Living here
Average rent in Carmel-by-the-Sea
What renters actually pay, by number of bedrooms, and how Carmel-by-the-Sea compares with California and the US.
Median rent
$2,933/mo
118% above US
1 bedroom
$3,217/mo
173% above US
2 bedrooms
$3,318/mo
148% above US
Renters paying 30%+ of income
63%
US 50%
Renter households
710
Rent by number of bedrooms
Median gross rent (contract rent plus utilities) for occupied rental units, by bedrooms. Income needed uses the 30% rule.
How Carmel-by-the-Sea compares
- Carmel-by-the-Sea$1,846
- California$1,531
- United States$1,185
- Carmel-by-the-Sea$3,217
- California$1,709
- United States$1,180
- Carmel-by-the-Sea$3,318
- California$2,014
- United States$1,338
- Carmel-by-the-Sea$2,807
- California$2,262
- United States$1,500
Two-bedroom rent in nearby cities
- Carmel-by-the-Sea$3,318
- Salinas$1,925
- Santa Clara$3,107
- Sunnyvale$3,240
- Palo Alto$3,469
- San Mateo$3,477
- Pleasanton$3,052
- Livermore$2,537
- San Ramon$2,876
- Carmel-by-the-Sea63%
- Salinas54%
- Santa Clara38%
- Sunnyvale34%
- Palo Alto43%
- San Mateo47%
- Pleasanton49%
- Livermore54%
- San Ramon47%
Nearby cities are other Local City Network guides in California, nearest first.
What rent can you afford?
At 30% of income you can spend about $3,318 a month.
- Studio $1,846
- 1 bedroom $3,217
- 2 bedrooms $3,318
- 3 bedrooms $2,807
Green means the median Carmel-by-the-Sea rent for that size fits your budget. Landlords often ask for income of 2.5–3× the monthly rent.
How stretched are renters?
63% of Carmel-by-the-Sea renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent, and 36% spend half or more. The typical renter household puts 38.5% of its income toward rent (US: 50% and 25%).
Rent by zip code
Median gross rent for each ZIP Code Tabulation Area that overlaps Carmel-by-the-Sea.
HUD fair market rents
HUD’s 2027 fair market rents for Salinas, CA MSA are the payment benchmarks for housing vouchers (about the 40th percentile of recent movers’ rents), so they often differ from the medians above.
More on living in Carmel-by-the-Sea
Neighborhoods of Carmel-by-the-Sea
Questions
What is the average rent in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
The median gross rent (rent plus utilities) is $2,933 a month, 50% above the California median and 118% above the national median.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
The median one-bedroom rents for $3,217 a month (US: $1,180).
How much is a two-bedroom in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
The median two-bedroom rents for $3,318 a month (US: $1,338).
How much do you need to make to rent in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
Using the common 30% rule, a median two-bedroom ($3,318) takes a household income of about $132,720 a year, and a one-bedroom about $128,680.
Is rent affordable in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
About 63% of Carmel-by-the-Sea renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent, and 36% spend at least half (US: 50% and 25%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates (tables B25031, B25070 and B25071). Estimates have margins of error; figures are in 2023 dollars.