Last updated
Average Rent in San Francisco, CA & Rent Trends
Rent prices and market trends across 20 apartment communities in San Francisco, CA. Updated daily.
Market Average
$6,737/mo
Lowest Available
$4,995/mo
cheapest unit on market
Communities
20
tracked daily
Units Listed
95
available now
Rent Watch: cuts and increases
Open Rent Watch →4 cuts and 0 increases among 6 comparable listings this week. Filter by bedrooms and budget, then inspect each building’s history.
- One Henry Adams Apartments
↓ $200/mo
Cut of 3.3% · Unit 213
Rent by Neighborhood in San Francisco, CA
Compare average rent across San Francisco, CA neighborhoods. Click any area to see detailed trends. View these neighborhoods on the rent map
| Neighborhood | Avg Rent | 30d Change | From | Properties | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 94158 | $6,737 | ▼ $576 | $3,600 | 2 | 36 |
| SoMa | $6,038 | ▲ $1,383 | $4,515 | 2 | 17 |
| Russian Hill | $5,827 | - | $4,195 | 2 | 6 |
| Showplace Square | $5,460 | ▲ $151 | $3,384 | 6 | 78 |
| Tenderloin | $5,173 | ▲ $53 | $2,500 | 4 | 30 |
| Mission Bay | $4,981 | - | $2,195 | 6 | 63 |
| Financial District | $4,922 | ▼ $1,330 | $3,295 | 1 | 11 |
Is Rent Going Up or Down in San Francisco, CA?
As of October 2026, the average rent in San Francisco, CA is $6,737 per month across 20 apartment communities and 95 available units.
The most affordable option is RentSFNow starting at $4,995/mo. By unit type, a 2-bedroom averages $6,737/mo.
Prices range from $4,995 to $9,265 per month. The most common price point is the $6,200 range, where 13 units are currently listed.
San Francisco, CA Rent Price History
View as table
| Month | Avg Rent | Change | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | $4,268 | - | 7 |
| June 2026 | $4,543 | +$275 | 8 |
| July 2026 | $4,731 | +$188 | 11 |
| August 2026 | $5,022 | +$291 | 11 |
| September 2026 | $4,969 | -$53 | 11 |
| October 2026 | $4,851 | -$118 | 19 |
The trend line and monthly averages track each building's average listed price, recorded daily with outliers trimmed. The current month is a month-to-date figure, so it can sit above or below today's live market average shown at the top of this page.
Rent Price Distribution
Rent by Bedroom Type in San Francisco, CA
Rent Prices by Apartment in San Francisco, CA
| Property | Starting at | Average | Units | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RentSFNow | $4,995/mo | $6,512/mo | 3 | 4.3 |
| ReLISTO | $5,000/mo | $6,334/mo | 8 | 3.9 |
| OLUME Apartments | $5,196/mo | $5,196/mo | 1 | 3.7 |
| Chorus San Francisco Apartments | $5,293/mo | $7,124/mo | 10 | 4.2 |
| Prism | $5,355/mo | $5,355/mo | 1 | 4.5 |
| Potrero 1010 Apartments | $5,637/mo | $6,096/mo | 10 | 4 |
| Ventana Residences | $5,695/mo | $5,695/mo | 1 | 4.2 |
Frequently Asked Questions About Rent in San Francisco, CA
What is the average rent in San Francisco, CA?
Is rent going up or down in San Francisco, CA?
What is the cheapest apartment in San Francisco, CA?
How many apartments are available in San Francisco, CA?
What salary do I need to live comfortably in San Francisco, 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
$269,000/year
Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $6,737/mo.
Comfortable income
$323,000/year
Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.
To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($4,995/mo), you need to earn at least $200,000/year.
Median household income in San Francisco, CA is $141,446 , about 56% below the comfortable-living threshold.
Cost of living in San Francisco, CA
Overall prices in San Francisco, CA runs above the national average by about 18% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 117.6, 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 Francisco, CA's regional price parities.
| Category | Monthly estimate |
|---|---|
| Rent (market average) | $6,737 |
| Utilities | $861 |
| Groceries | $622 |
| Transportation | $2,051 |
| Healthcare | $1,001 |
| Other goods and services | $1,601 |
| Estimated total | $12,873/mo |
Population
836,321
Median household income
$141,446
Census median rent
$2,419/mo
Census rent burden
24.4%
Median age
39.7
Mean commute
31 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.
Google Search Trends for San Francisco, CA Apartments
Search interest for apartments in this area over the past 12 months.
Search Interest Over Time
Explore San Francisco, CA Apartments
Browse all 20 communities with daily-updated pricing and availability.