Rents are 9% below what San Diego's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $3,004 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in San Diego usually run 0.7% below trend in January and 0.8% above it in August, about $45 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in San Diego is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in San Diego changed +2.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in San Diego rose 37.9% while median household income rose 35.7% ($79,673 to $108,077). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in San Diego is 40.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($108,077) is $2,702 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($2,565); a 2-bedroom is $3,174.
The priciest of 33 ZIP codes in San Diego, 92014 ($6,055/mo), costs 2.7 times the cheapest, 92113 ($2,216/mo).
National City, 5 miles away, rents for 19% less ($2,426/mo), about $6,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for San Diego. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
San Diego, CA is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income above the national average, 51% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How San Diego, CA has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in San Diego, CA paid around $2,243 a month. That figure now sits near $3,004, up 33.9% from the 2021 baseline. Median household income climbed from $89,457 to $108,077 between 2021 and 2024, a 20.8% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 47.6% to 51% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in San Diego, CA reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
Discussions about San Diego
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in San Diego on your salary?
At $3,004/mo, how San Diego rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
San Diego rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in San Diego. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in San Diego
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in San Diego is $3,004/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,363/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,174/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,565/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $4,244/mo.
At 33% of local median household income ($108,077/yr), San Diego ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in San Diego?
Is rent going up or down in San Diego?
When is the cheapest time to rent in San Diego?
Has rent outpaced income in San Diego?
Which San Diego neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does San Diego rent compare to other cities in California?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than San Diego?
At $3,004/mo, rent takes ~33% of San Diego's median household income ($108,077/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for San Diego.
No discussions yet.