Apartments in Santa Cruz

1 - 30 of 106 Results
26
3D Tour
Chestnut Street Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
Chestnut Street Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$2,803 - 4,592
143 Chestnut St Santa Cruz, CA
1 - 2 BR | Available Now
Contact
Dog Friendly
Cat Friendly
Virtual Tour
Luxury
Townhome
74
Hidden Creek Apartments Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
Hidden Creek Apartments Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$2,399 - 3,915
200 Button St Santa Cruz, CA
1 - 2 BR | Available Now
Contact
Dog Friendly
Cat Friendly
Covered Parking
Pool
Market Street
25
2-1163 E Cliff Dr Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
2-1163 E Cliff Dr Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$3,995
Santa Cruz, CA
2 BR | Available Now
Contact
Furnished
Dog Friendly
Cat Friendly
Balcony/Deck/Patio
Dishwasher
16
219 Alta Vista Dr Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
219 Alta Vista Dr Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$4,850
Santa Cruz, CA
3 BR | Available Now
Contact
Dog Friendly
Cat Friendly
House
Dishwasher
Escolona
4
157 Franklin St Unit 26 Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
157 Franklin St Unit 26 Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$2,250
Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Available Now
Contact
Balcony/Deck/Patio
Ocean Street
7
708 Riverside Ave Unit D Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
708 Riverside Ave Unit D Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$2,400
Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Available Now
Contact
Beach Flats
1
121 Sylvar St Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$2,400
Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Available Now
Contact
Dog Friendly
Cat Friendly
Storage
Lower Ocean
21
157 Franklin St Unit 43 Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
157 Franklin St Unit 43 Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$2,550
Santa Cruz, CA
2 BR | Available Now
Contact
Balcony/Deck/Patio
Ocean Street
11
316 Lincoln St Unit 11 Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
316 Lincoln St Unit 11 Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$2,250
Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Available Now
Contact
Lower Ocean
5
114-116 Maple St - 116 Maple St Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
114-116 Maple St - 116 Maple St Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$2,295
Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Available Now
Contact
Lower Ocean
11
1901 Portola Dr Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
1901 Portola Dr Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$2,595
Santa Cruz, CA
2 BR | Available Now
Contact
Cat Friendly
Storage
17
1200 Capitola RD Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
1200 Capitola RD Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$4,250
Santa Cruz, CA
2 BR | Available Now
Contact
Cat Friendly
House
13
Emerald Bay Apartments Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
Emerald Bay Apartments Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$3,381
2500 Soquel Dr Santa Cruz, CA
2 BR | Available Now
Contact
Dog Friendly
Cat Friendly
22
217 32nd Ave Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
217 32nd Ave Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$3,500
Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Mar. 1, 2025
Contact
House
Dishwasher
16
316 Lincoln St Unit 2 Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
316 Lincoln St Unit 2 Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$3,250
Santa Cruz, CA
2 BR | Mar. 15, 2025
Contact
Lower Ocean
15
727 Hanover St Unit B2 Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
727 Hanover St Unit B2 Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$4,500
Santa Cruz, CA
3 BR | Mar. 7, 2025
Contact
Dog Friendly
Cat Friendly
Balcony/Deck/Patio
Dishwasher
Seabright
1
114-116 Maple St Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$2,295
Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Available Now
Contact
Cat Friendly
Storage
Lower Ocean
1
610 Pacific Ave Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$2,000
Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Available Now
Contact
Cat Friendly
Disability Access
Beach Flats
21
Ride The Wave To Your Dream Rental! Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
Ride The Wave To Your Dream Rental! Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$3,400
4209 Portola Dr Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Ask for Availability
Contact
House
10
Enjoy The Heart Of Downtown Santa Cruz Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
Enjoy The Heart Of Downtown Santa Cruz Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$1,750
180 Dakota Ave Apt 57 Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Ask for Availability
Contact
House
In Unit Laundry
Dishwasher
Pool
Ocean Street
5
Amazing One Bedroom Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
Amazing One Bedroom Apartment for rent in Santa Cruz, CA
$1,800
138 Blaine St Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Ask for Availability
Contact
Air Conditioning
Dishwasher
Ocean Street
11
$2,150
Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Available Now
Contact
Cat Friendly
Dishwasher
Beach Flats
1
$4,495
1122 Seabright Ave Santa Cruz, CA
3 BR | Available Now
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Dog Friendly
Cat Friendly
House
Storage
Dishwasher
1
$8,500
3035 Calla Dr Santa Cruz, CA
3 BR | Available Now
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House
Storage
Disability Access
Dishwasher
10
$3,300
Santa Cruz, CA
2 BR | Available Now
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House
Storage
Dishwasher
9
$2,550
Santa Cruz, CA
2 BR | Available Now
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Lower Ocean
13
$2,250
Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Available Now
Contact
Lower Ocean
1
$2,900
212 Everson Dr Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Mar. 10, 2025
Contact
House
Balcony/Deck/Patio
Storage
Dishwasher
Pool
21
$2,800
42 Campbell St Santa Cruz, CA
2 BR | Ask for Availability
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Beach Flats
7
$2,000
Santa Cruz, CA
1 BR | Available Now
Contact
Cat Friendly
Beach Flats
1 - 30 of 106 Results
  1. Home
  2. Santa Cruz

How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Santa Cruz?

Santa Cruz Apartments
Bed Type Average Rent Range
Studio $2,400 $1,750 - $2,550
1BR $2,500 $1,750 - $3,250
2BR $3,510 $2,550 - $4,540
3BR $5,200 $3,080 - $8,670
4+BR $4,950 $4,600 - $6,990

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

Search Cities Near Santa Cruz, CA

Campuses Nearby

Santa Cruz:
February Rent Report

Welcome to the February 2025 Santa Cruz Apartment Report. In this assessment of the local rental market, Rentable data scientists and rental experts break down the February 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
Mar. 2024
Apr. 2024
May. 2024
Jun. 2024
Jul. 2024
Aug. 2024
Sep. 2024
Oct. 2024
Nov. 2024
Dec. 2024
Jan. 2025
Feb. 2025
1 BR       2 BR

Santa Cruz Rent Prices Decrease From January to February

Santa Cruz rent prices decreased over the last month. From January to February, the city experienced a -0.36% decrease for the price of a one-bedroom apartment. The rent price for a Santa Cruz one-bedroom apartments currently stands at $2,505.0.

When we take a look at the two-bedroom comparison from January to February, Santa Cruz experienced a 0.34% increase for the price of a two-bedroom apartment. The rent price for a Santa Cruz two-bedroom apartments currently stands at $3,516.0.

February Prices: Santa Cruz vs. Surrounding Areas

Capitola, CA
Santa Cruz, CA
Watsonville, CA
$2,574
$2,514
$2,141
$0
$850
$1,700
$2,550
$3,400
Median 1 BR Rent

Rent Prices in Santa Cruz and Surrounding Areas

Rent prices have decreased 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 0 of the Santa Cruz suburbs increased last month. On the other hand, 2 local areas experienced a decrease in the price of a one-bedroom apartment.

More key findings include:

  • Rents did not increase in any of the Santa Cruz suburbs

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

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

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

February 2025 Pricing Trends: Santa Cruz vs. National Comparisons

New York, NY
San Francisco, CA
Santa Cruz, CA
Los Angeles, CA
Washington, DC
Chicago, IL
Columbus, OH
Minneapolis, MN
Pittsburgh, PA
$4,052
$3,132
$2,514
$2,386
$2,333
$1,902
$1,262
$1,246
$1,207
$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 declining. 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 February 1 BR M/M % Change 2 BR February 2 BR M/M % Change
Santa Cruz, CA $2,514.0 -2.56% $3,504.0 -1.07%
Capitola, CA $2,574.0 -0.50% $3,112.0 0.91%
Watsonville, CA $2,141.0 -0.42% $2,968.0 -2.63%

Methodology

Each month, using over 1 million Rentable 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.