SDSU rentals 5 to 10 minutes from campus: what a short drive gets you

If you're searching for SDSU rentals 5 to 10 minutes from campus, you're looking at a band that a lot of people skip. Most searches start with whatever is closest, then widen once prices or move-in dates don't line up. This post covers the listings on our San Diego off-campus listings page whose Distance by Car field reads 5 - 10 minutes, what each one actually lists, and the questions worth asking before you commit.

A quick note on sources. Everything below comes from the fields each lister filled in: price, beds and baths, furniture, lease type, lease timing and distance by car. We don't hold travel times for any other way of getting to campus, so we won't guess at them. Where a listing leaves something out, we'll say so and suggest what to ask instead.

Begin your search at Off-Campus Universe, where you can browse current listings near San Diego.

Three listings currently fit the 5 to 10 minute band: 5246 at $1,800/month, 1 bedroom right next to SDSU! at $1,795/month, and 1be 1bth Primary Bedroom Near Campus at $1,400/month. All three show 1 bed and 1 bath in their fields, and all three are listed as 5 to 10 minutes by car from campus.

What the three listings offer

5246 is the only furnished option of the three. It's listed as an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) with 1 bed and 1 bath at $1,800/month. Its lease type is a Biannual lease (6 months), and its Timing of Lease is listed as 8/1/2026. The listing doesn't include a street address, so ask the lister for the location before you plan a viewing, and check how a six-month term lines up with your academic calendar.

1 bedroom right next to SDSU! is an unfurnished apartment with 1 bed and 1 bath at $1,795/month on a Year Lease (12 Months). Its Timing of Lease reads Available now, the only one of the three worded that way. The title suggests it's right beside campus, but the Distance by Car field the lister chose is 5 - 10 minutes, so treat the field as the figure to plan around. The address is on 63rd St in the Rolando Village area of San Diego.

1be 1bth Primary Bedroom Near Campus comes in at $1,400/month, the lowest price of the three. It's listed as an unfurnished townhouse on a Year Lease (12 Months) with a Timing of Lease of 8/15/2026, and the address is in the Mid-City area. The title mentions a primary bedroom, which can mean you'd rent one room inside a larger townhouse. Ask whether the kitchen, living room and laundry are shared, and with how many people.

Two of the three timing dates have already passed. That's common for listings that stay open after their first target date, but it does mean you should confirm the real move-in date directly rather than reading it off the page.

If none of the three fits, the listings page linked above changes as listers add and remove places, so it's worth checking back. You can also widen your search to listings marked under 5 minutes by car if being closer matters more to you than having a 1-bed unit.

SDSU rentals 5 to 10 minutes from campus: is the drive worth it

SDSU rentals 5 to 10 minutes from campus sit in a useful middle ground. You're close enough that the drive stays short, and looking past the closest homes gives you more to choose from. Among our current San Diego listings, the ones marked under 5 minutes by car mix rooms in shared houses with larger multi-bed homes and apartments, while the three in the 5 to 10 minute band are all 1-bed, 1-bath listings. If you want a smaller place, that's worth noticing.

The trade-off is the daily trip. A short drive still means thinking about parking on campus and at home, and our listing fields don't record parking at all. Before you sign, ask each lister whether a space comes with the unit, whether it's assigned, and whether there's an extra charge. Then check what campus parking will cost you for the term. Those two answers together tell you what the extra few minutes really cost.

It also helps to make the trip once at the time of day you'd normally leave for class. Traffic around any large campus changes a lot between early morning and midday, and a listing field can't capture that. Ten minutes on paper can feel quite different at 8 a.m.

Finally, compare like with like. 5246 is furnished and the other two aren't, and 5246 runs on a six-month term while the other two are year leases. A lower monthly figure doesn't always mean a lower total once you add furniture, a longer commitment, or utilities that aren't included in the rent. Ask each lister for the full monthly cost, including any fees, and the total you'd owe over the whole lease. Put those numbers side by side and the comparison gets much easier.

If you can't view a place in person, ask for a live video tour rather than relying on photos alone. Ask the lister to show the bathroom, the kitchen and any shared space, and to point the camera out of a window so you get a sense of the street. Don't send a deposit for a place you haven't seen in some form, and keep every agreement in writing.

Tips for renting a little further from SDSU

• Confirm the move-in date in writing, since two of these listings show timing dates that have already passed.

• Ask whether parking comes with the unit and what it costs, then budget for campus parking as well.

• Check which utilities are included in the monthly price before you compare one listing against another.

• For a room inside a shared townhouse, ask how many people share the common areas and how bills are split.

Ready to find your place? Browse all listings at Off-Campus Universe.

This article is provided by an independent housing resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by San Diego State University.