Average Rent in San Marcos, CA
3 apartment buildings, 15 units. Real asking prices, refreshed daily.
Avg Rent
$2,877/mo
Cheapest
$2,217/mo
Properties
3
Units
15
Analysis
Rent Price Breakdown
Compare pricing across all 3 properties in San Marcos, CA.
Average Rent by Property
Starting Price vs Average
Rent by Bedroom Count
Price per Square Foot
San Marcos, CA Rent Prices
All 3 properties ranked by lowest available rent.
Overture San Marcos
852 Avenida Ricardo, San Marcos, CA 92069, USA
Barham Villas Apartments
570 E Barham Dr, San Marcos, CA 92078, USA
eaves San Marcos
823 Nordahl Rd, San Marcos, CA 92069, USA
| # | Property | From | Avg | $/sqft | Rating | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Overture San Marcos 852 Avenida Ricardo, San Marcos, CA 92069, USA | $2,217 | $2,289 | $3.59 | 4.1 (52) | 3 |
| 2 | Barham Villas Apartments 570 E Barham Dr, San Marcos, CA 92078, USA | $2,548 | $3,024 | $3.30 | 4.5 (107) | 12 |
| 3 | eaves San Marcos 823 Nordahl Rd, San Marcos, CA 92069, USA | -- | -- | -- | 4.6 (138) | 0 |
Explore Each Property
San Marcos, CA Average Rent Prices 2026
The average rent in San Marcos, CA is $2,877 per month, based on 15 units across 3 apartment communities. Prices range from $2,217 at Overture San Marcos to $2,548 at Barham Villas Apartments.
Average Rent by Bedroom Type
| Type | Avg Rent | Starting From | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Bed | $2,404/mo | $2,217/mo | 5 |
| 2 Bed | $2,941/mo | $2,841/mo | 6 |
| 3 Bed | $3,373/mo | $3,350/mo | 4 |
Every price comes directly from each property's leasing system, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.
Market Context
Who rents in San Marcos, CA, and what they pay
Tracked one-bedroom rent in San Marcos, CA averages $2,404/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $2,941/mo. At the local median household income of $105,286, that works out to 33% of gross income, above the 30 percent affordability ceiling, a stretched-budget market.
The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in San Marcos, CA at $2,191/mo. The current tracked market average runs 31% higher than that benchmark, reflecting both two to three years of rent growth and the fact that the Census figure covers all renter-occupied housing in San Marcos, CA while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.
What salary do I need to live comfortably in San Marcos, CA?
Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Minimum to afford average rent
$115,000/year
30 percent rule -- using our average rent of $2,877/mo.
Comfortable income
$138,000/year
25 percent rule -- leaves more room for savings, transport, and groceries.
To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($2,217/mo), you need to earn at least $89,000/year.
Median household income in San Marcos, CA is $105,286 , about 24% below the comfortable-living threshold.
Cost of living in San Marcos, CA
Overall prices in San Marcos, CA runs above the national average by about 11% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 110.7, where 100 equals the U.S. average). The breakdown below estimates monthly costs for a single adult, using national consumer-spending baselines from the Bureau of Labor Statistics scaled by San Marcos, CA's regional price parities.
| Category | Monthly estimate |
|---|---|
| Rent (market average) | $2,877 |
| Utilities | $799 |
| Groceries | $552 |
| Transportation | $1,904 |
| Healthcare | $929 |
| Other goods and services | $1,486 |
| Estimated total | $8,547/mo |
Population
94,078
Median household income
$105,286
Census median rent
$2,191/mo
Rent as % of income
36.0%
Median age
36.8
Mean commute
27 min
Methodology
Rent data
Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.
Cost of living
Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.
Salary to live comfortably
Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.
Demographic figures
Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.
Cost of living and demographic figures were last published in 2023.
Compare
Nearby cities in California
How San Marcos, CA rent compares to other markets in the state.
| City | Avg Rent | vs San Marcos, CA | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | $2,872 | 0% | 46 |
| San Diego, CA | $3,210 | +12% | 25 |
| Sacramento, CA | $2,284 | -21% | 25 |
| Riverside, CA | $2,536 | -12% | 25 |
| Anaheim, CA | $2,749 | -4% | 22 |
| Oakland, CA | $3,349 | +16% | 21 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the average rent in San Marcos, CA?
The average rent in San Marcos, CA is $2,877 per month, based on 15 units across 3 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are updated every morning through our proprietary data sourcing.
What is the cheapest apartment rent in San Marcos, CA?
The lowest available rent in San Marcos, CA starts at $2,217 per month. Availability changes daily as leasing data is refreshed each morning.
How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in San Marcos, CA?
1-bedroom apartments in San Marcos, CA average $2,404/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $2,217/mo across 5 units tracked.
How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in San Marcos, CA?
2-bedroom apartments in San Marcos, CA average $2,941/mo. Units start from $2,841/mo across 6 units currently listed.
Rent Trends in San Marcos, CA
Track how apartment prices are changing over time.
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