San Diego Apartment Rents Flatten in 2026: Where Prices Are Rising and Falling

Apartment rents in San Diego have started to level off in early 2026 after declining through much of 2025. According to recent market data through February 2026, the average asking rent across San Diego County is about $2,540 per month, which is slightly down year over year. While asking rents appear relatively stable, many landlords are offering concessions such as one month free rent, which means effective rents are often lower than advertised prices.

Different parts of San Diego are seeing different rent trends. Central coastal neighborhoods such as Point Loma, Pacific Beach, and Ocean Beach recorded the strongest rent growth, rising about 0.7% month over month. North County coastal markets including Del Mar and Encinitas also saw rents increase about 0.4%, reaching an average of roughly $3,525 per month. Inland North County markets like Oceanside, Carlsbad, and Vista posted smaller gains of about 0.3%.

Other areas of San Diego are seeing rents soften. Downtown San Diego rents fell about 0.2% month over month and remain roughly $100 below their 2023 peak. East County rents also declined about 0.2%, partly due to new apartment supply entering the market. In Chula Vista, rents dropped about 0.2% as well, following a surge of new construction in 2025 that added roughly 1,400 new units.

Even though rents have flattened in some areas, demand for housing in San Diego remains strong. Nearly 40% of apartment properties are offering concessions to attract tenants, and many operators expect these incentives to continue throughout 2026 as new supply enters the market. Long term, the region still faces a housing shortage, which continues to support apartment demand across San Diego.