Cheapest and most expensive places to rent in California
As of October 17, 2026, the cheapest city to rent in California is Bakersfield, where the median 1-bedroom asks $1,050/month, 47% below the statewide median of about $2,000. The most expensive is Malibu at $6,495/month.
Across the 138 California cities we rank, the median 1-bedroom runs from $1,050 in Bakersfield to $6,495 in Malibu, 6.2 times as much. 81 of 138 sit below the statewide 1-bedroom median of about $2,000. The largest rental market, Los Angeles (36,511 listings), has a median of $2,000, in line with the state.
Updated . Ranked by median 1-bedroom asking rent; only cities with at least 100 listings are included. Statewide median is estimated from city medians weighted by listing count. How we calculate
Cheapest cities to rent in California
| # | City | 1 bed | 2 beds | Listings | vs state (1BR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bakersfield | $1,050 | $1,395 | 2,367 | -47% |
| 2 | Merced | $1,100 | $1,387 | 638 | -45% |
| 3 | Eureka | $1,100 | $1,500 | 145 | -45% |
| 4 | Redding | $1,138 | $1,395 | 603 | -43% |
| 5 | Fresno | $1,150 | $1,450 | 2,638 | -42% |
| 6 | Arcata | $1,195 | $1,498 | 142 | -40% |
| 7 | Corona | $1,200 | $2,495 | 519 | -40% |
| 8 | Visalia | $1,212 | $1,500 | 492 | -39% |
| 9 | Chico | $1,235 | $1,450 | 803 | -38% |
| 10 | Hanford | $1,275 | $1,400 | 238 | -36% |
Most expensive cities to rent in California
| # | City | 1 bed | 2 beds | Listings | vs state (1BR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malibu | $6,495 | $6,500 | 351 | +225% |
| 2 | Del Mar | $6,000 | $6,000 | 154 | +200% |
| 3 | Coronado | $5,000 | $6,500 | 376 | +150% |
| 4 | San Francisco | $4,225 | $6,200 | 11,501 | +111% |
| 5 | Laguna Beach | $3,995 | $6,875 | 412 | +100% |
| 6 | La Jolla | $3,510 | $6,500 | 463 | +76% |
| 7 | Palo Alto | $3,495 | — | 520 | +75% |
| 8 | Santa Barbara | $3,000 | $4,330 | 851 | +50% |
| 9 | Beverly Hills | $2,999 | $4,595 | 1,233 | +50% |
| 10 | Mountain View | $2,995 | $3,995 | 793 | +50% |
Common questions
- What is the cheapest city to rent in California?
- As of October 17, 2026, Bakersfield has the lowest median 1-bedroom asking rent among the California cities we rank, at $1,050/month. Next are Merced ($1,100) and Eureka ($1,100).
- What is the most expensive city to rent in California?
- As of October 17, 2026, Malibu has the highest median 1-bedroom asking rent among the California cities we rank, at $6,495/month, 225% above the statewide median.
- What is the median rent for a 1-bedroom in California?
- As of October 17, 2026, the statewide median asking rent for a 1-bedroom is about $2,000/month. It is estimated from city medians weighted by listing count, using active listings on Redfin, Zillow and ApartmentHomeLiving. How we calculate