Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on September 16, 2026
Average rent in
Santa Monica, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on September 16, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
Santa Monica, CA rent slipped 7.4% year over year, with a current median of $3,595/month. Renters today are paying $712 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 rents run roughly 1.9× the $1,900/month national median. This positions the city as a high-cost rental market compared to the national median.
Price ranges
Studios in Santa Monica rent for about $2,148/month, 1-bedrooms for $2,799/month, and 2-bedrooms for $4,268/month, with 3-bedrooms at $6,325/month and 4+ bedrooms reaching $12,872/month. These figures reflect the range renters face by bedroom count.
Neighborhood spotlight
Mid City rents fell 37.5% year over year to $2,923/month across 33 rentals, a much steeper decline than the citywide 7.4% drop. Northeast Santa Monica and North Of Montana also saw declines of 35.8% and 22.3%, respectively, showing localized cooldowns within the broader market.
Median rent
Median rent in Santa Monica
$3,595/mo
7%vs previous year
The average rent in Santa Monica is $3,595 per month as of September 2026. This is 89% above the national average rent, or $1,695 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Santa Monica
221
for rent on Zumper.com as of September 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 7% 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 $3,200, whereas a house costs $6,500. 1-bedroom apartments in Santa Monica run $2,795 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $3,896.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,147 | 3% |  5% | |
1 bedroom | $2,799 | 4% | 8% | |
2 bedroom | $4,268 | 4% | 14% | |
3 bedroom | $6,325 | 4% | 9% | |
4 bedroom | $12,872 | 25% | 20% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Downtown Santa Monica | $3,448 | |
Mid City | $2,922 | |
North Of Montana | $5,247 | |
Northeast Santa Monica | $3,850 | |
Ocean Park | $3,997 | |
Pico | $3,190 | |
Sunset Park | $3,172 | |
Wilshire Montana | $3,586 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $3,200 | 2% | No Change | |
Condos | $4,395 | 5% | No Change | |
Houses | $6,500 | 22% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,200 | No Change | - |
Studio
Average rent
$2,147
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
5%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,799
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
8%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$4,268
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
14%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$6,325
Last 30 days
4%
Last year
9%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$12,872
Last 30 days
25%
Last year
20%
Ocean Park
Average rent
$3,997
Wilshire Montana
Average rent
$3,586
Pico
Average rent
$3,190
Mid City
Average rent
$2,922
Sunset Park
Average rent
$3,172
Downtown Santa Monica
Average rent
$3,448
North Of Montana
Average rent
$5,247
Northeast Santa Monica
Average rent
$3,850
Apartments
Average rent
$3,200
Last 30 days
2%
Condos
Average rent
$4,395
Last 30 days
5%
Houses
Average rent
$6,500
Last 30 days
22%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,200
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
89%higher than the national median
130%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Santa Monica, CA is 18% lower than the median rent in Beverly Hills, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$4,375
29%$2,600
11%$2,800
$3,495
5%$2,262
10%$2,375
12%$1,850
7%$2,282
3%$2,495
14%$3,695
$2,875
3%$2,995
7%Discover rentals in Santa Monica, CA
5d+ ago
Sunset Park house for rent in Santa Monica
2450 Oak St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
1 bed
1 bath
$300
House for rent
Available Aug 31
5d+ 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 15
4d ago
1637 Berkeley St, Santa Monica, CA 90404
3 beds
1 bath
$1,224
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Sunset Park apartment for rent in Santa Monica
2300 Oak St #5, Santa Monica, CA 90405
3 beds
2 baths
$1,450
Apartment for rent
Available Aug 15
3d ago
North of Montana house for rent in Santa Monica
4 beds
5 baths
$27,500
House for rent
Available Sep 12
5d+ ago
North of Montana house for rent in Santa Monica
4 beds
5 baths
$22,000
House for rent
Available Sep 10
1h ago
1115 14th St, Santa Monica, CA 90403
2–4 beds
2–5 baths
$5,549–$21,000
Apartment for rent
Available Sep 16
5h ago
Downtown Santa Monica apartment for rent in Santa Monica
2 beds
2 baths
$14,000
Apartment for rent
Available Sep 3
5d+ ago
Verified
1427 7th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
1 bed
1 bath
$2,950–$3,995
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1d ago
1550 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,400–$5,500
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
323 Marine St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
1 bed
1 bath
$2,495–$2,525
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
1427 7th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
1 bed
1 bath
$2,950–$3,995
Price drop
Apartment for rent
17h ago
Verified
425 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90401
1 bed
1 bath
$3,263–$3,811
Apartment for rent
4d ago
Verified
316 San Vicente Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90402
3 beds
2 baths
$5,795
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Verified
1427 7th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
1 bed
1 bath
$2,950–$3,995
Price drop
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
323 Marine St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
1 bed
1 bath
$2,495–$2,525
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
518 Raymond Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90405
1 bed
1 bath
$2,395
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Pico apartment for rent in Santa Monica
1 bed
1 bath
$2,295
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 $3,595 per month as of September 12, 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 7% since last year.
How does Santa Monica rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Santa Monica is 89% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $1,695 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Santa Monica?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Santa Monica are Mid City ($2,922/mo), Sunset Park ($3,172/mo), and Pico ($3,190/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 $144,000/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?
December offers the best opportunity for apartment hunting in Santa Monica, with lower prices and less competition from other renters. May typically sees the lowest rents of the year, while September commands the highest prices with roughly a 5.5% difference between peak and low seasons.
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).