Cheap Apartments for Rent in Oakland, CA from $500 (177 Rentals)

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Oakland, CA Local Guide

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Local Guide Expert

Cheapest Neighborhoods for Apartments in Oakland, CA

Pricing Updated: 11/15/2025

Current apartment rentals in the Oakland, CA area range in price from $765 to $21,745 with an overall median price of $5,355. The three Oakland neighborhoods with the lowest median rent pricing are Old Oakland at $1,328, Santa Fe at $1,050, and Fruitvale at $1,595. Here is today’s list of the top 10 neighborhoods with the lowest median pricing for Oakland Apartments for rent:

NeighborhoodMedian PriceMin PriceAvailable Units
Old Oakland$2,726$1,32829
Santa Fe$3,095$1,05018
Fruitvale$3,125$1,59516
Longfellow$3,378$1,35438
Uptown Oakland$3,815$800252
East Oakland$3,900$765542
Jingletown$4,225$895265
Westlake$4,257$1,300126
Chinatown$4,600$1,645139
Jack London Square$4,600$1,328159

Cheapest Available Oakland Apartments for Rent

 

The cheapest available apartment rental in Oakland, CA is a 1 Bed unit found at SHARED & PRIVATE Dorm Style Units Available in the Downtown Berkeley neighborhood priced from $600. MacArthur Heights in the Mills College neighborhood has the second lowest priced unit, which is a Studio apartment currently listed from $765. Here is today’s list of the most affordable Oakland apartments for rent:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPriced From
SHARED & PRIVATE Dorm Style Units Available1BR/1.0BA1BR,1BA$600
MacArthur HeightsStudio, 1 bathStudio,1BA$765
The Lair3BR/2.0BA3BR,2BA$775
Claridge ApartmentsStudio / 1 BathroomStudio,1BA$815
The Den1BR/1.0BA1BR,1BA$895
2375 Fruitvale AveSRO1BR,$900
HeliosShared Double1BR,1BA$950
2715 Dwight6 Bedroom | 4 Bath6BR,4BA$963
Aquatic @ U0BR/1.0BAStudio,1BA$995

Best Value Apartments for Rent in Oakland, CA

As of November 15, 2025 the best value apartment in the Oakland area is the $1.18 price per square foot 4303 Rilea Way Model at 4303 Rilea Way, Unit 1 in the in the Caballo Hills neighborhood starting from $2,250. The second greatest value Oakland apartment is the 2 Bedroom 2 Bath Apartment Model at 350 Vernon starting at $2,695 with a $1.55 price per square foot in the Harrison Street neighborhood. Here is today’s list of the best values for Oakland apartments based on price per square foot:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPrice Per Sq.Ft.
4303 Rilea Way, Unit 14303 Rilea Way2BR,1BA$1.18
350 Vernon2 Bedroom 2 Bath Apartment2BR,2BA$1.55
Vulcan LoftsLive/Work loftsStudio ,1BA$1.23
The Den1BR/1.0BA1BR,1BA$0.66
The Lair2BR/2.0BA2BR,2BA$0.74
2342 Hilgard Ave, Unit 23422342 Hilgard Ave2BR,1BA$1.10
2414 Telegraph3 Bedroom | 1 Bath3BR,1BA$1.64
4814 Daisy St, Unit 48144814 Daisy St1BR,1BA$1.75
MacArthur HeightsStudio, 1 bathStudio ,1BA$1.70
SHARED & PRIVATE Dorm Style Units Available1BR/1.0BA1BR,1BA$1.43

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Oakland Overview

There’s a lot that could be said to convince you that renting apartments in Oakland would be one of the best decisions of your life. Maybe you’d be interested in the fact that Oakland is a smart city, it’s one of the top cities when counting residents with bachelor’s degrees. Maybe you’d be intrigued by the fact that Oakland is known for its ethnic diversity, as well as its sustainability practices. Many more facts could be spewed at you, and they’d all add up to one thing—Oakland is an awesome, hip place to live.

Why live in Oakland, CA?

Oakland is a city like no other. It lies incredibly close to another major city, San Francisco, and yet it retains its own unique identity. Oakland is a city of diversity and political activism, industry and artistry, culture, and sports teams to rally behind. It’s also known for its food, its culinary culture is likely influenced by the city’s diversity as the cuisine often features international foods, as well as locally grown produce. Oakland truly has its own place in this world, and living in apartments in Oakland would allow you to become a member of this exciting and thriving city.

Oakland, CA
Population: 429,082

Ranked #45

in US Census Population by City

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Best Local Schools in
Oakland, CA

School data provided by Great Schools

Remember the 3 Rules of Real Estate:
Location, Location, Location!

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Getting Around Oakland, CA

Walk Score®

84 / 100

Very Walkable

Most errands can be accomplished on foot

Bike Score®

77 / 100

Very Bikeable

Biking is convenient for most trips

Transit Score®

63 / 100

Good Transit

Many 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.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cheap Oakland Apartments

What is a cheap apartment in Oakland?

A cheap apartment is any apartment up to the 30% percentile of cost for the area, which in Oakland is under $995.

What is the price of a cheap apartment in Oakland?

The cheapest apartment in Oakland is SHARED & PRIVATE Dorm Style Units Available which is listed at $600, while the average apartment in Oakland costs $5,355.

What types of apartments are the cheapest in Oakland?

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 307 regular apartments in Oakland 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 Oakland?

Cheap apartments in Oakland have an average cost of $481 which is $4,874 cheaper than the average rent for all rentals in Oakland.

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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