Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on October 9, 2026
Last updated on October 9, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
San Francisco, CA rent rose 22.8% year over year, with a current median of $4,500/month. Renters today are paying $842 more per month on average than last year, with rent just 0.8% below the recent peak of $4,835/month in September 2026.
San Francisco runs roughly 2.4× the $1,900/month national median, placing it among the priciest major metros in the country. The market offers 723 total rentals, mostly apartments which make up 73.3% of inventory.
Studios in San Francisco rent for about $2,700/month, 1-bedrooms for $4,295/month, and 2-bedrooms for $6,236/month, with larger units reaching $9,000/month for 4+ bedrooms. Houses command a median of $6,300/month compared to $4,423/month for apartments, reflecting distinct price tiers.
Median rent in San Francisco
$4,500/mo
vs previous year
The average rent in San Francisco is $4,500 per month as of October 2026. This is 137% above the national average rent, or $2,600 more per month.
average price per square foot
Available rentals in San Francisco
723
for rent on Zumper.com as of October 2026
Share of San Francisco rentals at each price point
Average rent prices in San Francisco have decreased by 1% over the last month and have increased by 23% since last year.
Rent prices on this page are calculated on a rolling 30-day basis and updated daily.
Rent prices in San Francisco vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in San Francisco is $4,423, whereas a house costs $6,300. 1-bedroom apartments in San Francisco run $4,323 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $6,278.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,700 | No Change | 11% | |
1 bedroom | $4,295 | 1% | 21% | |
2 bedroom | $6,235 | 1% | 23% | |
3 bedroom | $7,497 | No Change | 19% | |
4 bedroom | $9,000 | 3% | 20% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Civic Center | $4,685 | |
Dogpatch | $5,230 | |
Downtown | $2,395 | |
Financial District | $3,200 | |
Hayes Valley | $4,667 | |
Mission | $4,219 | |
Pacific Heights | $5,450 | |
Soma | $5,061 | |
South Beach | $5,099 | |
Tenderloin | $1,875 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $4,423 | 1% | No Change | |
Condos | $5,200 | 4% | No Change | |
Houses | $6,300 | 7% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,295 | 5% | No Change |
Studio
Average rent
$2,700
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
11%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$4,295
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
21%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$6,235
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
23%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$7,497
Last 30 days
No Change
Last year
19%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$9,000
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
20%
Soma
Average rent
$5,061
South Beach
Average rent
$5,099
Downtown
Average rent
$2,395
Civic Center
Average rent
$4,685
Dogpatch
Average rent
$5,230
Hayes Valley
Average rent
$4,667
Pacific Heights
Average rent
$5,450
Tenderloin
Average rent
$1,875
Financial District
Average rent
$3,200
Mission
Average rent
$4,219
Apartments
Average rent
$4,423
Last 30 days
1%
Condos
Average rent
$5,200
Last 30 days
4%
Houses
Average rent
$6,300
Last 30 days
7%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,295
Last 30 days
5%
The table above reflects average rent prices in San Francisco, 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.
Compare median rent prices in San Francisco and Alameda by all bedroom counts and property types.
San Francisco
higher than the national median
higher than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in San Francisco, CA is 68% higher than the median rent in Alameda, CA.
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
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 | 23% higher |
| Groceries | 17% higher |
| Health | 23% higher |
| Housing | 161% higher |
| Transportation | 42% higher |
| Utilities | 44% higher |
Are you interested in licensing our current and historical rental real estate data, or do you have custom data requests? Contact datalicensing@zumper.com.
Quick answers to common questions about the San Francisco rental market.
The average rent in San Francisco is $4,500 per month as of October 3, 2026.
Average rent prices in San Francisco have decreased by 1% over the last month and have increased by 23% since last year.
Rent in San Francisco is 137% above the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $2,600 more per month.
The most affordable neighborhoods in San Francisco are Tenderloin ($1,875/mo), Downtown ($2,395/mo), and Financial District ($3,200/mo).
To comfortably afford rent in San Francisco, you'd need to earn approximately $180,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
Winter months offer the best rental deals in San Francisco, with February showing the lowest prices and November through December being the least competitive periods. September has the highest rent levels, creating about a 4% difference between peak and off-peak months.
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.
The Zumper San Francisco Bay Area Metro Report analyzed active listings last month across metro cities to show the most and least expensive cities and cities with the fastest growing rents. The California one-bedroom median rent was $2,079 last month.

The Most Expensive
The Least Expensive

The Fastest Growing (Y/Y%)
The Fastest Growing (M/M%)

About
The Zumper San Francisco Bay Area Metro Area Report analyzed active listings that hit the market last month. Listings are aggregated by city to calculate median asking rents.
Crystal 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.