San Diego Rent Prices: You Won’t Believe How Much It Costs To Live There


San Diego’s rent prices will probably surprise you unless you live there. The draw to live there wears thin when you discover how much it costs just for the most basic apartment. Then, their SeaWorld resort doesn’t look so inviting.

Of course, SeaWorld has been under fire and losing business ever since the Blackfish documentary was released, exposing the deaths and animal cruelty behind the scenes. The film focused on the life of Tilikum, a killer whale which lived up to its species’ name and gave us a darker glimpse of the horrors of captive living for the sea mammals. While SeaWorld attempts to change their image and bring back audiences, the cost of living close enough not to make it a road trip isn’t helping.

Part of the problem with the San Diego rent prices is the same as most big cities. The ones known for tourism are some of the worst, and too often you end up needing a high-paying job just to keep a small apartment which might be falling apart around you.

It’s all about supply and demand. If more people want to live there, the cost is higher. Landlords do this partly because they know someone will pay. Orlando, Seattle, Chicago, and New York City are all among the most popular tourism spots, and the rent is high for all of them. In Seattle, for example, you will pay at least $1,000 a month for a functional one bedroom apartment. This is why many working in Seattle actually live in Tacoma, where the rent is lower and the bus system makes the commute easy.

According to a recent survey, the chances of getting a low-cost apartment in San Diego are very low. Rent prices average over $1,600 a month, and that’s about $100 less than a two-bedroom unit. A studio apartment will cost just over $1,200 a month, while a four-bedroom unit is over $2,700. Studios and four bedrooms are almost non-existent, and two-bedroom units are the most popular.

The worst part is that most of the apartments are taken. If you’re planning on moving there, you will want to find a responsible roommate to at least share the cost. The report by Market Pointe Realty Advisors lists the vacancy in San Diego at just over two percent. Some residents have said that it will save you more just to move somewhere else.

One market expert stated that there is a waiting list for apartments already, and if the San Diego rent prices don’t deter you, the chances of getting one quickly are next to none. By the time a resident is given their 30-day notice, another resident is already on their way in.

NBC News states that more people (around 9,300 more) moved out of San Diego than moved in between July 2014 and July 2015. The cost is expected to only get worse, as births outnumber deaths by nearly 200 percent. In 2011, the average San Diego rent prices were around $1100. By March of this year, those prices have climbed by nearly 50 percent.

Welcome Home to San Diego Real Estate representative Ryan Ponce is well aware of the problem. “In my experience we see people moving for self-employment, they’re running their own business out of their homes, but a lot of the jobs that are here aren’t necessarily keeping up with the cost of living.”

Linda Kermott has felt the sting of buying a home in San Diego with its rent prices and availability. “You don’t get much for your money. You pay a lot for pretty minimal, but what you get is the sunshine.”

If you’re planning to move to San Diego, you might want to make sure you earn enough, and that you have time to wait for a home to become available.

[Feature image via JDrewes / Wikimedia Commons]

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