Cheap Apartments for Rent in Oakland, CA from $500 (151 Rentals)

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San Francisco's Best Affordable Neighborhoods

Learn about San Francisco and the best places to live with original content written by our San Francisco, CA Local Expert Shannon Hilson

Oakland, CA Local Guide

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Local Guide Expert

Cheapest Neighborhoods for Apartments in Oakland, CA

Pricing Updated: 02/25/2025

Current apartment rentals in the Oakland, CA area range in price from $743 to $10,501 with an overall median price of $4,263. The three Oakland neighborhoods with the lowest median rent pricing are Castro Valley NE Outer Hayward at $1,031, Uptown Oakland at $815, and Lakeside at $825. Here is today’s list of the top 10 neighborhoods with the lowest median pricing for Oakland Apartments for rent:

NeighborhoodMedian PriceMin PriceAvailable Units
Castro Valley NE Outer Hayward$3,649$1,0315889
Uptown Oakland$3,740$81514054
Lakeside$3,759$82512487
East Oakland$3,824$74313997
Oakland Hills$3,925$74333346
Longfellow$3,940$1,40014878
Fruitvale$3,995$1,5251502
Jack London Square$3,999$8254518
Westlake$4,319$1,3957781
Chinatown$4,515$82519399

Cheapest Available Oakland Apartments for Rent

 

The cheapest available apartment rental in Oakland, CA is a Studio unit found at MacArthur Studio in the Mills College neighborhood priced from $743. Brookfield Place in the Arroyo Viejo neighborhood has the second lowest priced unit, which is a 1 Bed apartment currently listed from $767. Here is today’s list of the most affordable Oakland apartments for rent:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPriced From
MacArthur StudioStudio, 1 bathStudio,1BA$743
Brookfield Place1 Bed 1 Bath1BR,1BA$767
SHARED & PRIVATE Dorm Style Units Available1BR/1.0BA1BR,1BA$795
Claridge Hotel LLC.Studio / 1 BathroomStudio,1BA$815
Student | Identity Logan ParkSelect 143BR,3BA$849
2731 Durant Ave1BR/1.0BA1BR,1BA$895
Common MacArthurPrivate Bedroom in Shared 4 Bed 2 Bath - A4BR,2BA$903
Oakland Station Senior1 Bedroom 1 Bath1BR,1BA$995
Aquatic @ U0BR/1.0BAStudio,1BA$997
The BerkArch D14BR,1BA$999

Best Value Apartments for Rent in Oakland, CA

As of February 25, 2025 the best value apartment in the Oakland area is the $1.24 price per square foot Live/Work Model at 1080 Lofts in the in the Fruitvale Station neighborhood starting from $4,800. The second greatest value Oakland apartment is the 5312 Shattuck Ave Model at 5312 Shattuck Ave, Unit 5312 starting at $3,300 with a $1.65 price per square foot in the Shafter neighborhood. Here is today’s list of the best values for Oakland apartments based on price per square foot:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPrice Per Sq.Ft.
1080 LoftsLive/WorkStudio ,1BA$1.24
5312 Shattuck Ave, Unit 53125312 Shattuck Ave3BR,2BA$1.65
1465 1st Ave, Unit 1469A1465 1st Ave3BR,1BA$1.81
1043 45th St, Unit Half1043 45th St2BR,1BA$1.92
1780 Le Roy Ave, Unit 211780 Le Roy Ave1BR,2BA$1.49
Viewpoint1 Bed 1 Bath1BR,1BA$1.76
RUMI at KingShared 1B1B1BR,1BA$1.91
Brookfield Place1 Bed 1 Bath1BR,1BA$1.21
MacArthur StudioStudio, 1 bathStudio ,1BA$1.65
SHARED & PRIVATE Dorm Style Units Available1BR/1.0BA1BR,1BA$1.89

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Oakland Overview

There’s a lot that could be said to convince you that renting apartments in Oakland would be one of the best decisions of your life. Maybe you’d be interested in the fact that Oakland is a smart city, it’s one of the top cities when counting residents with bachelor’s degrees. Maybe you’d be intrigued by the fact that Oakland is known for its ethnic diversity, as well as its sustainability practices. Many more facts could be spewed at you, and they’d all add up to one thing—Oakland is an awesome, hip place to live.

Why live in Oakland, CA?

Oakland is a city like no other. It lies incredibly close to another major city, San Francisco, and yet it retains its own unique identity. Oakland is a city of diversity and political activism, industry and artistry, culture, and sports teams to rally behind. It’s also known for its food, its culinary culture is likely influenced by the city’s diversity as the cuisine often features international foods, as well as locally grown produce. Oakland truly has its own place in this world, and living in apartments in Oakland would allow you to become a member of this exciting and thriving city.

Oakland, CA
Population: 429,082

Ranked #45

in US Census Population by City

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Remember the 3 Rules of Real Estate:
Location, Location, Location!

Explore Oakland, CA Rentals by Map

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Getting Around Oakland, CA

Walk Score®

84 / 100

Very Walkable

Most errands can be accomplished on foot

Bike Score®

77 / 100

Very Bikeable

Biking is convenient for most trips

Transit Score®

63 / 100

Good Transit

Many nearby public transportation options

Frequently Asked Questions about Cheap Oakland Apartments

What is the Cheapest Studio apartment in Oakland?

Currently the most affordable Cheap Studio Apartment in Oakland is at MacArthur Studio listed at $743.

How much is rent for a Cheap One Bedroom Oakland Apartment?

The lowest price for a Cheap One Bedroom Oakland Apartment is $767 at Brookfield Place.

What is the lowest price for a Cheap Two Bedroom Oakland Apartment for rent?

Today's best deal for a Cheap Two Bedroom Apartment in Oakland is starting from $1,000 at The Berk.

What is the most affordable Oakland Three Bedroom Apartment?

The best deal on a cheap Oakland Three Bedroom Apartment rental is at Student | Identity Logan Park and starts from $849.

Expert Rental Resources

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The rental experts at ApartmentHomeLiving.com provide you with top advice, tools, and tips for understanding the leasing process and finding the perfect rental. Here are a few helpful rental and leasing articles from our experts to guide you on your search.

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