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Average Rent in Salinas, CA & Rent Trends

What is the average rent in Salinas, CA?

The average listed apartment rent in Salinas, CA is $2,725 per month, as of November 6, 2026. This sample includes 52 priced apartments in 7 buildings. These are tracked asking prices, not signed leases.

We use published total monthly rent when known and base rent otherwise. Unknown fees remain unknown. Buildings without a qualifying price do not count in this sample. The guide directory can include more buildings.

Rent prices and market trends across 7 apartment communities in Salinas, CA. Prices update after successful source checks.

Area All Areas
Salinas 93901 93906
Beds All Bedrooms 1 Bed 2 Bed 3 Bed

Showing any bedrooms in Salinas, CA.

Market Average

$2,725/mo

▼ 2.1% from last month

Lowest Available

$1,760/mo

cheapest unit on market

Communities

7

tracked daily

Units Listed

52

available now

Rent Watch: cuts and increases

Open Rent Watch →

See current options while we confirm new price comparisons. Filter by bedrooms and budget, then inspect each building’s history.

Rent by Neighborhood in Salinas, CA

Compare average rent across Salinas, CA neighborhoods. Click any area to see detailed trends.

Neighborhood Avg Rent 30d Change From Properties Units
Salinas 93901 $2,852 - $2,774 1 2
Salinas 93906 $2,753 ▼  $18 $1,760 4 34
Salinas 93907 $2,648 ▼  $149 $2,325 2 16

Is Rent Going Up or Down in Salinas, CA?

As of November 2026, the average rent in Salinas, CA is $2,725 per month across 7 apartment communities and 52 available units. Rents have decreased $57 (2.1%) over the past month.

The most affordable option is Santa Lucia starting at $1,760/mo. By unit type, a 1-bedroom averages $2,488/mo, a 2-bedroom averages $2,813/mo, a 3-bedroom averages $3,080/mo.

Prices range from $1,760 to $3,385 per month. The most common price point is the $2,800 range, where 21 units are currently listed.

Salinas, CA Rent Price History

Timeframe
View as table
Month Avg Rent Change Properties
May 2026 $2,759 - 6
June 2026 $2,715 -$44 6
July 2026 $2,724 +$9 6
August 2026 $2,692 -$32 7
September 2026 $2,860 +$168 6
October 2026 $2,804 -$56 6
November 2026 $2,795 -$9 6

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.

Average Rent by Bedroom

Rent Price Distribution

Rent by Bedroom Type in Salinas, CA

1 Bed
$2,488
from $2,187 · 15 units
2 Bed
$2,813
from $1,760 · 36 units
3 Bed
$3,080
from $3,080 · 1 units

Rent Prices by Apartment in Salinas, CA

Property Starting at Average Units Rating
Santa Lucia $1,760/mo $2,720/mo 11 4.2
Sheridan Park Apartments $2,187/mo $2,441/mo 3 3.4
Plaza Club $2,260/mo $2,682/mo 3 4.1
Cypress Landing $2,325/mo $2,865/mo 3 2.9
Laurel Grove Residences $2,556/mo $2,843/mo 17 4.1
Cypress Creek $2,565/mo $2,597/mo 13 3.5
Woodside Park Apartments $2,774/mo $2,852/mo 2 3.9

Frequently Asked Questions About Rent in Salinas, CA

How many bedrooms are you looking for?

How many bedrooms are you looking for?

Scroll or tap to choose.
Any bedrooms

What is the average rent in Salinas, CA?
The average listed apartment rent in Salinas, CA is $2,725 per month, as of November 6, 2026. This sample includes 52 priced apartments in 7 buildings. These are tracked asking prices, not signed leases.

What rent range can I find in Salinas, CA?
The apartment listings we track in Salinas, CA range from $1,760 to $3,385 per month, as of November 6, 2026. These are the lowest and highest listed prices. They are not a typical price for every apartment. The building, floor plan, and lease terms can affect the price.

Are rents going up or down in Salinas, CA?
The daily building-average rent fell by $68 (2.4%) over 31 days between observations in October 2026 and November 2026. This compares recorded asking rents. The current month's figures may still be incomplete, and the building mix can change.

How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Salinas, CA?
1-bedroom apartments average $2,488 per month across 15 priced listings in Salinas, CA. Listed rents range from $2,187 to $2,611 per month, as of November 6, 2026. Compare apartments with similar floor plans and lease terms.

How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Salinas, CA?
2-bedroom apartments average $2,813 per month across 36 priced listings in Salinas, CA. Listed rents range from $1,760 to $3,385 per month, as of November 6, 2026. Compare apartments with similar floor plans and lease terms.

How much is a 3-bedroom apartment in Salinas, CA?
3-bedroom apartments average $3,080 per month across 1 priced listing in Salinas, CA. Listed rents range from $3,080 to $3,080 per month, as of November 6, 2026. Compare apartments with similar floor plans and lease terms.

How do 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom rents compare in Salinas, CA?
The 1-bedroom average is $2,488 per month across 15 listings. The 2-bedroom average is $2,813 across 36 listings, $325 (13.1%) higher. This is a comparison of listing groups, not the cost to upgrade a specific apartment.

Which tracked building has the lowest starting rent in Salinas, CA?
Santa Lucia has the lowest starting rent among the buildings in the comparison table, at $1,760 per month. We track 11 priced listings matching your bedroom choice in that building, as of November 6, 2026. The starting price applies to its lowest-priced matching apartment. Check that apartment's latest price and availability.

Which rent range has the most listings in Salinas, CA?
The $2,800 to $3,000 monthly range has the most matching listings: 21 units, or 40.4% of the priced apartments we track in Salinas, CA. This count does not tell us how fast the apartments rent.

How many apartment listings do you track in Salinas, CA?
We track 52 priced units at 7 apartment buildings, as of November 6, 2026. This is not the total number of apartments in those buildings. A listing can change or become unavailable. Open the apartment details to check its latest status.

How much rent history is available for Salinas, CA?
We have recorded rent data on 127 days from May 2026 through November 2026 for apartment listings in Salinas, CA. Some dates can be missing. The chart only shows recorded data. The current month includes the days recorded so far.

Why can the headline rent differ from the trend chart in Salinas, CA?
The average at the top of the page gives each matching apartment equal weight. The chart first averages recorded prices within each building, then compares buildings. It removes the highest and lowest groups when at least ten buildings contribute and omits days with fewer than five buildings. Different dates, building counts, and listing mixes can produce different figures. The monthly table averages the recorded daily figures.

Does my bedroom choice change the prices and answers?
Yes. Your chosen area and bedroom count filter the asking rents, listing counts, rent ranges, and answers on this page. The active community exclusions are Student housing and 55+ / senior community and Corporate housing and Military / active duty housing and Veteran housing. When you choose a bedroom count, the history chart uses recorded prices for matching apartments with a known identity. If those records are missing, we leave the chart empty rather than use prices for other bedroom types. Open an individual apartment to check its own price history.

Do these rents include utilities, parking, and other fees?
We use the published total monthly rent when it is available and the base rent otherwise. Unknown fees are not zero. Utilities, parking, pet charges, deposits, and one-time costs can add to the amount you pay. Check the selected unit and lease terms for a complete quote.

How should I compare free-rent offers with listed rent?
A free-rent offer can reduce the effective cost over a lease without changing the listed monthly rent. Compare the same lease length and move-in date, then include required charges and the offer conditions. The market averages do not assume an unconfirmed discount.

Does this page represent every rental in the market?
These figures describe the priced apartment listings we track, not every rental home or every occupied apartment. Coverage and the mix of bedrooms, buildings, and locations can change. A lower market average does not prove that the same apartment received a price cut.

How fresh are the Salinas, CA rent figures?
We schedule rent updates each day, but buildings can have different price-check dates. The latest accepted price check for these listings was November 6, 2026. The month label does not mean we checked every price today. Open the building or apartment details for its latest price and availability.

What salary do I need to live comfortably in Salinas, 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

$109,000/year

Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $2,725/mo.

Comfortable income

$131,000/year

Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.

To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($1,760/mo), you need to earn at least $70,000/year.

Median household income in Salinas, CA is $89,150 , about 32% below the comfortable-living threshold.

Explore Salinas, CA Apartments

Browse all 7 communities with daily-updated pricing and availability.

Browse All Apartments Find Your Match

Cost of living in Salinas, CA

Overall prices in Salinas, CA runs above the national average by about 13% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 113.2, 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 Salinas, CA's regional price parities.

Category Monthly estimate
Rent (market average) $2,725
Utilities $716
Groceries $567
Transportation $1,708
Healthcare $833
Other goods and services $1,333
Estimated total $7,882/mo

Population

161,993

Median household income

$89,150

Census median rent

$1,923/mo

Census rent burden

32.1%

Median age

32.1

Mean commute

27 min

Methodology

Rent data

We use listed asking rents and schedule daily data updates. Individual buildings can have different verification dates. Check the building or unit page for its latest price and availability.

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

We estimate annual income by dividing annual rent by 30 percent for the affordability figure and 25 percent for the comfortable-income figure. These estimates are a guide, not a guarantee of rental approval.

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.
California Rent Trends
Compare rent across all California cities
Explore Salinas, CA on Map
See neighborhoods and rent data interactively
US-wide rent comparison
See how Salinas, CA rents stack up against the national median

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