Last updated
Average Rent in San Marcos, CA & Rent Trends
Rent prices and market trends across 3 apartment communities in San Marcos, CA. Updated daily.
Market Average
$2,652/mo
Lowest Available
$2,206/mo
cheapest unit on market
Communities
3
tracked daily
Units Listed
24
available now
Price Cuts This Week in San Marcos, CA
15 listed units across 1 building in San Marcos, CA dropped their asking rent in the past 7 days, an average cut of $193/mo. These are the largest cuts, tracked unit by unit with daily price checks.
| Apartment | Unit | Last Week | Now | Cut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barham Villas Apartments | Unit 118 | $2,835 | $2,564 | $271 |
| Barham Villas Apartments | Unit 143 | $2,835 | $2,564 | $271 |
| Barham Villas Apartments | Unit 155 | $2,735 | $2,464 | $271 |
| Barham Villas Apartments | Unit 221 | $2,745 | $2,474 | $271 |
| Barham Villas Apartments | Unit 246 | $2,745 | $2,474 | $271 |
| Barham Villas Apartments | Unit 274 | $2,745 | $2,474 | $271 |
| Barham Villas Apartments | Unit 285 | $2,745 | $2,474 | $271 |
| Barham Villas Apartments | Unit 206 | $2,396 | $2,227 | $169 |
Rent by Neighborhood in San Marcos, CA
Compare average rent across San Marcos, CA neighborhoods. Click any area to see detailed trends.
| Neighborhood | Avg Rent | From | Properties | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Marcos 92069 | $2,664 | $2,206 | 2 | 6 |
| San Marcos 92078 | $2,648 | $2,217 | 1 | 18 |
Is Rent Going Up or Down in San Marcos, CA?
As of July 2026, the average rent in San Marcos, CA is $2,652 per month across 3 apartment communities and 24 available units.
The most affordable option is Overture San Marcos starting at $2,206/mo. By unit type, a 1-bedroom averages $2,238/mo, a 2-bedroom averages $2,690/mo, a 3-bedroom averages $3,140/mo.
Prices range from $2,206 to $4,240 per month. The most common price point is the $2,200 range, where 7 units are currently listed.
Average Rent by Bedroom
Rent Price Distribution
Rent by Bedroom Type in San Marcos, CA
Rent Prices by Apartment in San Marcos, CA
| Property | Starting at | Average | Units | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overture San Marcos | $2,206/mo | $2,349/mo | 5 | 4.1 |
| Barham Villas Apartments | $2,217/mo | $2,648/mo | 18 | 4.5 |
| eaves San Marcos | $4,240/mo | $4,240/mo | 1 | 4.6 |
Google Search Trends for San Marcos, 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 Marcos, CA
What is the average rent in San Marcos, CA?
Is rent going up or down in San Marcos, CA?
What is the cheapest apartment in San Marcos, CA?
How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in San Marcos, CA?
How many apartments are available in San Marcos, CA?
What salary do I need to live comfortably in San Marcos, 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
$106,000/year
Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $2,652/mo.
Comfortable income
$127,000/year
Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.
To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($2,206/mo), you need to earn at least $88,000/year.
Median household income in San Marcos, CA is $105,286 , about 17% below the comfortable-living threshold.
Cost of living in San Marcos, CA
Overall prices in San Marcos, 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 Marcos, CA's regional price parities.
| Category | Monthly estimate |
|---|---|
| Rent (market average) | $2,652 |
| Utilities | $799 |
| Groceries | $552 |
| Transportation | $1,904 |
| Healthcare | $929 |
| Other goods and services | $1,486 |
| Estimated total | $8,322/mo |
Population
94,078
Median household income
$105,286
Census median rent
$2,191/mo
Rent as % of income
36.0%
Median age
36.8
Mean commute
27 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 Marcos, CA Apartments
Browse all 3 communities with daily-updated pricing and availability.