Rent by ZIP code in Santa Monica
| ZIP code | County | Typical rent | vs city median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90402 | Los Angeles County | $6,342 | +78% |
| 90401 | Los Angeles County | $3,765 | +6% |
| 90403 | Los Angeles County | $3,553 | 0% |
| 90404 | Los Angeles County | $3,383 | -5% |
| 90405 | Los Angeles County | $3,200 | -10% |
Rent by bedroom count in Santa Monica
Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Los Angeles County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for. Los Angeles County uses Small Area FMRs, and the two bedroom figure runs from $3,550 to $4,250 depending on the Santa Monica ZIP code.
| Unit size | FY2027 Fair Market Rent | Change from FY2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,151 | +3.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $2,402 | +3.2% |
| 2 bedroom | $2,964 | +2.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $3,760 | +2.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $4,208 | +2.7% |
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.
Is rent going up or down in Santa Monica?
Typical rent across Los Angeles County is $2,814 as of August 2026. That is up 1.3% from a year earlier and up 19.5% over five years.
| Year | Typical rent, Los Angeles County | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $2,456 | +10.8% |
| 2022 | $2,627 | +7.0% |
| 2023 | $2,670 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $2,735 | +2.4% |
| 2025 | $2,793 | +2.1% |
| 2026 (through August) | $2,814 | +0.7% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.
Santa Monica rent questions
- What is the average rent in Santa Monica, CA?
- Typical asking rent in Santa Monica is $3,553 a month as of July 2026, across 5 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $3,200 to $6,342.
- How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Santa Monica?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Los Angeles County is $2,964 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $2,402 and a three bedroom is $3,760. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
- Is rent going up or down in Santa Monica?
- Rent is rising. Typical rent in Los Angeles County is $2,814 as of August 2026, up 1.3% from a year earlier.
- What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Santa Monica?
- ZIP 90405 has the lowest typical asking rent in Santa Monica at $3,200 a month, compared with $3,553 for the city overall.
- How much income do you need to rent in Santa Monica?
- Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Santa Monica rent of $3,553, that is about $10,659 a month, or $127,908 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.
How to use these numbers
These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.
If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Santa Monica sits in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area.