Best Daly City Neighborhoods to Rent in 2026

Why renters keep landing in Daly City

If you have been priced out of San Francisco but still need to get into the city most days, Daly City is probably already on your shortlist. It sits right at the southern edge of San Francisco, close enough that the county line runs through some backyards, but rents run noticeably lower than what you would pay a few miles north in the Excelsior or Outer Sunset. You get two BART stations, quick freeway access in three directions, and a mix of mid-century apartments, townhomes, and condos that tends to offer more square footage per dollar than the city.

It is not a flashy place, and that is part of the appeal. Daly City is residential, quiet on weeknights, heavily working families and commuters, and stocked with the kind of practical amenities (a big mall, Asian grocery stores, taquerias, and trailheads) that make daily life easy. This guide walks through what you will actually pay in 2026, which neighborhoods fit which kind of renter, and the local quirks worth knowing before you sign.

What you will pay in Daly City in 2026

Daly City is cheaper than San Francisco, but it is still San Mateo County, so temper your expectations. As of spring 2026, the citywide median rent across all unit types sits in the low-to-mid $2,000s, roughly $2,300 to $2,400 depending on which source you check. That is meaningfully below San Francisco proper, where a typical one-bedroom runs north of $3,000.

Broken out by unit size, here is the lay of the land:

• Studios: roughly $1,900 to $2,200, with the cheapest options closer to the Cow Palace and Bayshore side.
• One-bedrooms: roughly $2,500 to $2,650 on average, though older buildings in Westlake and near the BART station can dip below that.
• Two-bedrooms: roughly $3,100 to $3,500, with single-family homes and townhomes pushing toward $4,000 and up.

Two-bedroom rents have ticked up around 7 to 8 percent year over year, so if you are splitting a place with a roommate or partner, do not assume last year's numbers still hold. Condos tend to price slightly under apartments for comparable space, and they often come with parking included, which is worth real money here.

The best Daly City neighborhoods to rent

Daly City is small but surprisingly varied, and the neighborhood you pick changes your commute, your weather, and your rent. Here is how the main areas stack up.

Westlake

Westlake is the classic Daly City experience and where a lot of renters end up. Built out in the 1950s, it is a sea of pastel mid-century apartments and townhomes laid out near Lake Merced, just over the SF line. You are about nine miles from downtown, walkable to the Westlake Shopping Center for groceries and errands, and close to both the Daly City BART station and Muni connections. Rents here skew toward the middle of the range, and the older building stock means you can sometimes find a one-bedroom under the citywide average. The tradeoff is that some units are dated and parking varies building to building, so ask.

Serramonte and Southern Hills

Head south and west and you hit Serramonte, anchored by the Serramonte Center mall and wrapped in quick access to Interstate 280. This is the convenience pick: big-box shopping, Costco nearby in Colma, and an easy on-ramp if you drive to the Peninsula or South Bay for work. Southern Hills, just above it, is more single-family and townhome territory, which means higher rents but more space and quieter streets. If your job is in San Mateo, Redwood City, or further down 101 rather than in the city, this side of Daly City saves you the worst of the northbound commute.

St. Francis Heights

Up along Skyline Boulevard, St. Francis Heights offers hillside living with some of the better views in the city. It is residential and calm, popular with families, and a bit removed from the BART stations, so it leans toward renters who drive. You trade easy transit for elevation, fresher air above the fog line on a good day, and quick access to San Bruno Mountain State Park trails. Expect rents toward the upper end, especially for the houses and townhomes that dominate here.

Crocker and the Bayshore side

On the eastern edge near Geneva Avenue and the Cow Palace, the Crocker and Bayshore areas are the most affordable corner of Daly City. You are closer to the 101 corridor and to SF's southern neighborhoods, and you can find some of the lowest studio and one-bedroom rents in the city. The tradeoff is a more industrial, less polished feel, and you will want to look closely at the specific block. For budget-focused renters who prioritize price and a short hop into the city, it is worth a look.

Original Daly City and Top of the Hill

The older core around Mission Street, sometimes called Top of the Hill, is the walkable, urban-feeling part of town. You get small shops, restaurants, transit on Mission, and a denser street grid. Rents are moderate, and it is a solid pick if you want to live without a car and lean on BART and SamTrans buses.

Getting around: BART, SamTrans, and the freeways

Transit is Daly City's strongest selling point for SF commuters. The city has two BART stations, Daly City and Colma, both on the lines that run straight into downtown San Francisco. From a place near Daly City BART, you are looking at roughly 15 to 20 minutes to Embarcadero or Montgomery, no bridge traffic and no parking hunt at the other end. That alone is why so many renters who work in the city but cannot afford it choose Daly City over a longer East Bay or further Peninsula commute.

If you drive, you are spoiled for options: Interstate 280 cuts through the western side, US-101 runs along the east, and Highway 1 connects you to Pacifica and the coast. SamTrans buses fill in local trips and connect to the BART stations, and Muni lines reach the SF border. The practical takeaway is to match your neighborhood to your commute. Pick Westlake, the Original Daly City core, or anywhere near the BART stations if you ride transit into the city, and lean toward Serramonte or Southern Hills if you drive down the Peninsula.

The fog factor and other local realities

Daly City is famous for its fog, and it is not a myth. The western neighborhoods near the coast and Skyline can sit under gray skies and wind for stretches when SF a few miles east is sunny. If you are sensitive to gloom, aim for the eastern and southern parts of the city, which catch more sun, and visit a prospective apartment in the afternoon to feel the actual microclimate of that block. Bring a jacket for tours either way.

A few other things locals would tell you: parking is generally easier than in San Francisco but still tight in the densest Westlake blocks, so confirm whether a unit includes a spot. The city is car-friendly overall and grocery options are excellent, with strong Filipino and broader Asian markets reflecting the community. And while Daly City is quieter than the city, the areas near the Cow Palace can get busy during events, so check what is nearby if noise matters to you.

Tips for your Daly City apartment search

Daly City's rental stock is a mix of large managed apartment communities, mom-and-pop buildings, and individually owned condos and houses, which means listings are scattered and quality varies a lot unit to unit. A few things to keep in mind:

• Tour in person and in the afternoon so you can judge the fog, wind, and light on that specific street.
• Confirm parking and utilities in writing. A spot included in rent is worth a couple hundred dollars a month here.
• Compare condos against apartments. Individually owned condos often give you more space and parking for a similar price, especially in the Serramonte and Southern Hills areas.
• Move quickly on well-priced one-bedrooms. The sub-average units near BART and in older Westlake buildings go fast because they draw SF commuters.

Searching across that many scattered sources by hand is the tedious part, and it is exactly where Iris helps. You can describe what you want in plain language, like a one-bedroom under $2,600 within a 10-minute walk of Daly City BART, and see matching listings pulled together across the Peninsula instead of refreshing five different sites. Set your must-haves, your commute, and your budget, and let the search do the filtering so you can spend your time touring the places that actually fit.