Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on August 2, 2026
Average rent in
Santa Monica, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on August 2, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
Santa Monica, CA rent slipped 5.5% year over year, with a current median of $3,498/month. Renters today are paying $222 less per month on average than last year, continuing a downward trend from the peak of $3,900/month in September 2025.
Vs. national rents
Santa Monica runs roughly 1.8× the $1,940/month national median, placing it among the priciest coastal metros with a limited total rental inventory of 207 units.
Price ranges
Studios in Santa Monica rent for about $2,085/month, 1-bedrooms around $2,895/month, and 2-bedrooms near $4,200/month, with 3-bedrooms at $6,500/month and 4+ bedrooms reaching $19,908/month. These bedroom tiers represent the range most renters target in this market.
Neighborhood spotlight
Northeast Santa Monica rents fell 46.2% year over year to $3,495/month across 16 rentals, a sharp contrast to the citywide decline of 5.5%. Meanwhile, North Of Montana saw rents climb 58.3% year over year to $8,695/month.
Median rent
Median rent in Santa Monica
$3,497/mo
5%vs previous year
The average rent in Santa Monica is $3,497 per month as of August 2026. This is 80% above the national average rent, or $1,557 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Santa Monica
207
for rent on Zumper.com as of August 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Santa Monica rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Santa Monica, CA
Average rent prices in Santa Monica have decreased by 2% over the last month and have decreased by 5% 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 Monica, CA
Rent prices in Santa Monica vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Santa Monica is $3,205, whereas a house costs $7,800. 1-bedroom apartments in Santa Monica run $2,795 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $3,950.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,085 |  6% | 5% | |
1 bedroom | $2,895 | No Change | 5% | |
2 bedroom | $4,200 | 2% | 8% | |
3 bedroom | $6,500 | 4% | 9% | |
4 bedroom | $19,908 | No Change | 1% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Downtown Santa Monica | $2,743 | |
Mid City | $3,295 | |
North Of Montana | $8,695 | |
Northeast Santa Monica | $3,495 | |
Ocean Park | $4,050 | |
Pico | $3,220 | |
Sunset Park | $3,045 | |
Wilshire Montana | $3,475 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $3,205 | 2% | 5% | |
Condos | $4,800 | 4% | No Change | |
Houses | $7,800 | 3% | No Change |
Studio
Average rent
$2,085
Last 30 days
6%
Last year
5%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,895
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
5%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$4,200
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
8%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$6,500
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
9%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$19,908
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
1%
Ocean Park
Average rent
$4,050
Wilshire Montana
Average rent
$3,475
Pico
Average rent
$3,220
Mid City
Average rent
$3,295
Sunset Park
Average rent
$3,045
Downtown Santa Monica
Average rent
$2,743
North Of Montana
Average rent
$8,695
Northeast Santa Monica
Average rent
$3,495
Apartments
Average rent
$3,205
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
5%
Condos
Average rent
$4,800
Last 30 days
4%
Houses
Average rent
$7,800
Last 30 days
3%
The table above reflects average rent prices in Santa Monica, 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 Monica, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in Santa Monica and Beverly Hills by all bedroom counts and property types.
Santa Monica
80%higher than the national median
132%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Santa Monica, CA is 22% lower than the median rent in Beverly Hills, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$4,500
32%$2,600
6%$2,700
$3,395
11%$2,395
1%$2,495
16%$1,850
7%$2,203
2%$2,530
19%$3,695
11%$2,933
7%$3,112
19%Discover rentals in Santa Monica, CA
21h ago
Pico apartment for rent in Santa Monica
2020 Cloverfield Blvd #5D, Santa Monica, CA 90404
2 beds
1 bath
$775
Apartment for rent
Available Aug 15
21h ago
Mid-City apartment for rent in Santa Monica
3202 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404
4 beds
2 baths
$1,100
Apartment for rent
Available Sep 1
1d ago
1637 Berkeley St, Santa Monica, CA 90404
3 beds
1 bath
$1,224
Apartment for rent
21h ago
Mid-City apartment for rent in Santa Monica
1441 Yale St #B2, Santa Monica, CA 90404
3 beds
2 baths
$1,300
Apartment for rent
Available Aug 16
5d+ ago
Downtown Santa Monica house for rent in Santa Monica
1347 Palisades Beach Rd #1, Santa Monica, CA 90401
4 beds
5 baths
$45,000
House for rent
Available Apr 29
5d+ ago
North of Montana house for rent in Santa Monica
330 7th St #1, Santa Monica, CA 90402
4 beds
3 baths
$37,000
House for rent
Available Jul 27
4d ago
Ocean Park house for rent in Santa Monica
4 beds
5 baths
$16,995
House for rent
Available Jun 6
5d+ ago
Sunset Park house for rent in Santa Monica
4 beds
3 baths
$17,499
$14,999
Price drop
House for rent
9h ago
Verified
1427 7th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,495–$4,350
Apartment for rent
2d ago
1550 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,250–$5,300
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
323 Marine St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
1 bed
1 bath
$2,595
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Pico condo for rent in Santa Monica
2 beds
2.5 baths
$4,495
Condo for rent
1d ago
Verified
1455 4th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Studio–1 bed
1 bath
$2,249–$3,754
Price drop
Apartment for rent
9h ago
Verified
1427 7th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Studio–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,495–$4,350
Apartment for rent
4d ago
Verified
401 Washington Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403
1 bed
1 bath
$3,445
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
323 Marine St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
1 bed
1 bath
$2,595
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
1455 4th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Studio–1 bed
1 bath
$2,249–$3,754
Price drop
Apartment for rent
4d ago
Verified
1128 7th St, Santa Monica, CA 90403
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,695–$3,995
Apartment for rent
2h ago
Verified
2000 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Studio–3 beds
1–3 baths
$3,924–$5,399
Apartment for rent
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Frequently asked questions for Santa Monica, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the Santa Monica rental market.
How much is rent in Santa Monica?
The average rent in Santa Monica is $3,497 per month as of August 1, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Santa Monica?
Average rent prices in Santa Monica have decreased by 2% over the last month and have decreased by 5% since last year.
How does Santa Monica rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Santa Monica is 80% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,557 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Santa Monica?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Santa Monica are Downtown Santa Monica ($2,743/mo), Sunset Park ($3,045/mo), and Pico ($3,220/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Santa Monica?
To comfortably afford rent in Santa Monica, you'd need to earn approximately $140,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in Santa Monica?
Based on Zumper's July 2026 data, one-bedroom apartments in Santa Monica average around $2,900/month and two-bedrooms approximately $4,480/month.
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).