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Can you buy a home in San Diego for under $500,000, and what do homes near the beach cost?

5 min read Checked November 9, 2026 Report a correction

Yes, but mostly condos: 1,907 of the 2,127 county homes that sold under $500,000 in the year to October 2026 were condos or townhomes. Near the beach, ZIP medians start near $709,500 for an Imperial Beach condo.

Median house, county
$1,065,000

Detached, October 2026, up 6.5% year over year

Median condo/townhome
$658,000

Attached, October 2026, down 0.2%

Sales under $500K
9.5%

2,127 of 22,471 in the 12 months to October 2026

Cheapest beach ZIP, house
$875,000

Imperial Beach 91932, 2026 year to date

The short version

  • In October 2026 the county's median detached home sold for $1,065,000 and the median condo or townhome for $658,000 (Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS).
  • Only 2,127 of 22,471 county sales in the 12 months to October 2026 closed under $500,000, and just 220 of those were detached houses.
  • ZIPs with 2026 condo medians under $500,000 include City Heights (92105) $445,000, El Cajon (92020) $448,250 and the College Area (92115) $450,000.
  • The cheapest beach ZIP is Imperial Beach (91932): 2026 medians of $875,000 for a house and $709,500 for a condo. La Jolla's house median was $3,550,000.
  • C.A.R. says 17% of San Diego County households could afford the $1,075,000 median single-family home in Q2 2026, on an income of $268,000.

Half a million dollars is a lot of money almost everywhere except coastal California. In San Diego County it buys a home, but usually one that shares walls, and usually not near the sand. We checked the Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS' October 2026 county and ZIP-code reports (San Diego MLS data current to November 5), the California Association of Realtors' affordability figures as reported by KPBS, and the San Diego Housing Commission's first-time buyer program on November 9, 2026.

$1,065,000

Median detached home

San Diego County, October 2026

$658,000

Median condo or townhome

San Diego County, October 2026

864

Listings under $500K

Of 5,717 homes for sale at the end of October 2026

What $500,000 buys

Mostly a condo or townhome. In the 12 months to October 2026, 2,127 county homes sold for $500,000 or less, about 9.5% of all sales. Of those, 1,907 were condos or townhomes and 220 were detached houses, which is 1.5% of all detached sales. The same split holds in what's for sale now: of 864 listings under $500,000 at the end of October, 798 were attached and 66 detached. The good news for condo buyers is that supply under $500,000 is growing: attached listings in the $250,001 to $500,000 band were up 18% from a year earlier, at 4.9 months of supply.

  • 92105

    Area
    City Heights
    Condo/townhome median
    $445,000
    House median
    $739,900

  • 92020

    Area
    El Cajon
    Condo/townhome median
    $448,250
    House median
    $945,977

  • 92115

    Area
    College Area
    Condo/townhome median
    $450,000
    House median
    $955,000

  • 92021

    Area
    El Cajon
    Condo/townhome median
    $474,900
    House median
    $800,000

  • 91950

    Area
    National City
    Condo/townhome median
    $510,000
    House median
    $733,000

  • 91977

    Area
    Spring Valley
    Condo/townhome median
    $542,700
    House median
    $800,000

  • 92108

    Area
    Mission Valley
    Condo/townhome median
    $560,000
    House median
    $993,000 (9 sales)

  • 92004

    Area
    Borrego Springs
    Condo/townhome median
    $252,500
    House median
    $359,000

Median sale price, January through October 2026, San Diego MLS via the Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS. Medians don't account for seller concessions; small ZIPs swing a lot.

The only ZIP we found where the typical house sells under $500,000 is Borrego Springs, a desert town inside Anza-Borrego, where 41 houses sold at a $359,000 median through October. In the metro area, houses start in the $730,000s (National City, City Heights). If a cheap listing turns out to be a manufactured home in a park, remember you're usually buying the home, not the land: California's housing department describes park residents as homeowners living under a rental agreement for their space, so ask what the monthly space rent is and how it can rise before you compare the price to a regular house. We couldn't find a dated official tally of San Diego manufactured-home prices.

What homes near the beach cost

Beach ZIP medians, January through October 2026

  • House

    Imperial Beach (91932)
    $875,000
    Ocean Beach (92107)
    $1,933,000
    Oceanside South (92054)
    $1,336,000
    Pacific Beach, Mission Beach (92109)
    $2,330,000
    Encinitas (92024)
    $2,410,000
    La Jolla (92037)
    $3,550,000
    Coronado (92118)
    $3,450,000

  • Condo/townhome

    Imperial Beach (91932)
    $709,500
    Ocean Beach (92107)
    $749,000
    Oceanside South (92054)
    $950,000
    Pacific Beach, Mission Beach (92109)
    $1,002,500
    Encinitas (92024)
    $1,199,500
    La Jolla (92037)
    $1,300,000
    Coronado (92118)
    $1,803,750

No beach ZIP we checked had a 2026 median under $500,000 for either type. Ocean Beach condos ($749,000) are the closest thing to a bargain inside the City of San Diego, and Imperial Beach is the only beach ZIP with a house median under $1 million. ZIP medians mix ocean-view homes with places a mile inland, so a listing's real distance to the sand matters more than its ZIP.

Can you afford it?

The California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.) said 17% of San Diego County households could afford the $1,075,000 median single-family home in the second quarter of 2026, which took a minimum income of $268,000 (as reported by KPBS). Condos are easier: statewide, C.A.R. found 31% of households could afford the $640,000 median condo or townhome in the third quarter of 2026, on about $163,200 a year, at an effective mortgage rate of 6.80%.

Looking at downtown? Our downtown condo guide covers prices and HOA dues there. Whatever you buy, budget for buyer closing costs on top of the down payment.

Is this still right?

We last checked this tip against its sources on November 9, 2026, and we re-research every tip on a schedule. Things in San Diego change, sometimes overnight.

Prices, fees, hours and rules change, often at the start of a year or season. Confirm with the official source linked below before you rely on a number.

This is general information, not legal, financial, tax, medical or safety advice.

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