Living here
Average rent in Carlsbad
What renters actually pay, by number of bedrooms, and how Carlsbad compares with California and the US.
Median rent
$2,678/mo
99% above US
1 bedroom
$2,204/mo
87% above US
2 bedrooms
$2,612/mo
95% above US
Renters paying 30%+ of income
57%
US 50%
Renter households
16,127
Rent by number of bedrooms
Median gross rent (contract rent plus utilities) for occupied rental units, by bedrooms. Income needed uses the 30% rule.
How Carlsbad compares
- Carlsbad$2,135
- California$1,531
- United States$1,185
- Carlsbad$2,204
- California$1,709
- United States$1,180
- Carlsbad$2,612
- California$2,014
- United States$1,338
- Carlsbad$3,265
- California$2,262
- United States$1,500
Two-bedroom rent in nearby cities
- Carlsbad$2,612
- Solana Beach$3,292
- Fallbrook$1,696
- San Diego$2,348
- Temecula$2,107
- La Mesa$2,105
- El Cajon$1,859
- Lemon Grove$1,846
- Coronado$3,294
- Carlsbad57%
- Solana Beach54%
- Fallbrook61%
- San Diego54%
- Temecula55%
- La Mesa62%
- El Cajon71%
- Lemon Grove63%
- Coronado59%
Nearby cities are other Local City Network guides in California, nearest first.
What rent can you afford?
At 30% of income you can spend about $2,612 a month.
- Studio $2,135
- 1 bedroom $2,204
- 2 bedrooms $2,612
- 3 bedrooms $3,265
- 4 bedrooms $3,501
- 5+ bedrooms $3,501
Green means the median Carlsbad rent for that size fits your budget. Landlords often ask for income of 2.5–3× the monthly rent.
How stretched are renters?
57% of Carlsbad renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent, and 29% spend half or more. The typical renter household puts 34.5% of its income toward rent (US: 50% and 25%).
Rent by zip code
Median gross rent for each ZIP Code Tabulation Area that overlaps Carlsbad.
HUD fair market rents
HUD’s 2027 fair market rents for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA are the payment benchmarks for housing vouchers (about the 40th percentile of recent movers’ rents), so they often differ from the medians above.
More on living in Carlsbad
Neighborhoods of Carlsbad
Questions
What is the average rent in Carlsbad?
The median gross rent (rent plus utilities) is $2,678 a month, 37% above the California median and 99% above the national median.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Carlsbad?
The median one-bedroom rents for $2,204 a month (US: $1,180).
How much is a two-bedroom in Carlsbad?
The median two-bedroom rents for $2,612 a month (US: $1,338).
How much do you need to make to rent in Carlsbad?
Using the common 30% rule, a median two-bedroom ($2,612) takes a household income of about $104,480 a year, and a one-bedroom about $88,160.
Is rent affordable in Carlsbad?
About 57% of Carlsbad renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent, and 29% spend at least half (US: 50% and 25%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (tables B25031, B25070 and B25071). Estimates have margins of error; figures are in 2023 dollars.