Average Rent in San Diego, CA
34 apartment buildings, 453 units. Daily asking prices with rent history for every building.
Browse apartments in San Diego, CACheapest
$1,500/mo
J Street Flats
Properties
34
tracked daily
Units
453
available now
San Diego, CA Resident Access
City Club members share insider gate codes, parking links, and amenity tips.
Analysis
Rent Price Breakdown
Compare pricing across all 34 properties in San Diego, CA.
Average rent trend, last 3 months
All bedroom types, citywide. Choose a window above to scope the view.
Average Rent by Property
Starting Price vs Average
Rent by Bedroom Count
Price per Square Foot
San Diego, CA Rent Prices
All 34 properties ranked by lowest available rent.
J Street Flats
222 J St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Vera Cortez Hill
1399 Ninth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Meadowbrook Apartments
7506 Woodridge Way, San Diego, CA 92114, USA
900 F Street Apartments
900 F St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
The Rey Apartments
801 A St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Nova Apartment Homes
677 Seventh Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
4th+J
372 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
| # | Property | From | Avg | $/sqft | Rating | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | J Street Flats 222 J St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA | $1,500 | $1,555 | $5.24/ft² | 4.2 (108) | 10 |
| 2 | Vera Cortez Hill 1399 Ninth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA | $1,874 | $2,479 | $2.98/ft² | 4.1 (221) | 24 |
| 3 | Meadowbrook Apartments 7506 Woodridge Way, San Diego, CA 92114, USA | $1,946 as of Sep 30 | $2,035 | $2.42/ft² | 3.5 (218) | 2 |
| 4 | 900 F Street Apartments 900 F St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA | $2,033 | $2,184 | $4.25/ft² | 3.9 (117) | 2 |
| 5 | The Rey Apartments 801 A St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA | $2,060 as of Oct 1 | $2,772 | $4.15/ft² | 4.3 (239) | 52 |
| 6 | Nova Apartment Homes 677 Seventh Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA | $2,067 | $2,291 | $3.29/ft² | 4.3 (72) | 15 |
| 7 | 4th+J 372 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA | $2,099 | $2,680 | $4.41/ft² | 4.3 (77) | 39 |
Rent & Price History by Building
Compare apartment listings by price, bedrooms, and neighborhood.
J Street Flats
4.2 (108)222 J St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Vera Cortez Hill
4.1 (221)1399 Ninth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Meadowbrook Apartments
3.5 (218)7506 Woodridge Way, San Diego, CA 92114, USA
900 F Street Apartments
3.9 (117)900 F St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
The Rey Apartments
4.3 (239)801 A St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Nova Apartment Homes
4.3 (72)677 Seventh Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
By Area
San Diego, CA neighborhoods
Tracked buildings across 7 named neighborhoods. Pick one to see its apartments.
San Diego, CA Average Rent Prices 2026
The average rent in San Diego, CA is $3,489 per month, based on 453 units across 34 apartment communities. Prices range from $1,500 at J Street Flats to $17,840 at Simone Little Italy.
Average Rent by Bedroom Type
| Type | Avg Rent | Starting From | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,497/mo | $1,500/mo | 109 |
| 1 Bed | $3,066/mo | $2,214/mo | 163 |
| 2 Bed | $4,235/mo | $2,678/mo | 157 |
| 3 Bed | $5,982/mo | $3,717/mo | 24 |
Every price is a real asking rent, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.
Building Economics
How much do San Diego, CA apartments earn?
The 9 buildings we can estimate generate about $9.0M in rental revenue per month ($108M a year). Estimated from each building's unit-level listing and leasing activity.
| Building | Est. Monthly Revenue | Asking / Leased | Est. Occupancy | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.West SD Apartments | $1.9M/mo | $5,600 / $4,659 | 94% | 432 |
| 2.Vantage Pointe Apartments | $1.7M/mo | $3,041 / $2,795 | 92% | 678 |
| 3.The Merian | $1.3M/mo | $3,621 / $3,401 | 89% | 426 |
| 4.800 Broadway | $1.2M/mo | $4,388 / $3,316 | 91% | 389 |
| 5.Modera San Diego | $1.0M/mo | $3,068 / $2,870 | 97% | 368 |
| 4 more estimated buildings | $1.9M/mo |
Research estimates from listing activity, not operator financials. Asking is the average listed rent; leased is the average rent at which units left the market. Click any building for the full revenue breakdown and methodology.
Market Context
Who rents in San Diego, CA, and what they pay
Tracked one-bedroom rent in San Diego, CA averages $3,066/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $4,235/mo. At the local median household income of $104,321, that works out to 40% of gross income, above the 30 percent affordability ceiling, a stretched-budget market.
The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in San Diego, CA at $2,223/mo. The current tracked market average runs 57% higher than that benchmark, reflecting both two to three years of rent growth and the fact that the Census figure covers all renter-occupied housing in San Diego, CA while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.
Who employs renters in San Diego
Demand in the San Diego rental market is shaped by the metro's largest private and public employers. The following organizations anchor local hiring and influence what renters can pay:
- Qualcomm
- Naval Base San Diego
- General Atomics
- UC San Diego
- Sempra Energy
- Illumina
Mean one-way commute in San Diego, CA is 24 minutes, per the Census ACS, useful context when weighing which properties sit inside reasonable reach of these employers.
What salary do I need to live comfortably in San Diego, 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
$140,000/year
Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $3,489/mo.
Comfortable income
$167,000/year
Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.
To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($1,500/mo), you need to earn at least $60,000/year.
Median household income in San Diego, CA is $104,321 , about 38% below the comfortable-living threshold.
Cost of living in San Diego, CA
Overall prices in San Diego, 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 Diego, CA's regional price parities.
| Category | Monthly estimate |
|---|---|
| Rent (market average) | $3,489 |
| Utilities | $799 |
| Groceries | $552 |
| Transportation | $1,904 |
| Healthcare | $929 |
| Other goods and services | $1,486 |
| Estimated total | $9,159/mo |
Population
1,385,061
Median household income
$104,321
Census median rent
$2,223/mo
Census rent burden
32.2%
Median age
36.0
Mean commute
24 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.
Compare
Nearby cities in California
How San Diego, CA rent compares to other markets in the state.
| City | Avg Rent | vs San Diego, CA | 30-Day Change | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | $3,393 | -3% | +4.2% | 50 |
| Anaheim, CA | $2,855 | -18% | +1.5% | 33 |
| Riverside, CA | $2,496 | -28% | +2.4% | 25 |
| Antioch, CA | $2,356 | -32% | 0% | 23 |
| Sacramento, CA | $2,180 | -38% | +2.8% | 23 |
| EL Cajon, CA | $2,422 | -31% | +5.1% | 22 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average rent in San Diego, CA?
The average rent in San Diego, CA is $3,489 per month, based on 453 units across 34 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are refreshed daily.
What is the median rent in San Diego, CA?
The median asking rent in San Diego, CA is $3,027 per month, computed from 453 live listed units and refreshed daily. The average is $3,489/mo; the median resists skew from luxury listings.
What is the cheapest apartment rent in San Diego, CA?
The lowest available rent in San Diego, CA starts at $1,500 per month. Availability changes daily and prices are refreshed each morning.
How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in San Diego, CA?
1-bedroom apartments in San Diego, CA average $3,066/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $2,214/mo across 163 units tracked.
How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in San Diego, CA?
2-bedroom apartments in San Diego, CA average $4,235/mo. Units start from $2,678/mo across 157 units currently listed.
Rent Trends in San Diego, CA
Track how apartment prices are changing over time.
Missing your neighborhood?
Tell us where you're looking. We'll start tracking prices within 24 hours.
Get Started