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 Cruz, CA
Rent prices in Santa Cruz vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Santa Cruz is $2,922, whereas a house costs $4,225. 1-bedroom apartments in Santa Cruz run $2,595 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $3,340.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,554 |  2% | 20% | |
1 bedroom | $2,550 | 1% | 3% | |
2 bedroom | $3,500 | 1% | 5% | |
3 bedroom | $4,825 | 4% | 1% | |
4 bedroom | $7,950 | 11% | 85% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Beach Hill | $3,595 | |
Downtown Santa Cruz | $3,275 | |
Eastside | $3,674 | |
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk | $3,700 | |
Westside | $3,552 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,922 | 2% | No Change | |
Condos | $3,249 | 10% | No Change | |
Houses | $4,225 | 8% | No Change |
Studio
Average rent
$2,554
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
20%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,550
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
3%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$3,500
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
5%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$4,825
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
1%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$7,950
Last 30 days
11%
Last year
85%
Downtown Santa Cruz
Average rent
$3,275
Westside
Average rent
$3,552
Eastside
Average rent
$3,674
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Average rent
$3,700
Beach Hill
Average rent
$3,595
Apartments
Average rent
$2,922
Last 30 days
2%
Condos
Average rent
$3,249
Last 30 days
10%
Houses
Average rent
$4,225
Last 30 days
8%
The table above reflects average rent prices in Santa Cruz, 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 Cruz, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in Santa Cruz and Aptos by all bedroom counts and property types.
Santa Cruz
74%higher than the national median
79%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Santa Cruz, CA is 3% lower than the median rent in Aptos, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$3,400
9%$3,200
12%$2,895
4%$3,160
8%$5,162
83%$3,469
11%$3,607
2%$3,717
7%$3,197
37%$3,375
12%$3,759
4%$2,950
1%Discover rentals in Santa Cruz, CA
5d+ ago
514 Broadway, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
1 bed
1–2 baths
$1,095–$1,495
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in Santa Cruz
1744 Foster Ct, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
5 beds
2.5 baths
$1,200
House for rent
Available Jul 1
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz
2 beds
1 bath
$2,395
Apartment for rent
Available Aug 19
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz
2 beds
1 bath
$2,495
Apartment for rent
Available Aug 28
3d ago
Verified
2 beds
1.5 baths
$4,950
House for rent
Available Sep 12
5d+ ago
Westside apartment for rent in Santa Cruz
2 beds
2 baths
$4,860
Apartment for rent
4d ago
101 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
1 bed
1 bath
$3,999
Apartment for rent
36m ago
Verified
143 Chestnut St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,807–$3,839
Apartment for rent
11h ago
Verified
200 Button St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,000–$3,845
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
2 beds
1 bath
$3,570
House for rent
Available Sep 15
4d ago
120 San Lorenzo Blvd, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Studio–2 beds
1 bath
$1,925–$3,250
Apartment for rent
11h ago
Verified
200 Button St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,000–$3,845
Apartment for rent
36m ago
Verified
143 Chestnut St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,807–$3,839
Apartment for rent
4d ago
1203 Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
2 beds
2 baths
$4,249
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
House for rent in Santa Cruz
4 beds
3 baths
$5,800
House for rent
1d ago
Verified
2 beds
1 bath
$3,570
House for rent
Available Sep 15
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz
1 bed
1 bath
$1,995
Apartment for rent
Available Aug 28
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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 Cruz, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the Santa Cruz rental market.
How much is rent in Santa Cruz?
The average rent in Santa Cruz is $3,300 per month as of September 12, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Santa Cruz?
Average rent prices in Santa Cruz have decreased by 4% over the last month and have decreased by 6% since last year.
How does Santa Cruz rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Santa Cruz is 74% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,400 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Santa Cruz?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Santa Cruz are Downtown Santa Cruz ($3,275/mo), Westside ($3,552/mo), and Beach Hill ($3,595/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Santa Cruz?
To comfortably afford rent in Santa Cruz, you'd need to earn approximately $132,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in Santa Cruz?
December offers the best rental deals in Santa Cruz, with rents running 17% lower than April's peak prices. November also provides good opportunities with the least competitive market conditions compared to the high-demand spring months of March and May.
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).