Cheap Gated Apartments for Rent in San Diego, CA from $500 (39 Rentals)

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Search the lowest-cost Apartments available for rent right now in San Diego.

San Diego's Best Affordable Neighborhoods

Learn about San Diego and the best places to live with original content written by our , Local Expert Hayden Goldberg

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Know Your Rights - How Discrimination Laws Impact Landlords and Tenants

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7002 Linda Vista Rd
1 Bedroom Apartments

7002 Linda Vista Rd

7002 Linda Vista RdSan Diego, CA 92111
  • Utilities Included
  • Smoke Free
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Indiana Palms
1 Bedroom Apartments

Indiana Palms

3621 Indiana StSan Diego, CA 92103
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4345 McClintock St
2 Bedroom Apartments

4345 McClintock St

4345 McClintock StSan Diego, CA 92105
  • Utilities Included
  • Smoke Free
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Tierra Del Norte
1 to 2 Bedroom Apartments

Tierra Del Norte

984 Peach AveEl Cajon, CA 92021
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Magnolia Apartments
2 Bedroom Apartments

Magnolia Apartments

732 Magnolia AveEl Cajon, CA 92020
Furnished
  • Utilities Included
  • Smoke Free
Showing Results 1-39, Page 1 of 1

San Diego, CA Local Guide

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Getting Around San Diego, CA

Walk Score®

74 / 100

Very Walkable

Most errands can be accomplished on foot

Bike Score®

57 / 100

Bikeable

Some bike infrastructure

Transit Score®

46 / 100

Some Transit

A few nearby public transportation options

What Are Walk Score®, Transit Score®, and Bike Score® Ratings?

  • Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address.
  • Transit Score® measures access to public transit.
  • Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.

San Diego, CA Area Reviews

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Hayden • 4+ years in San Diego

March 6, 2025

San Diego is an amazing city for families, young professionals, and retirees!

Frequently Asked Questions about Cheap San Diego Apartments

What is a cheap apartment in San Diego?

A cheap apartment is any apartment up to the 30% percentile of cost for the area, which in San Diego is under $1,447.

What is the price of a cheap apartment in San Diego?

The cheapest apartment in San Diego is 1202 Pearl which is listed at $1,389, while the average apartment in San Diego costs $5,379.

What types of apartments are the cheapest in San Diego?

Student, low-income, and by-the-bed apartments are typically the cheapest rentals in most cities, though they require qualifying criteria to rent. There are 1,085 regular apartments in San Diego that we think qualify as ‘cheap apartments’ that do not have special requirements to apply to rent.

How do the prices of cheap apartments compare to the average apartment in San Diego?

Cheap apartments in San Diego have an average cost of $425 which is $4,954 cheaper than the average rent for all rentals in San Diego.

Expert Rental Resources

Helpful Apartment Articles, How-To's and Tips

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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Top 10 Most Affordable Neighborhoods in San Diego: A Local Real Estate Expert Guide

Written by: Hayden Goldberg

Aloha! I’m Hayden, your local San Diego Realtor and relocation expert with ApartmentHomeLiving.com.

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Know Your Rights - How Discrimination Laws Impact Landlords and Tenants

Written by: Christine Leonard, Esq.

Everyone needs a place to live and to call home. For decades, the federal government has established protections to ensure that individuals and families can find housing free from discriminatory barriers.

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Renting Smart: Lease Basics Every Renter Needs

Written by: Christine Leonard, Esq.

Often, in the excitement of finding a new place to live, there’s a rush to make it happen, and - too often - a new tenant signs a lease without reading it carefully.

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Battling the Butts: Your Guide to the Reality of Smoke-Free Renting

Written by: Andrea Lee Negroni, JD

While many apartment buildings are “no smoking” properties, it’s hard to know exactly how many. In 2017, the National Apartment Association reported more than half of rental properties had smoke free policies.