Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in San Diego, CA
The average asking rent in San Diego, CA is $3,008/month as of 2026-07. That is +1.8% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$3,008/mo
as of 2026-07
Year-over-Year Change
+1.8%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for San Diego, CA.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-07 | $3,008 | +0.30% |
| 2026-06 | $2,999 | +0.44% |
| 2026-05 | $2,986 | +0.40% |
| 2026-04 | $2,974 | +0.34% |
| 2026-03 | $2,964 | +0.41% |
| 2026-02 | $2,952 | +0.48% |
| 2026-01 | $2,938 | +0.10% |
| 2025-12 | $2,935 | -0.24% |
| 2025-11 | $2,942 | -0.44% |
| 2025-10 | $2,955 | -0.10% |
| 2025-09 | $2,958 | -0.03% |
| 2025-08 | $2,959 | +0.17% |
| 2025-07 | $2,954 | +0.14% |
| 2025-06 | $2,950 | +0.31% |
| 2025-05 | $2,941 | +0.31% |
| 2025-04 | $2,932 | +0.31% |
| 2025-03 | $2,923 | +0.52% |
| 2025-02 | $2,908 | +0.28% |
| 2025-01 | $2,900 | +0.10% |
| 2024-12 | $2,897 | -0.24% |
| 2024-11 | $2,904 | -0.10% |
| 2024-10 | $2,907 | -0.10% |
| 2024-09 | $2,910 | -0.03% |
| 2024-08 | $2,911 | — |
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.
Compare All Cities
Open Full Rent Tracker →Other Cities
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