Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on June 16, 2026
Average rent in
Santa Cruz, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on June 16, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
Santa Cruz, CA rent fell 14.3% year over year, with a current median of $3,330/month. Renters today are paying $474 less per month on average than last year, while month-to-month rent is essentially flat.
Vs. national rents
Santa Cruz runs roughly 1.7× the $1,950/month national median, placing it among pricier coastal metros. The market is small, with 54 total rentals available.
Price ranges
Studios in Santa Cruz rent for about $2,200/month, 1-bedrooms around $2,600/month, and 2-bedrooms at $3,899/month. Larger units reach $7,250/month for 4+ bedrooms, while houses command a median of $4,300/month compared to $3,150/month for apartments.
Neighborhood spotlight
Eastside rents fell 29.8% year over year to $2,775/month across 15 rentals. This decline contrasts with the citywide 14.3% drop and shows a sharper cooldown in this neighborhood.
Median rent
Median rent in Santa Cruz
$3,330/mo
14%vs previous year
The average rent in Santa Cruz is $3,330 per month as of June 2026. This is 71% above the national average rent, or $1,380 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Santa Cruz
54
for rent on Zumper.com as of June 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 remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 14% 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 $3,150, whereas a house costs $4,300. 1-bedroom apartments in Santa Cruz run $2,690 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $3,595.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,200 | 3% |  38% | |
1 bedroom | $2,600 | 1% | 6% | |
2 bedroom | $3,899 | No Change | 1% | |
3 bedroom | $4,950 | 4% | 4% | |
4 bedroom | $7,250 | 7% | 2% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Beach Hill | $4,225 | |
Downtown Santa Cruz | $3,527 | |
Eastside | $2,775 | |
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk | $3,650 | |
Westside | $3,969 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $3,150 | 3% | No Change | |
Condos | $3,525 | 12% | No Change | |
Houses | $4,300 | 4% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,780 | 3% | - |
Studio
Average rent
$2,200
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
38%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,600
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
6%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$3,899
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
1%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$4,950
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
4%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$7,250
Last 30 days
7%
Last year
2%
Westside
Average rent
$3,969
Downtown Santa Cruz
Average rent
$3,527
Eastside
Average rent
$2,775
Beach Hill
Average rent
$4,225
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Average rent
$3,650
Apartments
Average rent
$3,150
Last 30 days
3%
Condos
Average rent
$3,525
Last 30 days
12%
Houses
Average rent
$4,300
Last 30 days
4%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,780
Last 30 days
3%
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
71%higher than the national median
69%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Santa Cruz, CA is 1% higher than the median rent in Aptos, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$3,300
17%$3,100
$3,600
30%$3,000
8%$3,300
3%$3,297
10%$3,446
2%$3,505
1%$3,950
2%$3,590
26%$3,695
8%$2,950
3%Discover rentals in Santa Cruz, CA
5d+ ago
Westside house for rent in Santa Cruz
95 Grandview St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
1 bed
1 bath
$1,100
House for rent
Available Jun 15
2d 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
2d ago
Eastside apartment for rent in Santa Cruz
2 beds
1 bath
$2,665
Apartment for rent
Available Jul 19
3d ago
Townhouse for rent in Santa Cruz
2 beds
1 bath
$2,695
House for rent
Available Jun 12
5d+ ago
Westside house for rent in Santa Cruz
3 beds
2 baths
$8,000
House for rent
Available Aug 11
5d+ ago
Westside condo for rent in Santa Cruz
3 beds
2 baths
$7,400
Condo for rent
5d+ ago
1411 Seabright Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
2 beds
2 baths
$5,200
Apartment for rent
4d ago
Verified
200 Button St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,000–$3,895
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
143 Chestnut St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,997–$4,709
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
110 Western Ct #NA, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
4 beds
2 baths
$8,250
House for rent
Available Jul 1
8m ago
Eastside house for rent in Santa Cruz
2 beds
2 baths
$4,000
House for rent
2d ago
Verified
149 Harbor Oaks Cir #NA, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
3 beds
2 baths
$4,050
Condo for rent
Available Aug 1
5d+ ago
Verified
143 Chestnut St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,997–$4,709
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
110 Western Ct #NA, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
4 beds
2 baths
$8,250
House for rent
Available Jul 1
4d ago
Verified
200 Button St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,000–$3,895
Apartment for rent
4d ago
Verified
200 Button St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
1–2 beds
1 bath
$2,000–$3,895
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
143 Chestnut St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
2 beds
2 baths
$4,429–$4,709
Price drop
Apartment for rent
2d ago
Verified
149 Harbor Oaks Cir #NA, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
3 beds
2 baths
$4,050
Condo for rent
Available Aug 1
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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 $3,330 per month as of June 13, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Santa Cruz?
Average rent prices in Santa Cruz have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 14% since last year.
How does Santa Cruz rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Santa Cruz is 71% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,380 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Santa Cruz?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Santa Cruz are Eastside ($2,775/mo), Downtown Santa Cruz ($3,527/mo), and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk ($3,650/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 $133,000/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?
Santa Cruz 1-bedroom apartments averaged around $2,600 per month in 2025, while 2-bedroom units averaged around $3,600 monthly. These figures reflect the current rental market across the city's various neighborhoods.
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).