Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on July 12, 2026
Average rent in
San Diego, CA
Average rent in
Last updated on July 12, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
Where San Diego rent stands today
San Diego, CA rent is essentially flat year over year, with a current median of $2,780/month. Renters are paying roughly the same as last year, with a slight decline of 0.7% that corresponds to an $18 monthly difference, which is negligible for most budgets.
Compared to national trends
San Diego rents run roughly 1.4× the $1,950/month national median, placing it among pricier coastal metros with a diverse rental market of 2,523 total rentals.
Rent ranges by bedroom
Studios in San Diego rent for about $1,848/month, 1-bedrooms for $2,195/month, and 2-bedrooms for $2,995/month, with 3-bedrooms at $4,167/month and 4+ bedrooms reaching $5,400/month. These bedroom tiers represent the range of rents available to most renters.
Neighborhood spotlight
Jolla Mesa experienced a large year-over-year decline of 82.8%, with rents at $3,450/month. This steep drop contrasts with the citywide trend of essentially flat rents in San Diego, CA.
Median rent
Median rent in San Diego
$2,779/mo
1%vs previous year
The average rent in San Diego is $2,779 per month as of July 2026. This is 43% above the national average rent, or $829 more per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in San Diego
2,523
for rent on Zumper.com as of July 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 $2,400, whereas a house costs $4,250. 1-bedroom apartments in San Diego run $2,195 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $2,795.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,847 | 1% | 2% | |
1 bedroom | $2,195 | 1% | 3% | |
2 bedroom | $2,995 | No Change | 3% | |
3 bedroom | $4,167 | 2% |  2% | |
4 bedroom | $5,400 | 1% | 2% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
College East | $3,997 | |
College West | $3,650 | |
East Village | $2,695 | |
Hillcrest | $2,350 | |
Linda Vista | $2,867 | |
North Park | $2,400 | |
Pacific Beach | $3,172 | |
Park West | $2,795 | |
University City | $3,198 | |
University Heights | $2,385 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $2,400 | 1% | No Change | |
Condos | $2,950 | 2% | No Change | |
Houses | $4,250 | No Change | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,324 | 4% | No Change |
Studio
Average rent
$1,847
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
2%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$2,195
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
3%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$2,995
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
3%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$4,167
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
2%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$5,400
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
2%
North Park
Average rent
$2,400
Pacific Beach
Average rent
$3,172
College East
Average rent
$3,997
University City
Average rent
$3,198
Hillcrest
Average rent
$2,350
Park West
Average rent
$2,795
College West
Average rent
$3,650
University Heights
Average rent
$2,385
East Village
Average rent
$2,695
Linda Vista
Average rent
$2,867
Apartments
Average rent
$2,400
Last 30 days
1%
Condos
Average rent
$2,950
Last 30 days
2%
Houses
Average rent
$4,250
Last 30 days
No Change
Rooms
Average rent
$1,324
Last 30 days
4%
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
46%higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in San Diego, CA is 2% lower than the median rent in Bonita, CA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$2,850
8%$3,145
2%$6,650
17%$2,097
$4,695
7%$2,825
2%$2,337
5%$2,599
13%$2,395
$3,400
6%$2,695
7%$2,550
15%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 | 15% higher |
| Groceries | 13% higher |
| Health | 3% higher |
| Housing | 108% higher |
| Transportation | 43% higher |
| Utilities | 51% higher |
Discover rentals in San Diego, CA
5h ago
720 4th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
1 bed
1 bath
$595
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
College West apartment for rent in San Diego
1 bed
3.5 baths
$850
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
444 G St, San Diego, CA 92101
Studio
1 bath
$875–$1,350
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Bay Terraces house for rent in San Diego
1 bed
1 bath
$1,000
House for rent
Available Dec 7
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
Hidden Valley house for rent in San Diego
7256 Rue Michael, San Diego, CA 92037
5 beds
5 baths
$65,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
Bird Rock house for rent in San Diego
5342 Chelsea Ave, San Diego, CA 92037
4 beds
4.5 baths
$59,000
House for rent
5d+ ago
La Playa house for rent in San Diego
741 Rosecrans St, San Diego, CA 92106
4 beds
3.5 baths
$40,000
House for rent
1d ago
Verified
12435 Heatherton Ct, San Diego, CA 92128
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,540–$2,988
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
13138 Kellam Ct, San Diego, CA 92130
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,277–$3,659
Price drop
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
12435 Heatherton Ct, San Diego, CA 92128
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,540–$2,988
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
13138 Kellam Ct, San Diego, CA 92130
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,277–$3,659
Price drop
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
12629 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92130
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$3,372–$4,035
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
12435 Heatherton Ct, San Diego, CA 92128
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$2,540–$2,988
Apartment for rent
3d ago
Verified
13138 Kellam Ct, San Diego, CA 92130
2 beds
2 baths
$3,580–$3,659
Price drop
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 $2,779 per month as of July 11, 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 $829 more per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in San Diego?
The most affordable neighborhoods in San Diego are Hillcrest ($2,350/mo), University Heights ($2,385/mo), and North Park ($2,400/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 $2,050 last month.
The Most Expensive
- Coronado ranked as the most expensive city with one-bedrooms priced at $4,130.
- Encinitas was the second priciest city with rent at $2,620.
- Carlsbad placed third with rent at $2,520.
The Least Expensive
- El Cajon was the most affordable city, with one-bedroom rent priced at $1,770.
- National City ranked as second with rent at $1,820.
- Escondido placed third with rent at $1,830.
The Largest Decline (Y/Y%)
- Escondido had the largest annual rent price decline, falling 9.4%.
- Coronado saw rent drop 8.2%, making it second.
- Encinitas placed third with rent decreasing 7.7%.
The Largest Decline (M/M%)
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.