Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on May 20, 2026
Average rent in
San Diego, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on May 20, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
The bottom line
San Diego, CA rent is essentially flat year over year, with a current median of $2,784/month. Renters are paying $166 less per month on average than last year, with month-to-month rent unchanged in the latest data.
Compared to national trends
San Diego runs roughly 1.4× the $1,949/month national median, placing it among pricier coastal metros. The market offers 2,582 total rentals, reflecting a moderate inventory size for a major city.
Price ranges
Studios in San Diego rent for about $1,875/month, 1-bedrooms $2,195/month, and 2-bedrooms $2,950/month, with larger units reaching $5,500/month. Houses command a median of $4,300/month compared to $2,399/month for apartments, showing distinct price tiers by property type.
Neighborhood spotlight
Muirlands rents fell 85.9% year over year to $5,298/month across 24 rentals, while Lower Hermosa and Jolla Mesa also saw declines over 70%. This contrasts with the citywide flat trend and shows localized cooldowns in these neighborhoods.
Median rent
Median rent in San Diego
$2,784/mo
1%vs previous year
The average rent in San Diego is $2,784 per month as of May 2026. This is 43% above the national average rent, or $835 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in San Diego
2,582
for rent on Zumper.com as of May 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of San Diego rentals at each price point
Rent trends in San Diego, CA
Average rent prices in San Diego have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 1% 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
San Diego, CA
Rent prices in San Diego vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in San Diego is $2,399, whereas a house costs $4,300. 1-bedroom apartments in San Diego run $2,165 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,750.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,875 | 3% |  1% | |
1 bedroom | $2,195 | 1% | No Change | |
2 bedroom | $2,950 | No Change | 3% | |
3 bedroom | $4,200 | 1% | 4% | |
4 bedroom | $5,500 | 6% | 4% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
College East | $4,700 | |
College West | $3,997 | |
East Village | $2,695 | |
Hillcrest | $2,395 | |
Linda Vista | $2,725 | |
North Park | $2,395 | |
Pacific Beach | $3,095 | |
Park West | $2,700 | |
Serra Mesa | $3,300 | |
University City | $3,362 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,399 | No Change | No Change | |
Condos | $2,950 | 3% | No Change | |
Houses | $4,300 | 3% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,362 | 3% | No Change |
Studio
Average rent
$1,875
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
1%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,195
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
No Change
2 bedroom
Average rent
$2,950
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
3%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$4,200
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
4%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$5,500
Last 30 days
6%
Last year
4%
North Park
Average rent
$2,395
Pacific Beach
Average rent
$3,095
College East
Average rent
$4,700
Hillcrest
Average rent
$2,395
College West
Average rent
$3,997
Park West
Average rent
$2,700
East Village
Average rent
$2,695
University City
Average rent
$3,362
Linda Vista
Average rent
$2,725
Serra Mesa
Average rent
$3,300
Apartments
Average rent
$2,399
Last 30 days
No Change
Condos
Average rent
$2,950
Last 30 days
3%
Houses
Average rent
$4,300
Last 30 days
3%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,362
Last 30 days
3%
The table above reflects average rent prices in San Diego, 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 San Diego, CA compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in San Diego and Bonita by all bedroom counts and property types.
San Diego
43%higher than the national median
23%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in San Diego, CA is 16% higher than the median rent in Bonita, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,400
4%$3,000
6%$6,500
5%$2,095
2%$6,000
13%$2,895
2%$2,395
1%$2,595
11%$2,495
4%$2,797
4%$2,722
1%$2,295
1%Cost of living in San Diego, CA
Explore the cost of essential expenses, and then use our rent calculator to find out how much rent you can afford.
Expenses accrued by most renters | Average cost compared to national average |
|---|---|
| Goods & Services | 14% higher |
| Groceries | 11% higher |
| Health | 2% higher |
| Housing | 112% higher |
| Transportation | 41% higher |
| Utilities | 39% higher |
Discover rentals in San Diego, CA
5d+ ago
720 4th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
1 bed
1 bath
$595
Apartment for rent
2d ago
3005 38th St, San Diego, CA 92105
1 bed
1 bath
$850
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
College West apartment for rent in San Diego
Studio
3.5 baths
$850
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Mira Mesa house for rent in San Diego
106 Brookhollow Ct, San Diego, CA 92126
1 bed
1 bath
$925
House for rent
Available May 18
5d+ ago
Bird Rock house for rent in San Diego
5204 Chelsea St, San Diego, CA 92037
5 beds
7.5 baths
$69,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
Village house for rent in San Diego
1241 Coast Blvd, San Diego, CA 92037
3 beds
5 baths
$35,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
La Jolla Shores house for rent in San Diego
5 beds
7 baths
$35,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
La Jolla house for rent in San Diego
7201 Country Club Dr, San Diego, CA 92037
4 beds
3 baths
$35,000
House for rent
2h ago
Verified
12629 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92130
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,108–$3,572
Apartment for rent
9h ago
Verified
3187 Cowley Way, San Diego, CA 92117
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,688–$3,217
Apartment for rent
17h ago
Verified
12435 Heatherton Ct, San Diego, CA 92128
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,482–$2,916
Apartment for rent
2h ago
Verified
12629 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92130
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,108–$3,572
Apartment for rent
17h ago
Verified
12435 Heatherton Ct, San Diego, CA 92128
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,482–$2,916
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
13138 Kellam Ct, San Diego, CA 92130
2 beds
2 baths
$3,645–$3,679
Apartment for rent
2h ago
Verified
11724 Carmel Creek Rd, San Diego, CA 92130
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$3,137–$4,567
Apartment for rent
2h ago
Verified
12629 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92130
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,108–$3,572
Apartment for rent
9h ago
Verified
3187 Cowley Way, San Diego, CA 92117
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,688–$3,217
Apartment for rent
17h ago
Verified
12435 Heatherton Ct, San Diego, CA 92128
2 beds
2 baths
$2,769–$2,916
Apartment for rent
Stay up to date with rental market insights
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 San Diego, CA
Quick answers to common questions about the San Diego rental market.
How much is rent in San Diego?
The average rent in San Diego is $2,784 per month as of May 16, 2026.
Is rent up or down in San Diego?
Average rent prices in San Diego have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 1% since last year.
How does San Diego rent compare to the national average?
Rent in San Diego is 43% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $835 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in San Diego?
The most affordable neighborhoods in San Diego are North Park ($2,395/mo), Hillcrest ($2,395/mo), and East Village ($2,695/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in San Diego?
To comfortably afford rent in San Diego, you'd need to earn approximately $111,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in San Diego?
San Diego's 2025 rental market shows one-bedroom apartments averaging around $2,300 per month, while two-bedroom units average around $3,100 monthly. These figures reflect the current pricing in California's second-largest city across its diverse neighborhood options.
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).
For additional insights into rental trends, including month-over-month changes and historical comparisons, see Zumper's Monthly Metro Report.
San Diego Metro Report
The Zumper San Diego Metro Report analyzed active listings last month across metro cities to provide insights into rental trends, highlighting the most and least expensive cities and those with the fastest growing rents. The California one-bedroom median rent was $2,037 last month.
The Most Expensive
- Coronado ranked as the most expensive city with one-bedrooms priced at $3,900.
- Carlsbad was the second priciest city with rent at $2,540.
- Oceanside tied for third, with one-bedrooms both renting for $2,210.
The Least Expensive
- El Cajon was the most affordable city, with one-bedroom rent priced at $1,760.
- National City ranked as second with rent at $1,820.
- Chula Vista placed third with rent at $1,900.
The Largest Decline (Y/Y%)
- Coronado had the largest annual rent price decline, falling 14.8%.
- Chula Vista saw rent drop 3.6%, making it second.
- La Mesa placed third with rent decreasing 3.5%.
The Largest Decline (M/M%)
- Coronado had the largest monthly rent price decline, falling 6%.
- Chula Vista saw rent decrease 5% last month, making it second.
- National City placed third with rent dipping 2.7%.
About
The Zumper San Diego Metro Area Report analyzed active listings that hit the market last month. Listings are aggregated by city to calculate median asking rents.
Words by
Crystal ChenCrystal Chen is a seasoned real estate and housing market expert with more than a decade of experience analyzing rental trends, housing affordability, and urban living. At Zumper, she leads data storytelling as well as press and media relations, where she translates complex housing research into easily digestible insights for renters, industry professionals, and journalists. Her reports can be seen cited in national outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and CNBC. She is passionate about helping renters navigate today’s evolving housing landscape with clarity and confidence. Living in New York City herself, she knows firsthand the chaos and challenges of navigating a competitive rental market.