Rent vs buy in San Diego, CA
A 7-year breakeven using this ZIP's actual home-value and rent trends, not national averages. ZIP 92102 (San Diego County).
Renting wins in San Diego over 7 years by about $159,501 — buying only beats it if prices appreciate faster than projected.
7-year cost comparison
$380,811
Net cost over 7 years after equity
Equity built: $377,109
$221,310
Total rent paid over 7 years
No equity, no selling costs
Assumes 20% down, 6.75% rate, 3.0%/yr price growth and 4.5%/yr rent growth (this ZIP's 5-yr trend).
Price-to-rent ratio
26.9x
Favors renting — price is high relative to rent
Price-to-income
7.0x
Stretched (>5x — historically expensive vs local incomes)
5-yr price CAGR
3.0%
Annualized home-value growth
San Diego — rent vs buy questions
Is San Diego, CA a good rental market?
Tough for cash flow. At 26.9x, San Diego is appreciation-driven — most investors here bank on equity growth, not monthly rent spread.
What is the median home value in San Diego?
The typical home value in San Diego is about $743,045 (ZIP-level market index, cross-checked against the Census ACS county median updated by FHFA HPI), up 2.1% year-over-year, and up 16.2% over five years.
What is the median rent in San Diego?
The typical rent in San Diego is about $2,301/mo (ZIP-level market-rent index, cross-checked against HUD Small Area FMR), up 1.5% year-over-year.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in San Diego?
Over a 7-year horizon, renting is cheaper in San Diego by about $159,501 — buying only pays off if prices appreciate faster than projected.
Is San Diego affordable for homebuyers?
San Diego's median home value is 7.0x the local median household income — Stretched (>5x — historically expensive vs local incomes).
Data: FHFA HPI, Census ACS, HUD FMR, FBI CDE. For research only — verify before deciding.