Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in San Diego, CA
The average asking rent in San Diego, CA is $2,994/month as of 2026-08. That is +2% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$2,994/mo
as of 2026-08
Year-over-Year Change
+2%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for San Diego, CA.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08 | $2,994 | +0.34% |
| 2026-07 | $2,984 | +0.27% |
| 2026-06 | $2,976 | +0.44% |
| 2026-05 | $2,963 | +0.37% |
| 2026-04 | $2,952 | +0.34% |
| 2026-03 | $2,942 | +0.41% |
| 2026-02 | $2,930 | +0.48% |
| 2026-01 | $2,916 | +0.14% |
| 2025-12 | $2,912 | -0.21% |
| 2025-11 | $2,918 | -0.41% |
| 2025-10 | $2,930 | -0.10% |
| 2025-09 | $2,933 | -0.10% |
| 2025-08 | $2,936 | +0.17% |
| 2025-07 | $2,931 | +0.14% |
| 2025-06 | $2,927 | +0.27% |
| 2025-05 | $2,919 | +0.31% |
| 2025-04 | $2,910 | +0.31% |
| 2025-03 | $2,901 | +0.52% |
| 2025-02 | $2,886 | +0.28% |
| 2025-01 | $2,878 | +0.10% |
| 2024-12 | $2,875 | -0.24% |
| 2024-11 | $2,882 | -0.10% |
| 2024-10 | $2,885 | -0.10% |
| 2024-09 | $2,888 | — |
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