Ask anyone. Paying Rent in San Diego is a Nightmare.
It's no surprise that renting a single-family home or apartment in San Diego can be a challenge. The prices in San Diego are rising faster and higher than most cities in the United States.
Rent is up around 5.5% from 2017 according to RentCafe.com and Trulia with a majority of the increases in the North County area, including Oceanside, Escondido, San Marcos, and Vista. Some residents are getting 30-day rent increase notices on their doors, usually in $100 increments.
On average, a one-bedroom home in San Diego can run around $1500, 2-bedroom around $1900. Compare those prices to those in Phoenix, Arizona where a 2 bedroom can run around $1000.
In the East County, Borrego Springs, went up 12 percent to a median $2,100. Median rent in Mission Valley can cost around $2000. Imperial Beach runs around $2400. La Mesa and Clairemont around $2700.
Some places in San Diego did see a slight drop, primarily in higher-priced coastal areas like Encinitas and Rancho Santa Fe. But, even with those "discounts," it's still out of budget for most San Diegans.
The most affordable city in San Diego to rent was El Cajon where 2-bedroom homes go for around $1600 and 1-bedroom at $1200. Even with the more "affordable" prices, rental occupancy went up over 6% in 2017.
Many citizens flocked to the North, East, and South San Diego Counties because of better rent rates in comparison to the rest of the County. Sure, they usually drove farther to get to work, but they were saving $$$ on rent.
There's a rule we learned in school during economics class: short supply and higher demand come higher prices. This is now forcing many renters to look elsewhere in San Diego. Some are leaving the city, others are moving in with relatives or roommates.
Is there a solution to the housing crisis in San Diego?
We need more units built! As long as the supply is low and the demand is high, we'll keep seeing the rates increase.
Some San Diegans are crossing the border to Tijuana, Mexico to take advantage of the (much) lower rental costs, around $500 for a studio apartment equipped with 24-hour security, swimming pools, lower cost food in the area, and sometimes an ocean view.
Most American-Tijuana residents usually opt to get the Sentri Pass which allows them to cross the border quicker and get to work in San Diego in under an hour. The city of Tijuana is experiencing a resurgence in their economy thanks to the recent influx of San Diegans.