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Apartments in Santa Cruz

61 - 66 of 66 Results
10
$3,795
30th Ave Townhomes
875 30Th Ave Santa Cruz, CA
2 BR | Ask for Availability
Contact
Dog Friendly
Cat Friendly
Townhome
Covered Parking
In Unit Laundry
12
$2,510 - 2,805
San Lorenzo Court Apartments
120 San Lorenzo Blvd Santa Cruz, CA
Studio - 1 BR | Available Now
Contact
Dog Friendly
Cat Friendly
Covered Parking
Balcony/Deck/Patio
Dishwasher
16
$5,300
418 Pelton Ave
Santa Cruz, CA
3 BR | Available Now
Contact
House
Balcony/Deck/Patio
Storage
Dishwasher
Lighthouse
10
Call for Pricing
1010 Pacific Apartments
Deal
1010 Pacific Ave Santa Cruz, CA
1 - 3 BR | Ask for Availability
Contact
Dog Friendly
Cat Friendly
Luxury
Income Restricted
Section 8
1
$3,750
Indoor - Outdoor Living At It's Best!
3740 Gross Rd Santa Cruz, CA
2 BR | Available Now
Contact
House
Dishwasher
1
$1,834
Near The Boardwalk, Beach And Downtown! Utilities Included!
311 Ocean St Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Ask for Availability
Contact
Beach Flats
61 - 66 of 66 Results
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How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Santa Cruz?

Santa Cruz Apartments
Bed Type Average Rent Range
Studio $2,510 $1,750 - $3,800
1BR $2,860 $2,000 - $4,140
2BR $3,700 $2,670 - $4,590
3BR $4,950 $4,250 - $7,500
4+BR $7,720 $4,200 - $9,400
Frequently Asked Questions

How many apartments are available in Santa Cruz, CA on Rentable.co?

Rentable.co has over 1,856 apartments available in Santa Cruz.

What is the average rent for a studio apartment in Santa Cruz, CA?

The average rent for a studio apartment in Santa Cruz is around $2,510 per month.

What is the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Santa Cruz, CA?

The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Santa Cruz is around $2,860 per month.

What is the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Santa Cruz, CA?

The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Santa Cruz is around $3,700 per month.

How expensive is it to rent an apartment in Santa Cruz, CA?

For a two-bedroom apartment in Santa Cruz, the average rent price is $3,700 per month, which is higher than the national average of $1,640 per month.

Can I afford an apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA?

Based on average rent prices in Santa Cruz, to afford a studio apartment you would need an annual household income of $100,000 to live comfortably.

Find a Santa Cruz Apartment

With only 60,000 people, Santa Cruz is a small city by California standards. It is a well-known liberal city, and is a popular haven for those who prefer to live what other communities might dub alternative lifestyles. The most important local educational institution is the University of California, Santa Cruz. This school has an annual enrolment that approaches 18,000 students.

Santa Cruz enjoys some of the most phenomenal weather in the country. It enjoys year round moderate temperatures, with the rainy season coming during the winter months. Miles of beautiful coastline and the nearby redwood forests make Santa Cruz rich with natural beauty, something that the locals make a point of enjoying at every opportunity.

When to Search

Santa Cruz doesn't really have a bad time to apply for apartments. There are also enough rental apartments to go around at any given time. A good suggestion is to just give yourself between six and eight weeks no matter what time of the year you decide to apply at. This should give you ample time to find an apartment.

Staying in the Know

Santa Cruz landlords are used to dealing with high-income earners that work for the numerous tech companies in the area. Asking for a credit check and proof of employment or income is something that you may have to contend with. If you're unable to meet the rental requirements on your own, ask if you can apply with a consignor on the lease, or if you can apply collectively with roommates for an apartment.

Life in Santa Cruz

Transportation

The Santa Cruz Metro public transportation service is actually one of the better in California. It provides excellent connections between the University and downtown. Cycling is also very popular, however the mountains in the area can pose a pretty serious cycling challenge to those who aren't physically fit.

Where to play

The Beach Boardwalk is a popular Santa Cruz hangout. You can get out on the Boardwalk for free, and the rides are a few dollars apiece. Watersports like surfing, sailing and kayaking are very popular, and the local mountains provide a very popular playground for mountain bikers. Pacific Avenue is the place to go for nightlife, where you can find both upscale bars and lowly pubs.

Neighborhoods

Arana Gulch
Bananna Belt
Beach Flats
Circles
East Park
Escolona
Harvey West
Lighthouse
Lower Ocean
Market Street
Meder
Natural Bridges
Neary Lagoon
Nobel
Ocean Street
Prospect Heights
River Street
Seabright
Spring Street
UCSC

Search Cities Near Santa Cruz, CA

Capitola, CA
Scotts Valley, CA
Aptos, CA
Felton Lompico, CA
La Selva Beach, CA
Boulder Creek, CA
Watsonville, CA
Los Gatos, CA
Monte Sereno, CA
Saratoga, CA
Campbell, CA
Morgan Hill, CA
Marina, CA
Cupertino, CA

Campuses Nearby

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz:
June Rent Report

Welcome to the June 2025 Santa Cruz Apartment Report. In this assessment of the local rental market, data scientists and rental experts break down the June 2025 key findings and figures for the Santa Cruz rental landscape.

Our experts analyze the pricing trends — one-bedroom, two-bedroom, year-over-year and month-over-month — in Santa Cruz and surrounding areas and provide comparisons to the entire metro area, nearby cities and some of the most desirable and expensive cities in the United States. Take a look at the last 12 months of Santa Cruz average rent prices in the chart below.

Monthly Rent Report

$3,700
$2,780
$1,850
$930
$0
Jul. 2024
Aug. 2024
Sep. 2024
Oct. 2024
Nov. 2024
Dec. 2024
Jan. 2025
Feb. 2025
Mar. 2025
Apr. 2025
May. 2025
Jun. 2025
1 BR       2 BR

Santa Cruz Rent Prices Increase From May to June

Santa Cruz rent prices increased over the last month. From May to June, the city experienced a 1.03% increase for the price of a one-bedroom apartment. The rent price for a Santa Cruz one-bedroom apartments currently stands at $2,550.0.

When we take a look at the two-bedroom comparison from May to June, Santa Cruz experienced a 1.31% increase for the price of a two-bedroom apartment. The rent price for a Santa Cruz two-bedroom apartments currently stands at $3,643.0.

June Prices: Santa Cruz vs. Surrounding Areas

Capitola, CA
Santa Cruz, CA
Watsonville, CA
$2,552
$2,524
$2,190
$0
$850
$1,700
$2,550
$3,400
Median 1 BR Rent

Rent Prices in Santa Cruz and Surrounding Areas

Rent prices have increased in Santa Cruz over the last month. But how have the surrounding areas fared when it comes to the recent volatility in apartment prices? Rent prices in 2 of the Santa Cruz suburbs increased last month. On the other hand, 0 local areas experienced a decrease in the price of a one-bedroom apartment.

More key findings include:

  • Rent increased in Capitola, CA, Watsonville, CA .

  • Rents did not decrease in any of the Santa Cruz suburbs.

  • 1 suburb is currently priced higher than the city of Santa Cruz.

  • 1 suburb is currently priced lower than the city of Santa Cruz.

June 2025 Pricing Trends: Santa Cruz vs. National Comparisons

New York, NY
San Francisco, CA
Santa Cruz, CA
Washington, DC
Los Angeles, CA
Chicago, IL
Columbus, OH
Pittsburgh, PA
Minneapolis, MN
$4,101
$3,197
$2,524
$2,350
$2,316
$1,870
$1,341
$1,263
$1,247
$0
$1,350
$2,700
$4,050
$5,400
Median Rent

Santa Cruz Rent Prices More Affordable Than Major Cities

Rent growth in Santa Cruz over the past year has been on the rise. When compared to major cities nearby, along with some of the most expensive cities in the country, Santa Cruz average rent prices appear to be relatively affordable for local residents.

The price for a Santa Cruz one-bedroom apartment remains vastly more affordable than four of the largest cities in the United States — New York City, Washington, D.C. San Francisco and Los Angeles. And pricing compares quite similarly to nearby Midwest cities.

For more information about Santa Cruz and surrounding area rent prices, take a look at the complete data set below.

Data set for Santa Cruz and suburbs

1 BR June 1 BR M/M % Change 2 BR June 2 BR M/M % Change
Santa Cruz, CA $2,524.0 0.08% $3,596.0 0.62%
Capitola, CA $2,552.0 2.28% $3,174.0 0.38%
Watsonville, CA $2,190.0 1.34% $2,979.0 1.99%

Methodology

Each month, using over 1 million listings across the United States, we calculate the median 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom rent prices by city, state, and nation, and track the month-over-month percent change. To avoid small sample sizes, we restrict the analysis for our reports to cities meeting minimum population and property count thresholds.

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