Average Rent in San Diego, CA
25 apartment buildings, 385 units. Real asking prices, refreshed daily.
Avg Rent
$3,210/mo
Cheapest
$1,386/mo
Properties
25
Units
385
Analysis
Rent Price Breakdown
Compare pricing across all 25 properties in San Diego, CA.
Average Rent by Property
Starting Price vs Average
Rent by Bedroom Count
Price per Square Foot
San Diego, CA Rent Prices
All 25 properties ranked by lowest available rent.
800 Broadway
800 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
J Street Flats
222 J St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Northpark Properties
3792 31st St, San Diego, CA 92104, USA
Vera Cortez Hill
1399 Ninth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Arrive Broadway Lofts
1007 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Meadowbrook Apartments
7506 Woodridge Way, San Diego, CA 92114, USA
Nova Apartment Homes
677 Seventh Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
| # | Property | From | Avg | $/sqft | Rating | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 800 Broadway 800 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101, USA | $1,386 | $3,629 | $4.95 | 4.8 (112) | 92 |
| 2 | J Street Flats 222 J St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA | $1,500 | $1,533 | $5.25 | 4.2 (108) | 9 |
| 3 | Northpark Properties 3792 31st St, San Diego, CA 92104, USA | $1,674 | $2,084 | $3.45 | 3 (44) | 6 |
| 4 | Vera Cortez Hill 1399 Ninth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA | $1,864 | $2,500 | $3.17 | 4.1 (221) | 17 |
| 5 | Arrive Broadway Lofts 1007 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA | $2,119 | $2,564 | $3.23 | 4 (83) | 4 |
| 6 | Meadowbrook Apartments 7506 Woodridge Way, San Diego, CA 92114, USA | $2,123 | $2,594 | $2.79 | 3.5 (218) | 4 |
| 7 | Nova Apartment Homes 677 Seventh Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA | $2,136 | $2,536 | $2.95 | 4.3 (72) | 10 |
Explore Each Property
800 Broadway
4.8 (112)800 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
J Street Flats
4.2 (108)222 J St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Northpark Properties
3 (44)3792 31st St, San Diego, CA 92104, USA
Vera Cortez Hill
4.1 (221)1399 Ninth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Arrive Broadway Lofts
4 (83)1007 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Meadowbrook Apartments
3.5 (218)7506 Woodridge Way, San Diego, CA 92114, USA
San Diego, CA Average Rent Prices 2026
The average rent in San Diego, CA is $3,210 per month, based on 385 units across 25 apartment communities. Prices range from $1,386 at 800 Broadway to $2,937 at The Landing at Ocean View Hills.
Average Rent by Bedroom Type
| Type | Avg Rent | Starting From | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,427/mo | $1,386/mo | 96 |
| 1 Bed | $2,966/mo | $1,674/mo | 145 |
| 2 Bed | $3,792/mo | $2,123/mo | 130 |
| 3 Bed | $5,712/mo | $2,352/mo | 14 |
Every price comes directly from each property's leasing system, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.
Market Context
Who rents in San Diego, CA, and what they pay
Tracked one-bedroom rent in San Diego, CA averages $2,966/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $3,792/mo. At the local median household income of $104,321, that works out to 37% of gross income, above the 30 percent affordability ceiling, a stretched-budget market.
The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in San Diego, CA at $2,223/mo. The current tracked market average runs 44% higher than that benchmark, reflecting both two to three years of rent growth and the fact that the Census figure covers all renter-occupied housing in San Diego, CA while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.
Who employs renters in San Diego
Demand in the San Diego rental market is shaped by the metro's largest private and public employers. The following organizations anchor local hiring and influence what renters can pay:
- Qualcomm
- Naval Base San Diego
- General Atomics
- UC San Diego
- Sempra Energy
- Illumina
Mean one-way commute in San Diego, CA is 24 minutes, per the Census ACS, useful context when weighing which properties sit inside reasonable reach of these employers.
What salary do I need to live comfortably in San Diego, CA?
Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Minimum to afford average rent
$128,000/year
30 percent rule -- using our average rent of $3,210/mo.
Comfortable income
$154,000/year
25 percent rule -- leaves more room for savings, transport, and groceries.
To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($1,386/mo), you need to earn at least $55,000/year.
Median household income in San Diego, CA is $104,321 , about 32% below the comfortable-living threshold.
Cost of living in San Diego, CA
Overall prices in San Diego, CA runs above the national average by about 11% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 110.7, where 100 equals the U.S. average). The breakdown below estimates monthly costs for a single adult, using national consumer-spending baselines from the Bureau of Labor Statistics scaled by San Diego, CA's regional price parities.
| Category | Monthly estimate |
|---|---|
| Rent (market average) | $3,210 |
| Utilities | $799 |
| Groceries | $552 |
| Transportation | $1,904 |
| Healthcare | $929 |
| Other goods and services | $1,486 |
| Estimated total | $8,880/mo |
Population
1,385,061
Median household income
$104,321
Census median rent
$2,223/mo
Rent as % of income
32.2%
Median age
36.0
Mean commute
24 min
Methodology
Rent data
Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.
Cost of living
Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.
Salary to live comfortably
Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Demographic figures
Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.
Cost of living and demographic figures were last published in 2023.
Compare
Nearby cities in California
How San Diego, CA rent compares to other markets in the state.
| City | Avg Rent | vs San Diego, CA | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | $2,872 | -11% | 46 |
| Sacramento, CA | $2,284 | -29% | 25 |
| Riverside, CA | $2,536 | -21% | 25 |
| Anaheim, CA | $2,749 | -14% | 22 |
| Oakland, CA | $3,349 | +4% | 21 |
| Escondido, CA | $2,788 | -13% | 17 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average rent in San Diego, CA?
The average rent in San Diego, CA is $3,210 per month, based on 385 units across 25 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are updated every morning through our proprietary data sourcing.
What is the cheapest apartment rent in San Diego, CA?
The lowest available rent in San Diego, CA starts at $1,386 per month. Availability changes daily as leasing data is refreshed each morning.
How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in San Diego, CA?
1-bedroom apartments in San Diego, CA average $2,966/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $1,674/mo across 145 units tracked.
How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in San Diego, CA?
2-bedroom apartments in San Diego, CA average $3,792/mo. Units start from $2,123/mo across 130 units currently listed.
Rent Trends in San Diego, CA
Track how apartment prices are changing over time.
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