Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in San Diego, CA
The average asking rent in San Diego, CA is $2,951/month as of 2026-05. That is +1.6% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$2,951/mo
as of 2026-05
Year-over-Year Change
+1.6%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for San Diego, CA.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-05 | $2,951 | +0.44% |
| 2026-04 | $2,938 | +0.34% |
| 2026-03 | $2,928 | +0.41% |
| 2026-02 | $2,916 | +0.48% |
| 2026-01 | $2,902 | +0.10% |
| 2025-12 | $2,899 | -0.28% |
| 2025-11 | $2,907 | -0.51% |
| 2025-10 | $2,922 | -0.14% |
| 2025-09 | $2,926 | -0.03% |
| 2025-08 | $2,927 | +0.24% |
| 2025-07 | $2,920 | +0.17% |
| 2025-06 | $2,915 | +0.34% |
| 2025-05 | $2,905 | +0.31% |
| 2025-04 | $2,896 | +0.35% |
| 2025-03 | $2,886 | +0.52% |
| 2025-02 | $2,871 | +0.28% |
| 2025-01 | $2,863 | +0.07% |
| 2024-12 | $2,861 | -0.24% |
| 2024-11 | $2,868 | -0.10% |
| 2024-10 | $2,871 | -0.10% |
| 2024-09 | $2,874 | -0.03% |
| 2024-08 | $2,875 | +0.10% |
| 2024-07 | $2,872 | +0.35% |
| 2024-06 | $2,862 | — |
Why Rent Inflation Matters
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
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Data Source
Rent data uses the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a smoothed measure of typical market-rate asking rents updated monthly by Zillow Research. ZORI covers single-family homes, condos, and co-ops and reflects asking rents for new leases — making it a more timely indicator than the lagged BLS shelter index. zillow.com/research | Money & Prices