San Diego, CA Rental Market Trends
Highlights
The average rent for an apartment in San Diego is $2,237, a 4% increase compared to the previous year.
Average Rent in San Diego, CA
| Average Rent | Y-o-Y Change | Average Apartment Size |
|---|---|---|
| $2,237 | 4% | 877 sq. ft. |
The average size for a San Diego, CA apartment is 877 square feet, but this number varies greatly depending on unit type, with cheap and luxury alternatives for houses and apartments alike. Studio apartments are the smallest and most affordable, 1-bedroom apartments are closer to the average, while 2-bedroom apartments and 3-bedroom apartments offer a more generous square footage.
San Diego, CA Apartment Rent Ranges
- $701-$1,0002%
- $1,001-$1,5006%
- $1,501-$2,00032%
- > $2,00060%
San Diego, CA Occupied Housing Units
- Renter-occupied Households39%
- Owner-occupied Households60%
198,654 or 39% of the households in San Diego, CA are renter-occupied while 304,809 or 60% are owner-occupied.
San Diego, CA Rent Trends
| Average Rent | Nov / 2016 | Mar / 2017 | Jul / 2017 | Nov / 2017 | Mar / 2018 | Jul / 2018 | Nov / 2018 | Mar / 2019 | Jul / 2019 | Nov / 2019 | Feb / 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego, CA | $1,988 | $1,961 | $2,045 | $2,054 | $2,061 | $2,164 | $2,186 | $2,155 | $2,216 | $2,223 | $2,237 |
| National | $1,340 | $1,337 | $1,368 | $1,371 | $1,374 | $1,408 | $1,417 | $1,422 | $1,458 | $1,466 | $1,468 |
Average Rent in San Diego, CA By Neighborhood
| Neighborhood | Average Rent |
|---|---|
| Valencia Park | $975 |
| Skyline | $975 |
| Jamacha Lomita | $975 |
| Encanto | $975 |
| Emerald Hills | $975 |
| Broadway Heights | $975 |
| Alta Vista | $975 |
| Southcrest | $1,225 |
| Shelltown | $1,225 |
| Mountain View | $1,225 |
| Logan Heights | $1,225 |
| Barrio Logan | $1,225 |
| Bay Terraces | $1,465 |
| Paradise Hills | $1,532 |
| North Park | $1,558 |
| Burlingame | $1,558 |
| Corridor | $1,598 |
| Cherokee Point | $1,598 |
| Teralta West | $1,619 |
| Swan Canyon | $1,619 |
| Islenair | $1,619 |
| Fox Canyon | $1,619 |
| Fairmount Village | $1,619 |
| Fairmont Park | $1,619 |
| Chollas Creek | $1,619 |
| Castle | $1,619 |
| Azalea - Hollywood Park | $1,619 |
| Lincoln Park | $1,639 |
| South Park | $1,665 |
| Ridgeview - Webster | $1,672 |
| Lake Murray | $1,730 |
| Stockton | $1,753 |
| Sherman Heights | $1,753 |
| Mount Hope | $1,753 |
| Grant Hill | $1,753 |
| Golden Hill | $1,753 |
| Chollas View | $1,753 |
| North Clairemont | $1,769 |
| Clairemont Mesa West | $1,784 |
| Clairemont Mesa East | $1,784 |
| Linda Vista | $1,801 |
| University Heights | $1,814 |
| Bay Ho | $1,861 |
| Torrey Pines Preserve | $1,870 |
| Sorrento Valley | $1,870 |
| Mission Hills South | $1,882 |
| Hillcrest | $1,882 |
| Teralta East | $1,887 |
| Redwood Village | $1,887 |
| Oak Park | $1,887 |
| El Cerrito | $1,887 |
| Colina del Sol | $1,887 |
| Bay Park | $1,907 |
| Sunset Cliffs | $1,914 |
| Ocean Beach | $1,914 |
| Morena | $1,933 |
| Wooded Area | $1,933 |
| Roseville Heights | $1,933 |
| La Playa | $1,933 |
| Fleet Ridge | $1,933 |
| Tijuana River Valley | $1,941 |
| Palm City | $1,941 |
| Otay Mesa West | $1,941 |
| Otay Mesa | $1,941 |
| Ocean View Hills | $1,941 |
| Nestor | $1,941 |
| Egger Highlands | $1,941 |
| Talmadge | $1,946 |
| Rolando Park | $1,946 |
| Rolando | $1,946 |
| College View Estates | $1,946 |
| Alvarado Estates | $1,946 |
| San Carlos | $1,954 |
| Old Town San Diego | $1,999 |
| Mission Hills | $1,999 |
| College Area | $2,004 |
| Point Loma Heights | $2,017 |
| Loma Portal | $2,044 |
| Pacific Beach | $2,045 |
| Mission Beach | $2,045 |
| Mission Bay | $2,045 |
| Kearny Mesa | $2,072 |
| Del Cerro | $2,105 |
| Allied Gardens | $2,105 |
| Carmel Mountain | $2,155 |
| Sabre Springs | $2,178 |
| Rancho Bernardo | $2,188 |
| Mira Mesa | $2,196 |
| Rancho Penasquitos | $2,232 |
| Black Mountain Ranch | $2,245 |
| Serra Mesa | $2,246 |
| Birdland | $2,246 |
| Tierrasanta | $2,248 |
| Mission Valley West | $2,257 |
| The Lakes - Crosby Estates | $2,261 |
| Santa Fe Valley | $2,261 |
| Bernardo Springs | $2,261 |
| 4S Ranch | $2,261 |
| Grantville | $2,281 |
| Scripps Ranch | $2,285 |
| Rancho Encantada - Stonebridge Estates | $2,285 |
| Miramar Ranch | $2,285 |
| Mission Valley East | $2,339 |
| Midway | $2,368 |
| Miramar | $2,395 |
| Midtown San Diego | $2,400 |
| Bankers Hill - Park West | $2,400 |
| Balboa Park | $2,411 |
| Petco Park | $2,473 |
| Marina | $2,473 |
| Little Italy | $2,473 |
| Horton Plaza | $2,473 |
| Harborview | $2,473 |
| Gaslamp | $2,473 |
| East Village | $2,473 |
| Cortez | $2,473 |
| Core - Columbia | $2,473 |
| University City | $2,480 |
| Torrey Highlands | $2,658 |
| Torrey Hills | $2,839 |
| North City | $2,839 |
| Carmel Valley | $2,839 |
The most affordable neighborhoods in San Diego are Alta Vista, where the average rent goes for $975/month, Broadway Heights, where renters pay $975/mo on average, and Emerald Hills, where the average rent goes for $975/mo. If you’re looking for other great deals, check out the listings from Encanto ($975), Jamacha Lomita ($975), and Skyline ($975), where the asking prices are below the average San Diego rent of $2,237/mo.
The most expensive neighborhoods in San Diego are Carmel Valley ($2,839), North City ($2,839) and Torrey Hills ($2,839).
The most popular neighborhood in San Diego is Mira Mesa, where there are 8 verified RENTCafé listings with an average rent of $2,196. Next up is University City, where apartments go for $2,480/month, followed by North Park with $1,558 If you’re looking to rent in San Diego’s most popular neighborhoods, make sure to also check out Ocean View Hills, where renters pay $1,941 on average, and Point Loma Heights, where the average monthly rent is $2,017.
San Diego | Rent Comparison by Neighborhood
Rent in 4S Ranch is 7% higher than in Allied Gardens
4S Ranch rent is 1% higher than San Diego average
| Average Rent | $2,261 |
|---|
Allied Gardens rent is 6% lower than San Diego average
| Average Rent | $2,105 |
|---|
How San Diego Compares to Other Cities
| Average Rent | Y-o-Y Change | |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $2,524 | 2% |
| San Francisco | $3,629 | n/a |
| East Bay | $2,363 | 2% |
| San Diego | $2,237 | 4% |
| Long Beach | $2,106 | 5% |
| Oakland | $2,930 | 6% |
| El Cajon | $1,577 | 3% |
| Chula Vista | $1,840 | 6% |
| Escondido | $1,654 | 3% |
| La Mesa | $1,770 | 5% |
| Vista | $1,819 | 4% |
For more information about the San Diego rental trends, check out our monthly rent report
Check out California Cities, California Neighborhoods and California Zip Codes for more details on verified listings, including the California Average Rent.
Curious about listings in your area? Check out our apartments near you for more details!