Studio Rent · October 2026

Studio Apartment Rent in Richmond, CA

$1,685/mo

Median asking rent for a studio apartment in Richmond, California as of October 2026. That's +34% lower than the citywide median of $2,538 and +31% above the national studio median of $1,290.

Studio median
$1,685
October 2026
vs city overall
-34%
$2,538 city median
vs national
+31%
$1,290 US median
California rank
#109
of 378 cities

Income needed for a studio in Richmond

Using the standard 30% rent-to-income guideline (the threshold above which households are considered rent-burdened), here's what you need to earn to comfortably afford a studio at the current median rent.

Annual income
$67,400
Monthly gross
$5,617
Hourly (full-time)
$32.40

Rent by apartment size in Richmond

Compare Richmond's median rent across every apartment size.

Studio (current)
$1,685
1-Bedroom
$1,950
2-Bedroom
$2,375
3-Bedroom
$3,050
4+ Bedroom
$3,613

Cheapest cities for a studio in California

#CityStudio rent
1Florin$738
2Taft$870
3Ridgecrest$887
4Lakeport$890
5El Centro$910
6Red Bluff$930
7California City$940
8Clearlake$950
9Paradise$970
10Eureka$980
11Oroville$985
12Fortuna$990
13Porterville$1,050
14Anderson$1,060
15Shafter$1,060

Most expensive cities for a studio in California

#CityStudio rent
1Montecito$3,570
2Scotts Valley$3,420
3Aptos$3,420
4Cupertino$3,410
5Coronado$3,190
6Ladera Ranch$3,140
7Los Altos$3,130
8Foster City$3,130
9Newport Beach$3,102
10Capitola$3,100
11Sunnyvale$3,010
12Santa Barbara$3,000
13Irvine$3,000
14Solana Beach$2,970
15Saratoga$2,910

Nearby cities — studio rent

Most nearby cities have similar or higher studio rents than Richmond.

CityDistanceStudio rentvs Richmond
San Pablo, CA0.9 mi$1,709+$24 (+1%)
El Cerrito, CA3.4 mi$1,910+$225 (+13%)
Pinole, CA4.7 mi$1,970+$285 (+17%)
Albany, CA5.2 mi$1,940+$255 (+15%)
Hercules, CA6.5 mi$2,490+$805 (+48%)
Berkeley, CA6.9 mi$1,913+$228 (+14%)
Emeryville, CA8.6 mi$2,070+$385 (+23%)
Tiburon, CA10.2 mi$2,890+$1,205 (+72%)
Orinda, CA11.6 mi$2,120+$435 (+26%)
Corte Madera, CA11.9 mi$2,770+$1,085 (+64%)
Alameda, CA13 mi$1,960+$275 (+16%)
Oakland, CA13.5 mi$1,792+$107 (+6%)

Studio rent in Richmond — common questions

How much is a studio apartment in Richmond?

As of October 2026, the median studio apartment rent in Richmond, California is $1,685 per month. This is +34% below the citywide median of $2,538.

What income do you need to afford a studio in Richmond?

Using the standard 30% rent-to-income rule, you would need an annual income of about $67,400 ($5,617/month gross), which works out to roughly $32.40/hour at a full-time job.

Is Richmond expensive for a studio compared to the rest of the US?

Richmond's studio median of $1,685 is +31% above the national studio median of $1,290. It ranks in the 75th percentile of US cities tracked.

How does Richmond rank for studio rent in California?

Among the 378 cities in California with studio data, Richmond ranks #109 from cheapest to most expensive.

Are there cheaper studio options near Richmond?

Most nearby cities have similar or higher studio rents than Richmond.

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Methodology: Bedroom-level rent medians come from HUD Fair Market Rent data calibrated to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for Richmond, which serves as the citywide anchor. When the HUD bedroom values exceed the ZORI city median (a common quirk in luxury markets and small samples), bedroom values are proportionally scaled down to align. Income required uses the standard 30% rent-to-income guideline. Comparison rankings use the same data month across all cities (October 2026) and exclude cities with median rent below $400 or above $20,000.