5 best-value SF Bay Area apartments this week (May 25

SF median rent just hit $3,995/mo — up 15.4% year-over-year as of May 30, 2026. 1 That's the context. This week's five picks are the listings that beat that backdrop: a fully utilities-included studio in Redwood City, a furnished BART-adjacent 1BR in San Leandro, a luxury Berkeley studio with a free monthly transit pass baked in, a freshly renovated 1BR in Daly City with a current special offer, and a gut-remodeled Lower Haight 1BR where the landlord pays water, gas, and trash.

All five were listed or updated between May 25 and June 1, 2026. None appeared in Issues #1–3. Ranked by overall value: rent relative to neighborhood median, included amenities, commute access, and move-in friction.

The picks at a glance

#	Address	Neighborhood	Rent	Size	Best for
1	Emerald Hills studio, Redwood City	Redwood City hills	$2,050/mo all-in	Studio	Utilities-included, car-friendly, pool access
2	902 Davis St #896-312, San Leandro	Downtown San Leandro	$2,235/mo furnished	1BR	BART commuters, furnished move-in
3	2033 Blake St (The Blake), Berkeley	N. Berkeley near UC	$2,781/mo	Studio, 461 sqft	Luxury amenities + free transit pass
4	331 Park Plaza Dr, Daly City	Westlake	$2,299–$2,783/mo	1BR	Pet owners, special offer, BART access
5	275B Waller St, SF	Lower Haight	$3,600/mo	1BR, 600 sqft	SF must-live, walk-everywhere lifestyle

#1 — Emerald Hills studio, Redwood City: $2,050/mo all utilities included

Studio · Independent entrance · Pool access · Off-street parking · Dogs OK · Available June 1 2

$2,050 and every utility is covered. Water, electricity, gas, trash — the landlord handles it. That all-in price point sits roughly $270 below San Mateo County's 1BR median of $2,862 1 for what's effectively a private, detached studio with its own entrance.

The unit is set apart from the main house — separate entry via double French doors — in Redwood City's Emerald Hills neighborhood, a residential hillside area known for quieter streets than the flatlands. The studio was recently updated: wood-plank flooring, walk-in closet, full-size refrigerator, electric range, and on-site laundry. One off-street driveway parking spot is included, and the property comes with pool access and garden space. Dogs are accepted with an application.

Emerald Hills studio interior — wood-plank floors and garden-facing windows — Emerald Hills studio interior 2

The trade-off is that the commute requires at least one transfer. Emerald Hills sits about 2–3 miles east of downtown Redwood City and the Caltrain station. Without a car, you're looking at a bus-to-Caltrain combination to reach San Francisco, adding roughly 50–60 minutes total door-to-door. If you have a car or bike, the equation flips: 10 minutes to Caltrain, then ~35 minutes to SF by train.

Commute: Drive or bike to Redwood City Caltrain (~10 min); Caltrain to SF ~35 min. No direct BART connection.
Parking: 1 off-street driveway spot included.
Laundry: On-site shared laundry.
Utilities: All included in $2,050.
Pets: Dogs accepted (application required). No cats mentioned — confirm with landlord.
Safety: Emerald Hills is a low-crime residential neighborhood. Suburban streets, low foot traffic, no notable crime concentration in the area.
Watch for: No listed square footage. French-door entry means no formal foyer — bring a tape measure on tour to assess storage.

#2 — Gateway San Leandro, 902 Davis St #896-312: $2,235/mo furnished

1BR / 1BA · Furnished · 0.3 mi to San Leandro BART · Pet friendly · Available now 3

Furnished 1BRs near BART for $2,235 do not come along often. Gateway San Leandro is a managed apartment community in downtown San Leandro, and San Leandro BART is roughly a 5-minute walk from the building. That puts downtown San Francisco (Embarcadero/Montgomery) about 30 minutes away by train — no transfers, no buses.

San Leandro's median 1BR rent runs around $2,300/mo, 4 so this furnished unit lands $65 below the city median — before accounting for the furniture. Replacing a standard 1BR worth of furniture on your own would cost $3,000–$5,000; amortized over 12 months that's $250–$400/mo in effective savings.

Cats and dogs are permitted. The listing was marked "new — 1 day ago" as of June 1, so expect competition.

Gateway San Leandro apartment building exterior at 902 Davis St — Gateway San Leandro building 3

Commute: Walk (~5 min) to San Leandro BART; BART to Embarcadero ~30 min. Direct line to SFO (no transfer needed via AirBART shuttle from Coliseum or transfer at Balboa Park).
Parking: Not confirmed in listing — contact management.
Laundry: Not confirmed — confirm in-unit vs. on-site at tour.
Utilities: Not specified — tenant-paid assumed. Clarify before signing.
Pets: Cats and dogs allowed.
Safety: San Leandro is a low-crime suburban city. Downtown corridor near BART is active daytime; standard urban caution at late night.
Watch for: Because this is a managed community, pricing may include additional monthly fees (pet rent, trash, parking). Ask for an itemized total cost before committing — relevant context given the proposed "No Hidden Rent Act" pending in SF.

#3 — The Blake at Berkeley, 2033 Blake St: $2,781/mo

Studio · 461 sqft · 11-ft ceilings · Bay views · Roof terraces · Free AC Transit Easy Pass · Cats & dogs OK 5

The standout feature here is not the 11-foot ceilings or the three rooftop terraces, though both are real. It's the free AC Transit Easy Pass included in rent. That pass covers unlimited rides on any AC Transit bus, including the Transbay Line F (Transbay Terminal, directly into SoMa) and the FS (Salesforce Transit Center). A monthly AC Transit pass runs about $112; getting it included at a $2,781 effective rent is a meaningful offset.

Berkeley's median 1BR runs $2,295/mo. 6 The Blake is a luxury new-construction building, so the premium is real — but the amenity stack is not the usual managed-community checklist. Beyond the transit pass and rooftop spaces, the building includes a shared co-working lounge, EV charging, a bike storage room, and a dog park on site. In-unit: full-size washer/dryer, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, roller shades, and a moveable kitchen island. The unit is available June 6.

Cats and dogs are accepted (2-pet max, breed restrictions apply; $500 deposit and $65/mo pet rent per pet).

Commute: Free AC Transit bus to downtown SF: ~40–45 min (Transbay). BART: Downtown Berkeley BART is roughly 1 mile (~15-min walk or 2-min bus); from Downtown Berkeley BART to Embarcadero ~25 min.
Parking: Garage parking available (EV charging).
Laundry: In-unit full-size washer/dryer.
Utilities: Not specified — tenant-paid assumed.
Pets: Cats and dogs allowed (restrictions apply, $65/mo pet rent per pet).
Safety: North Berkeley / near UC Berkeley is generally safe. Property crime (bike theft, package theft) is the dominant concern. The UCSF / UC Berkeley corridor has high foot traffic and is well-lit.
Watch for: "Breed restrictions" is not defined in the listing — if you have a large dog, get the specific restricted list from management before applying.

#4 — Westlake Apartments, 331 Park Plaza Dr, Daly City: $2,299–$2,783/mo

1BR / 1BA · Pet friendly · Special offer active · ~1.2 mi to Daly City BART · New listing 7

Daly City's median 1BR is $1,925/mo according to Zumper, 8 but that median reflects the entire city including older individual-landlord stock. For a managed building with a current special offer, $2,299 as the base price at Westlake Apartments is competitive. The "special offer" is not itemized in the listing — contact management to confirm whether it's first-month free, reduced deposit, or a rate reduction.

Westlake is a residential neighborhood on the western side of Daly City, built around a strip-mall commercial center and quiet grid streets. It sits about 1.2 miles from Daly City BART — walkable in 20–25 minutes, or a short bus ride. From Daly City BART, downtown SF (16th & Mission BART / Civic Center) takes about 20 minutes by train.

The property is pet-friendly. The listing was marked "new — 1 day ago" as of June 1, indicating this came online during the May 25–June 1 window.

Commute: Walk (~20–25 min) or bus to Daly City BART; BART to 16th St Mission or Civic Center ~20 min.
Parking: Not confirmed — likely included for a managed property; verify.
Laundry: Not confirmed — verify at tour.
Utilities: Not specified — tenant-paid assumed. Ask for itemized fees.
Pets: Cats and dogs allowed.
Safety: Daly City is a low-crime suburban city. Westlake neighborhood is quiet and residential.
Watch for: Price range ($2,299–$2,783) reflects different unit tiers. Confirm exactly which tier is available and what the special offer covers before making the trip.

#5 — 275B Waller St, Lower Haight: $3,600/mo

1BR / 1BA · 600 sqft · Total remodel · In-unit W/D · Landlord pays water/gas/trash · Walk Score 98 · Available now 9

The only SF-proper entry this week, and it earns its slot. The Lower Haight 1BR median runs around $4,355/mo; 10 this unit at $3,600 lands roughly $755 below that benchmark, in a gut-renovated unit where the landlord absorbs water, gas, and trash. On an apples-to-apples basis, the effective cost gap against a bare median 1BR in the neighborhood widens further once you back out those utilities.

The renovation is comprehensive: new kitchen cabinetry, new countertops, stainless steel appliances including a dishwasher, new bathroom, new flooring throughout, and double-pane windows. In-unit washer/dryer is included. The building is at 271–273 Waller Street at Webster — a block from Divisadero Street's restaurant corridor, a short walk to Duboce Park, and surrounded by Muni stops. Walk Score 98 is not marketing copy; the intersection has grocery, pharmacy, and coffee within a 3-minute walk. The listing went up June 1 — act fast.

275B Waller St building exterior — Lower Haight, SF — 275B Waller St exterior 9

This is a Bay Property Group listing. Minimum credit score: 650. Income requirement: taxable monthly income ≥ $10,800 (3× monthly rent). No eviction history. Pets negotiable — not confirmed allowed, confirm before applying.

Commute: Muni 6, 7, 22, 24, N-Judah all within blocks. Duboce & Church streetcar stop is a 5-minute walk. Castro BART via Muni: ~10 min. No parking included — street parking only.
Parking: Street only. A genuine friction point if you have a car in Lower Haight.
Laundry: In-unit washer/dryer.
Utilities: Landlord pays water, garbage, and gas. Tenant pays other utilities.
Pets: Negotiable — not confirmed. Ask Bay Property Group directly.
Safety: Lower Haight is generally safe for residential living. Property crime (car break-ins) is the most common issue citywide. Waller St is a residential side street off the main Haight corridor — calmer than Upper Haight. SF citywide crime is down roughly 30% since Mayor Lurie took office, per the city. 11
Watch for: Income threshold of $10,800/mo gross means a take-home salary of roughly $130K+ annually before taxes. If you're near that threshold, have documentation ready.

Renter alert: "No Hidden Rent Act" introduced May 29

San Francisco Supervisor Bilal Mahmood introduced legislation on May 29 that would require landlords to display a "Total Estimated Cost" — covering all recurring fees — in the same font size and placement as the listed base rent in any rental advertisement. 12 Tenants would be able to terminate their lease without penalty if a landlord failed to disclose a recurring fee upfront. 13

The bill is in introduction stage — not yet law. But its practical implication for anyone signing a lease right now: ask every landlord for an itemized total monthly cost (base rent + trash + water + parking + pet rent + any building fees) before signing. That figure is what you're actually paying, and listings across all five of this week's picks either don't list fees at all or list base rent only.

Market context

SF's median rent hit $3,995 in May 2026 — a 15.4% year-over-year increase, with the month's peak recorded at $4,265. 1 The 1BR median is $3,877 (+14% YoY). Against that backdrop, this week's five picks all land below their respective neighborhood medians on an all-in basis. The clearest value is at the bottom of the set: the Redwood City studio at $2,050 all-in represents the highest discount to comparable Peninsula market rates, and the San Leandro furnished 1BR at $2,235 delivers rare BART-adjacent convenience at a below-median price. The SF entry at $3,600 is the only option for renters locked into the city, and it trades price for walkability and renovation quality.

Bay Area housing production remains below historical averages. Net new supply is slow, which means well-priced listings at this tier don't sit long. 14

5 best-value SF Bay Area apartments this week (May 25 – Jun 1, 2026)