What is the average Class A rent in San Diego?

Around 56 USD/sqft/yr ($56 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like UTC & Torrey Pines command 20–40% above that.

How many months of rent-free are normal in San Diego?

12 months on a 10-year deal is the standard benchmark. Lease-up product or tenants with strong covenant strength can push higher.

Are rents rising or falling in San Diego?

The San Diego Class A market is currently flat. Vacancy is 18.4%, which sets the negotiating context.

Headline Class A rent in San Diego is around 56 USD/sqft/yr ($56 USD), with 12 months of typical rent-free on a 10-year term.

Headline Class A rent: 56 USD/sqft/yr ($56 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (UTC & Torrey Pines) push to roughly $68/sqft/yr.
Typical concessions on a 10-year deal: 12 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 18.4% — market trend is flat.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

San Diego Class A office rents and incentives

Headline Class A rent in San Diego is around 56 USD/sqft/yr ($56 USD), with 12 months of typical rent-free on a 10-year term.

TL;DR

Headline Class A rent: 56 USD/sqft/yr ($56 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (UTC & Torrey Pines) push to roughly $68/sqft/yr.
Typical concessions on a 10-year deal: 12 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 18.4% — market trend is flat.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Headline rent vs. effective rent

Asking rents in San Diego are quoted in USD per sqft per year. Across the broad Class A index the figure is 56, but the trophy tier in UTC & Torrey Pines reaches roughly $68/sqft/yr. Always discount headline rent by the present value of free rent and fit-out-capex">tenant improvement allowance to land on effective rent — the only number that compares cleanly across deals.

Rent-free and TI

Standard San Diego concessions on a 10-year Class A lease run to 12 months of base-rent abatement. Trophy lease-ups can push rent-free 25–40% above that benchmark. Local cost-of-occupancy is also shaped by tax — 21% federal plus 8.84% California corporate franchise tax for an effective rate near 27.9%. California property tax (Prop 13) base is set at acquisition; meaningful for long-term ownership.

Where rents land by submarket

UTC & Torrey Pines sits at the top end (~$68/sqft/yr). Downtown clears around $50/sqft/yr as the prime tier. Mission Valley represents the value end at ~$36/sqft/yr. The full submarket map is on the San Diego city page.

Key facts

city	San Diego
country	United States
region	Americas
classARentLocal	56 USD/sqft/yr
classARentUsd	$56/sqft/yr
vacancy	18.4%
typicalLeaseYears	10
typicalRentFreeMonths	12
submarkets	5
primeYieldPct	6.4%
trophyRent	$68/sqft/yr
primeRent	$50/sqft/yr

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Class A rent in San Diego?: Around 56 USD/sqft/yr ($56 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like UTC & Torrey Pines command 20–40% above that.
How many months of rent-free are normal in San Diego?: 12 months on a 10-year deal is the standard benchmark. Lease-up product or tenants with strong covenant strength can push higher.
Are rents rising or falling in San Diego?: The San Diego Class A market is currently flat. Vacancy is 18.4%, which sets the negotiating context.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Miriam Hollander — Lead market analyst. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
JLL Office Insight — JLL
Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
Savills World Research — Savills
Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

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