Apartments for Rent in Costa Mesa, CA

Prices and availability in Costa Mesa, CA were last updated on 23 May 2026.

The best apartments in Costa Mesa, CA are: Charle Square Apartments, Baywind Apartment Homes, Park Mesa Villas, South Pointe and Canyon Crest Townhomes.

The average rent in Costa Mesa, CA is $2,699.

The price range for a studio apartment in Costa Mesa, CA is between $1,900 and $4,622.

The price range for a 1-bedroom apartment in Costa Mesa, CA is between $2,150 and $7,144.

The price range for a 2-bedroom apartment in Costa Mesa, CA is between $2,195 and $7,019.

The price range for a 3-bedroom apartment in Costa Mesa, CA is between $2,150 and $3,970.

In Costa Mesa 60% of the housing is rented out compared to 40% of homes are owned, according to the most recent Census Bureau estimates. 20% of Costa Mesa's apartments are found in large buildings of 50 units or more, 61% are located in smaller apartment complexes with less than 50 units, and 18% are single-family rentals.

The average age of rental buildings in Costa Mesa is 40 years old, with 15% being newer apartment buildings completed since 2000. The average height of apartment buildings in the city is 3 stories, of which 96% are garden-style apartment communities, 4% are mid-sized buildings, and 2% are high-rises. These characteristics describe large-scale apartment communities of 50 apartments or more.

Rental apartments in Costa Mesa come in a range of sizes and floorplans. Studio apartments represent 8% of units for rent, ideal for singles, renters on a budget and people who value central locations more than space. Rentals with 1-bedroom floorplans make up 49% of the total apartments in the city, while 2-bedroom floorplans represent around 39% of all rentals in Costa Mesa. The rest are larger floorplans with 3 bedrooms or more, typically preferred by families, larger households or roommates sharing space.