City Description
Weather, beaches, entertainment and food – San Diego has it all! As per the recent 2020 census, this lively city was the eighth most populous city in the whole of the United States, and home to a population of almost 1.4 million residents.
Some notable landmarks in San Diego include:
- Balboa Park
- San Diego Museum of Art
- San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park
- Seaport Village
- Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
- San Diego Bay and San Diego Harbor
Overall Average and Median Rent in San Diego
The overall average rent per month in San Diego ranges from $2,105 to $3,439. The overall median rent per month in San Diego ranges from $2,345 to $3,200. These values are based on all property types, from studios up to 4 and more bedroom properties. See below for a summary of overall rental prices per month from each data source we have referred to, for the month of January 2023.
| Source | Average Rent | Median Rent |
| apartments.com | $2,105 | – |
| redfin.com (Jun 2022 data) | $3,439 | – |
| zillow.com | – | $3,200 |
| apartmentlist.com | – | $2,345 |
| renthop.com | – | $2,850 |
Studio Average and Median Rent in San Diego
The average rent for a studio per month in San Diego ranges from $1,590 to $1,910. The median rent for a studio per month in San Diego ranges from $1,807 to $2,095. These values are based on a studio property, which is a self-contained space without separate rooms, except for the bathroom. There is no separate bedroom but usually there is an attached kitchenette. See below for a summary of studio rental prices per month from each data source we have referred to, for the month of January 2023.
| Source | Average Rent | Median Rent |
| apartments.com | $1,590 | – |
| rentable.co | $1,910 | – |
| zillow.com | – | $2,095 |
| zumper.com | – | $1,807 |
| renthop.com | – | $1,850 |
1 Bedroom Average and Median Rent in San Diego
The average rent for a 1 bedroom property per month in San Diego ranges from $2,480 to $2,648. The median rent for a 1 bedroom property per month in San Diego ranges from $1,928 to $2,495. These values are based on all 1 bedroom property types. These can include 1 bedroom apartments, condos, townhouses and houses. 1 bedroom properties have a separate bedroom, unlike studio apartments. See below for a summary of 1 bedroom rental prices per month from each data source we have referred to, for the month of January 2023.
| Source | Average Rent | Median Rent |
| apartments.com | $2,648 | – |
| rentable.co | $2,480 | – |
| zillow.com | – | $2,495 |
| apartmentlist.com | – | $1,928 |
| zumper.com | – | $2,295 |
| renthop.com | – | $2,295 |
2 Bedroom Average and Median Rent in San Diego
The average rent for a 2 bedroom property per month in San Diego ranges from $2,940 to $3,283. The median rent for a 2 bedroom property per month in San Diego ranges from $2,486 to $3,250. These values are based on all 2 bedroom property types. These can include 2 bedroom apartments, condos, townhouses and houses. See below for a summary of 2 bedroom rental prices per month from each data source we have referred to, for the month of January 2023.
| Source | Average Rent | Median Rent |
| apartments.com | $3,283 | – |
| rentable.co | $2,940 | – |
| zillow.com | – | $3,250 |
| apartmentlist.com | – | $2,486 |
| zumper.com | – | $2,995 |
| renthop.com | – | $3,000 |
3 Bedroom Average and Median Rent in San Diego
The average rent for a 3 bedroom property per month in San Diego ranges from $3,760 to $4,311. The median rent for a 3 bedroom property per month in San Diego ranges from $3,900 to $4,000. These values are based on all 3 bedroom property types. These can include 3 bedroom apartments, condos, townhouses and houses. See below for a summary of 3 bedroom rental prices per month from each data source we have referred to, for the month of January 2023.
| Source | Average Rent | Median Rent |
| apartments.com | $4,311 | – |
| rentable.co | $3,760 | – |
| zillow.com | – | $4,000 |
| zumper.com | – | $3,909 |
| renthop.com | – | $3,900 |
4 or More Bedroom Average and Median Rent in San Diego
The average rent for a 4 or more bedroom property per month in San Diego is approximately $5,280. The median rent for a 4 or more bedroom property per month in San Diego ranges from $4,955 to $7,040. These values are based on all 4 or more bedroom property types. These can include 4 or more bedroom apartments, condos, townhouses and houses. See below for a summary of 4 or more bedroom rental prices per month from each data source we have referred to, for the month of January 2023.
| Source | Average Rent | Median Rent |
| rentable.co | $5,280 | – |
| zillow.com | – | $7,040 |
| zumper.com | – | $4,955 |
| renthop.com | – | $5,625 |
Most Expensive Neighborhoods to Rent in San Diego
San Diego consists of 9 city council districts and 52 Community Planning Areas, with many of the planning areas made up of several neighborhoods. According to renthop.com, the below are the top 5 most expensive neighborhoods to rent in San Diego.
- Pacific Beach
- East Village
- Hillcrest
- North Park
- Imperial Beach
Cheapest Neighborhoods to Rent in San Diego
Price is an important consideration when choosing a place to rent – however you should always take into account factors like access to shops, restaurants and recreation; neighborhood safety; and ease of transport. Below are some of the cheapest neighborhoods to rent in San Diego, based on monthly rental prices. A 2 bedroom property from this list below can start from only $1,631 per month, which is almost half of the $2,940 to $3,283, for the same type of property, across the whole of San Diego.
- Paradise Hills
- Southeastern San Diego
- College East
- San Carlos
- Birdland
Rental Trends in San Diego
According to redfin.com’s Data Center, their average monthly rent estimate, for all of San Diego, was $2,676 in February of 2021. This significantly increased to $3,439 for June of 2022. That’s almost a one third, or 29% increase in a 16 month period.
Is it Cheaper to Buy or Rent in San Diego?
While this is a difficult question to answer, if we look purely at the average monthly mortgage payment, based on a down payment of 5%, the previous chart suggests that it is much cheaper to rent by almost $1,200. However, you must keep in mind that these are average values, and can be drastically different depending on the specific property you are living in or buying.
Average vs Median Rent
The average value is generally calculated by summing all available values and dividing it by the total number of values. The median value is usually obtained by ordering all values in ascending order and taking the exact middle position’s value (so that half of the values are higher and half are lower). This is why average and median values can be different.
Furthermore, average and median rental prices will vary depending on where the data is taken from. Some of the sources are based on the total collection of their own rental listings, while others are based on estimates and predictions using their own in-house methodologies and/or US Census data. Rental figures were obtained at the time of writing this article and are always changing.