Map of monthly rent/person in the Berkeley and SF area. Last updated July 2021.
There is no limit on the amount of rent a landlord may first charge the tenant when renting a vacant unit. The annual allowable rent increase is approximately ~5%. As such, leases that started further in the past often correspond to lower rent.
When looking for a place your first year, it may also be useful to see proximity to the AC Transit Transbay Express bus stops (map) for express service between SF and Berkeley. Students can ride AC Transit buses free of charge through the EasyPass which is paid through the UC Berkeley student fees. Other transbay options are the AC transit F bus (no express service; ~60 min Downtown Berkeley to first stop in SF), and the BART trains (not free of charge, ~$5 each way).
The interactive map below has a panel that will allow you to switch between monthly rent cost per person and commute time.
Raw data
| Cross Street / Neighborhood and City | Approximate Move-in Date | Residence Type | # of Housemates + You | Average Monthly Rent per Person | Primary method of commuting | Typical Commute Time to Lab | Typical Commute Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar and Bonita, Berkeley | 5/1/2019 | Apartment | 2 | 1300 | Bike | 5 | 0 |
| Virginia St and Walnut St, Berkeley | 8/2/2020 | Apartment | 5 | 1250 | Walk | 15 | 0 |
| Shattuck and Virginia, San Francisco | 5/15/2020 | Apartment | 4 | 1148 | Walk | 10 | 0 |
| Virginia and Walnut St, Berkeley | 5/15/2021 | House | 4 | 1100 | Drive | 30 | 20 |
| Channing and Sacramento, Berkeley, CA | 8/1/2017 | Apartment | 3 | 1115 | Bus | 30 | 0 |
| 4th St and Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco | 7/20/2020 | University Housing | 2 | 1220 | Walk | 5 | 0 |
| 19th Street and Valencia, San Francisco | 12/9/2020 | Apartment | 2 | 1400 | Bike | 15 | 0 |
| Mission District, San Francisco | 6/1/2019 | Apartment | 2 | 1600 | Bike | 20 | 0 |
| North Berkeley | 7/1/2021 | Apartment | 2 | 1480 | Bike | 12 | 0 |
| Cedar & Henry, Berkeley | 7/15/2020 | Apartment | 2 | 1485 | Bike | 10 | 0 |
| 18th and Connecticut, San Francisco | 8/1/2019 | House | 7 | 1300 | Drive | 25 | 7 |
| 19th and Valencia, San Francisco | 12/14/2020 | Apartment | 2 | 1400 | Bus | 30 | 0 |
| Milvia and Lincoln, Berkeley | 8/1/2020 | Apartment | 3 | 1330 | Bike | 15 | 0 |
| 40th street and Telegraph Ave, Temescal, Oakland | 8/10/2020 | Apartment | 2 | 1800 | Bus | 50 | 0 |
| Knowles Ave and San Diego Ave, Daly City | 12/1/2016 | Apartment | 2 | 1100 | Drive | 15 | 150 |
| Mission Bay, San Francisco | 5/13/2021 | Apartment | 2 | 1500 | Walk | 10 | 0 |
| Milvia and Lincoln, Berkeley | 8/11/2017 | Apartment | 4 | 1200 | Bike | 10 | 0 |
| 1560 3rd street, San Francisco | 12/27/2020 | University Housing | 2 | 1500 | Walk | 5 | 0 |
| Bancroft and San Pablo, Berkeley | 7/1/2020 | Apartment | 3 | 1100 | Bus | 70 | 5 |
| North Berkeley, Berkeley | 8/15/2020 | House | 15 | 1625 | Drive | 45 | 18 |
| Rockridge | 5/1/2021 | Apartment | 2 | 1250 | BART | 60 | 18 |
| Albany, CA | 9/17/2020 | University Housing | 2 | 1023 | Drive | 15 | 10 |
| 3rd and 22nd, San Francisco | 8/1/2020 | Apartment | 2 | 1200 | Bike | 5 | 0 |
| Emeryville | 5/23/2020 | Apartment | 2 | 1375 | Bus | 30 | 0 |
| Henry st and Cedar St, Berkeley | 8/15/2020 | Apartment | 3 | 1300 | Bike | 15 | 0 |
| North Berkeley | 8/16/2016 | House | 5 | 996 | Bike | 10 | 0 |
| Sacramento & Channing, San Francisco | 7/1/2017 | Apartment | 3 | 1115 | Bike | 15 | 0 |
| McAuley and Ayala, Oakland | 8/1/2020 | House | 2 | 1500 | Bus | 20 | 0 |
| Albany, CA | 8/1/2020 | University Housing | 900 | Bus | 20 | 0 | |
| Broadway and 27th St, Oakland | 12/1/2020 | Apartment | 3 | 1400 | Bus | 40 | 0 |
| Henry/Cedar, Berkeley | 7/26/2019 | Apartment | 3 | 1317 | Bike | 45 | 0 |
| Ashbury St and Frederick St, San Francisco | 8/1/2020 | Apartment | 4 | 1425 | Walk | 10 | 0 |
| Lone Mountain, San Francisco | 7/15/2019 | Apartment | 2 | 1493 | Bike | 30 | 0 |