Last updated
Average Rent in San Diego, CA & Rent Trends
Rent prices and market trends across 26 apartment communities in San Diego, CA. Updated daily.
Market Average
$3,166/mo
▼ 1.8% from last month
Lowest Available
$1,500/mo
cheapest unit on market
Communities
26
tracked daily
Units Listed
477
available now
Price Cuts This Week in San Diego, CA
139 listed units across 15 buildings in San Diego, CA dropped their asking rent in the past 7 days, an average cut of $134/mo. These are the largest cuts, tracked unit by unit with daily price checks.
| Apartment | Unit | Last Week | Now | Cut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4th+J | Unit 25, Piazza | $4,549 | $3,553 | $996 |
| 4th+J | Unit 24, Piazza | $4,489 | $3,543 | $946 |
| Arrive Broadway Lofts | Unit 5 | $2,999 | $2,309 | $690 |
| Arrive Broadway Lofts | Unit 6 | $2,999 | $2,349 | $650 |
| Valentina by Alta | Unit 7, B11 | $6,099 | $5,605 | $494 |
| Valentina by Alta | Unit 6, B9 | $5,778 | $5,285 | $493 |
| Arrive Broadway Lofts | Unit 4 | $2,899 | $2,459 | $440 |
| Arrive Broadway Lofts | Unit 1 | $2,499 | $2,159 | $340 |
Rent by Neighborhood in San Diego, CA
Compare average rent across San Diego, CA neighborhoods. Click any area to see detailed trends.
| Neighborhood | Avg Rent | From | Properties | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middletown | $5,750 | $5,750 | 1 | 1 |
| Carmel Valley | $3,553 | $3,204 | 1 | 12 |
| Embarcadero | $3,178 | $1,500 | 18 | 421 |
| Mid-City | $3,070 | $1,995 | 1 | 12 |
| Otay Mesa | $3,022 | $2,506 | 2 | 11 |
| San Carlos | $2,856 | $2,304 | 1 | 12 |
| Jamacha | $2,594 | $2,123 | 1 | 4 |
Is Rent Going Up or Down in San Diego, CA?
As of July 2026, the average rent in San Diego, CA is $3,166 per month across 26 apartment communities and 477 available units. Rents have decreased $55 (1.8%) over the past month.
The most affordable option is J Street Flats starting at $1,500/mo. By unit type, a studio averages $2,350/mo, a 1-bedroom averages $2,954/mo, a 2-bedroom averages $3,932/mo, a 3-bedroom averages $5,529/mo, a 4-bedroom averages $6,295/mo.
Prices range from $1,500 to $12,144 per month. The most common price point is the $2,400 range, where 86 units are currently listed.
San Diego, CA Rent Price History
Average Rent by Bedroom
Rent Price Distribution
Rent by Bedroom Type in San Diego, CA
Rent Prices by Apartment in San Diego, CA
| Property | Starting at | Average | Units | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J Street Flats | $1,500/mo | $1,546/mo | 13 | 4.2 |
| Northpark Properties | $1,674/mo | $2,275/mo | 4 | 3 |
| 900 F Street Apartments | $1,695/mo | $2,362/mo | 6 | 3.9 |
| Market Street Village Apartments | $1,799/mo | $2,270/mo | 4 | 4.4 |
| Mercer Properties | $1,995/mo | $3,070/mo | 12 | 4 |
| Vera Cortez Hill | $2,025/mo | $2,452/mo | 14 | 4.1 |
| The Rey Apartments | $2,060/mo | $2,770/mo | 55 | 4.3 |
Google Search Trends for San Diego, CA Apartments
Search interest for apartments in this area over the past 12 months.
Search Interest Over Time
Frequently Asked Questions About Rent in San Diego, CA
What is the average rent in San Diego, CA?
Is rent going up or down in San Diego, CA?
What is the cheapest apartment in San Diego, CA?
How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in San Diego, CA?
How many apartments are available in San Diego, CA?
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
$127,000/year
Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $3,166/mo.
Comfortable income
$152,000/year
Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.
To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($1,500/mo), you need to earn at least $60,000/year.
Median household income in San Diego, CA is $104,321 , about 31% 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) | $3,166 |
| Utilities | $799 |
| Groceries | $552 |
| Transportation | $1,904 |
| Healthcare | $929 |
| Other goods and services | $1,486 |
| Estimated total | $8,836/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.
Explore San Diego, CA Apartments
Browse all 26 communities with daily-updated pricing and availability.