Does San Diego charge for trash collection now?
Yes. City of San Diego residential customers pay a monthly trash fee — about $55 for the standard 95-gallon bundle. The Council cut it in June 2026, but the lower rate doesn't start until July 1, 2027.
- Now
- About $55 / month
- From July 1, 2027
- $38.75 / month
- Smaller bins
- $34.37 and $28.52
95-gallon bundle, through June 30, 2027
95-gallon bundle
65- and 35-gallon, from July 2027
The short version
- The 95-gallon bundle currently runs about $55 a month; fees for FY2026 and FY2027 are unchanged.
- From July 1, 2027 the same bundle drops to $38.75, with 65-gallon at $34.37 and 35-gallon at $28.52.
- Rates tick back up on July 1, 2028 — $39.91 for the 95-gallon bundle — under the schedule's annual adjustment.
- The reduction came out of the same June 2026 settlement that ends paid parking in Balboa Park.
For most of the last century, City of San Diego single-family homes got trash collection paid for out of the general fund under the People's Ordinance. That changed, and city residential customers now pay a monthly fee for trash and recycling collection. If you are moving here and budgeting, this is a line item that did not exist a few years ago.
In June 2026 the City Council approved reduced fees as part of the settlement of litigation over the fee ordinance — the same settlement that repeals paid parking in Balboa Park on January 1, 2027. The catch is timing: the trash reduction doesn't take effect until July 1, 2027. Fees for FY2026 and FY2027 are unchanged.
Monthly fee by bin size
| Service | From July 1, 2027 | From July 1, 2028 |
|---|---|---|
| 95-gallon bundle | $38.75 | $39.91 |
| 65-gallon bundle | $34.37 | $35.43 |
| 35-gallon bundle | $28.52 | $29.43 |
The 2028 figures are higher because the approved schedule includes an annual adjustment. Current (pre-July 2027) rates are roughly $16 a month above the 2027 figures.
KEEP READING
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
- PrimaryTrash Service Updates
City of San Diego Environmental Services · Checked September 8, 2026
Current fee status, that FY2026 and FY2027 fees are unchanged, and the July 1, 2027 reduction.
Inside San Diego (City of San Diego) · June 2026
The per-bin fee schedule for 2027 and 2028 and the Council action approving it.
- PrimaryTrash Service Fee Calculator
City of San Diego · Ongoing
The city's own calculator for an exact figure at a specific address and service level.