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Average Rent in Santa Monica, CA

12 apartment buildings, 103 units. Daily asking prices with rent history for every building.

Avg Rent

$4,012/mo

median $3,746

+4% vs last month

Cheapest

$1,557/mo

Porter Mar Vista

Properties

12

tracked daily

Units

103

available now

Santa Monica, CA Resident Access

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Analysis

Rent Price Breakdown

Compare pricing across all 12 properties in Santa Monica, CA.

Timeframe

Average rent trend, last 2 months

All bedroom types, citywide. Choose a window above to scope the view.

$4,117
Average rent today
Average rent trend in Santa Monica, CA $3,900$4,033$4,167$4,300 Jul 23Aug 6Aug 20Sep 3Sep 17

Full Santa Monica, CA price history

Average Rent by Property

Starting Price vs Average

Rent by Bedroom Count

Price per Square Foot

Santa Monica, CA Rent Prices

All 12 properties ranked by lowest available rent.

Rent & Price History by Building

By Area

Santa Monica, CA neighborhoods

Tracked buildings across 8 named neighborhoods. Pick one to see its apartments.

Compare neighborhood rents on the Santa Monica, CA rent map

Santa Monica, CA Average Rent Prices 2026

The average rent in Santa Monica, CA is $4,012 per month, based on 103 units across 12 apartment communities. Prices range from $1,557 at Porter Mar Vista to $7,655 at Residences at West Edge.

Average Rent by Bedroom Type

Type Avg Rent Starting From Units
Studio $3,273/mo $1,968/mo 23
1 Bed $3,822/mo $3,211/mo 42
2 Bed $4,869/mo $2,895/mo 28
3 Bed $5,205/mo $1,777/mo 7
4 Bed $1,566/mo $1,557/mo 3

Every price is a real asking rent, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.

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Market Context

Who rents in Santa Monica, CA, and what they pay

Tracked one-bedroom rent in Santa Monica, CA averages $3,822/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $4,869/mo. At the local median household income of $109,739, that works out to 44% of gross income, a severely rent-burdened market by HUD standards.

The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in Santa Monica, CA at $2,338/mo. The current tracked market average runs 72% 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 Santa Monica, CA while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.

What salary do I need to live comfortably in Santa Monica, 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

$160,000/year

Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $4,012/mo.

Comfortable income

$193,000/year

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

To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($1,557/mo), you need to earn at least $62,000/year.

Median household income in Santa Monica, CA is $109,739 , about 43% below the comfortable-living threshold.

Cost of living in Santa Monica, CA

Overall prices in Santa Monica, CA runs above the national average by about 15% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 114.7, 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 Santa Monica, CA's regional price parities.

Category Monthly estimate
Rent (market average) $4,012
Utilities $744
Groceries $578
Transportation $1,773
Healthcare $865
Other goods and services $1,384
Estimated total $9,356/mo

Population

91,535

Median household income

$109,739

Census median rent

$2,338/mo

Census rent burden

28.3%

Median age

42.9

Mean commute

26 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.

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Nearby cities in California

How Santa Monica, CA rent compares to other markets in the state.

City Avg Rent vs Santa Monica, CA 30-Day Change Properties
Los Angeles, CA $3,096 -23% -1.3% 51
San Diego, CA $3,422 -15% -3% 34
Anaheim, CA $2,870 -28% -0.4% 33
Riverside, CA $2,526 -37% +1.4% 26
Sacramento, CA $2,268 -43% 0% 24
Antioch, CA $2,352 -41% +1% 22

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Santa Monica, CA?

The average rent in Santa Monica, CA is $4,012 per month, based on 103 units across 12 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are refreshed daily.

What is the median rent in Santa Monica, CA?

The median asking rent in Santa Monica, CA is $3,746 per month, computed from 103 live listed units and refreshed daily. The average is $4,012/mo; the median resists skew from luxury listings.

What is the cheapest apartment rent in Santa Monica, CA?

The lowest available rent in Santa Monica, CA starts at $1,557 per month. Availability changes daily and prices are refreshed each morning.

How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Santa Monica, CA?

1-bedroom apartments in Santa Monica, CA average $3,822/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $3,211/mo across 42 units tracked.

How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Santa Monica, CA?

2-bedroom apartments in Santa Monica, CA average $4,869/mo. Units start from $2,895/mo across 28 units currently listed.

Rent Trends in Santa Monica, CA

Track how apartment prices are changing over time.

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