Apartments for Rent in San Mateo, CA

Prices and availability in San Mateo, CA were last updated on 2 Jun 2026.

The best apartments in San Mateo, CA are: The Preston at Hillsdale, 540 S El Camino, Ambassador, 3301 & 3305 Los Prados and San Mateo Apartments.

The average rent in San Mateo, CA is $3,414.

The price range for a studio apartment in San Mateo, CA is between $2,095 and $11,527.

The price range for a 1-bedroom apartment in San Mateo, CA is between $2,095 and $12,569.

The price range for a 2-bedroom apartment in San Mateo, CA is between $2,195 and $15,149.

The price range for a 3-bedroom apartment in San Mateo, CA is between $2,408 and $14,617.

In San Mateo 50% of the housing is rented out compared to 50% of homes are owned, according to the most recent Census Bureau estimates. 26% of San Mateo's apartments are found in large buildings of 50 units or more, 56% are located in smaller apartment complexes with less than 50 units, and 17% are single-family rentals.

The average age of rental buildings in San Mateo is 37 years old, with 39% being newer apartment buildings completed since 2000. The average height of apartment buildings in the city is 4 stories, of which 92% are garden-style apartment communities, 20% are mid-sized buildings, and 4% are high-rises. These characteristics describe large-scale apartment communities of 50 apartments or more.

Rental apartments in San Mateo come in a range of sizes and floorplans. Studio apartments represent 6% of units for rent, ideal for singles, renters on a budget and people who value central locations more than space. Rentals with 1-bedroom floorplans make up 47% of the total apartments in the city, while 2-bedroom floorplans represent around 40% of all rentals in San Mateo. The rest are larger floorplans with 3 bedrooms or more, typically preferred by families, larger households or roommates sharing space.