San Diego, U.S.A.
Living in Hillcrest, San Diego
LGBTQ+ friendly urban village. Walkable streets, brunch spots, and Balboa Park access.
A one-bedroom in Hillcrest rents for about $2,100 - $2,600/month — a safe area (safety 4/5), roughly 10 minutes from San Diego center by bus.
Commute to Center
10 min
bus
Safety Rating
4/5
SafeVibe
LGBTQ+walkablecommunity
Rent in Hillcrest
Monthly rent in USD ($). First-hand contracts come straight from the landlord or housing company. Second-hand contracts are sublets, and they usually cost more.
| Apartment Size | First-Hand Rent | Second-Hand Rent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Bedroom | $1,900 - $2,300/mo | $2,100 - $2,600/mo |
| 2 Bedrooms | $2,400 - $2,900/mo | $2,700 - $3,200/mo |
| 3 Bedrooms | $3,000 - $3,600/mo | $3,300 - $3,900/mo |
How Hillcrest compares in San Diego
Within AffordWhere's San Diego dataset, a one-bedroom here averages about $2,350/month — roughly 6% below the city median, and among the more affordable of the 6 areas we track. Two-bedrooms run $2,700 - $3,200/month and three-bedrooms $3,300 - $3,900/month on second-hand contracts. At 10 minutes to the center by bus, it sits closer to the center than most San Diego areas in the set. On safety it rates 4/5, among the lower-rated in the city. Based on its rent, commute, and the LGBTQ+, walkable, community tags, it may suit renters who want to be close to the center.
Weighing options? For a shorter commute, see Gaslamp Quarter.
Rent figures reflect official statistics compiled January 2026. See data sources.
Getting around & nearby amenities
OpenStreetMap maps Mercy Plaza as nearby green space and Pavilions as the nearest supermarket around the Hillcrest reference point. A school and a pharmacy are also mapped within walking distance. It also shows a large number of cafés and restaurants mapped within about 700m of that point.
Amenity data from OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). The extracted amenity dataset is published under the same license.
Questions people actually ask
- How much is rent in Hillcrest, San Diego?
- A 1-bedroom apartment in Hillcrest costs $2,100 - $2,600/month (second-hand contract) or $1,900 - $2,300/month (first-hand). A 2-bedroom ranges from $2,700 - $3,200/month, and a 3-bedroom from $3,300 - $3,900/month.
- Is Hillcrest safe for expats?
- Hillcrest has a safety rating of 4/5 (Safe) on our scale. That is one of the higher ratings on the 1-5 scale; as always, check specific streets and visit at different times before signing a lease.
- How long is the commute from Hillcrest to San Diego center?
- The commute from Hillcrest to San Diego city center takes approximately 10 minutes by bus.
- What is Hillcrest like to live in?
- LGBTQ+ friendly urban village. Walkable streets, brunch spots, and Balboa Park access. In our data it is tagged as LGBTQ+, walkable, community.
Other neighborhoods in San Diego
Downtown San Diego
0 min walk to center
1BR from $2,300/mo
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Gaslamp Quarter
5 min walk to center
1BR from $2,400/mo
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La Jolla
20 min car to center
1BR from $2,500/mo
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Pacific Beach
15 min bus to center
1BR from $2,200/mo
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North Park
15 min bus to center
1BR from $2,100/mo
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