Average Rent in Clearwater, FL: What the Figures Show
Clearwater rent figures range from about $1,450 to $2,250 a month, depending on the source, the unit size and the area. This guide shows what each number measures.
Average rent in Clearwater, FL, runs from about $1,565 to $2,195 a month across published sources, so the answer depends on which site you read [1][2]. For a quick picture, the overall median rent in the city stands at $1,461 on Apartment List, while Rent.com gives a range of $1,544 to $2,249 for 2026 [3][4].
The spread comes from different methods, so compare the same measure before you draw conclusions. A median from one site and a range from another are not the same kind of number, so line up the figures before you decide anything.
This article breaks down the figures by source, bedroom count, beach neighborhoods and recent change, so you can match a number to the kind of apartment you want.
Why do the Clearwater rent figures differ by source?
The five published Clearwater figures differ because each site measures rent in its own way, so the spread does not mean one site is wrong. The table shows what each figure covers.
Four of the five figures are averages, while Apartment List reports a median. An average can be pulled up by a few very expensive units, while a median is the middle value, so a median is usually lower when prices are uneven. [2][1][5][3][6]
The two figures also cover different groups of units.
Read the table as five answers to slightly different questions, not as five prices for the same apartment.
How much does rent change with the number of bedrooms?
Your bedroom count changes the rent more than any other factor, so budget from the figure for the unit size you need. Studios average $1,345 a month on Apartments.com [1]. That is the number to start from if one room with a small kitchen and bath will do.
Two-bedroom units cost more. A cost-of-living guide dated November 14, 2024 puts the average two-bedroom rent at approximately $1,830 a month [7].
If you plan to share, the two-bedroom becomes easier to compare with a studio. Split between two adults, the cost per person is far lower than the full unit rent, so a shared two-bedroom can be a reasonable choice for some renters.
Clearwater Beach costs the most. Listings there run from $2,200 for a studio to $11,725 for a four-bedroom [8]. Even the beach studio is well above the $1,345 citywide studio average [1], so a beach studio needs a bigger budget than a citywide studio.
Compare like with like. A studio and a four-bedroom are different rentals with different tenants, so set your search to one bedroom count and compare only those listings. Two studios on different streets tell you more than a studio beside a four-bedroom.
Does living near the beach raise your rent?
Beach addresses carry much higher asking rents than Clearwater as a whole. Among currently available Clearwater Beach listings, the median price is $4,500 a month [8]. If you want to live near the sand, that is the figure to plan around, not a citywide average.
The citywide picture is very different. The overall median rent in Clearwater is far lower than the beach figure [3]. A beach search built on the city average would leave you short by a wide margin.
It describes units listed right now, not what current tenants pay. It also mixes every unit size, so it tells you little about the rent for the home you need.
Compare neighborhoods by bedroom count instead. A studio at the beach and a four-bedroom house at the beach fall at very different points on the price scale, so one median hides the answer. Pull the figure for your bedroom count in each area, then compare those matched numbers.
For example, if you need two bedrooms, compare two-bedroom listings in Clearwater Beach against two-bedroom listings in the neighborhoods you would consider inland. Only matched numbers show whether the beach premium fits your budget.
Are Clearwater rents going up or down?
Clearwater rents have risen only slightly over the past year. Two rent trackers show small annual changes rather than sharp jumps, which points to a slow-moving trend.
RentCafe's annual comparison
RentCafe puts the average rent for an apartment in Clearwater at $1,864. That is a 0.97% increase over the previous year, when the average was $1,846 [5]. For a renter comparing leases from one year to the next, the average moved by less than 1%.
Apartment List's recent change
Apartment List reports Clearwater prices up 0.4% year over year [3]. Its overall median rent is roughly the same as the prior month [3]. Taken with RentCafe's figure, that suggests rents are holding steady rather than climbing fast.
What these numbers can and cannot tell you
These figures describe past changes. They do not predict where rents will go next year. A small annual change means the trend is slow, so a rent you see today is a reasonable starting point for planning.
Averages also hide differences between buildings and neighborhoods. Even when the citywide average barely moves, a two-bedroom in one building can cost much more than a two-bedroom a few miles away. Use the trend to judge whether the market is heating up, and use current listings to set the number you actually plan around.
How should you use these numbers to set a budget?
Start with the figure for the bedroom count you need, not the citywide average. A citywide number mixes studios with larger homes, so it can push your estimate well off for the unit you will actually rent. For a two-bedroom, one published average is about $1,830 a month [7]. Use that kind of unit-specific figure, and treat citywide numbers only as background.
Check the date on each figure before you use it.
Budget against the upper end of the range for the area you plan to live in, not the midpoint. Rent.com reports apartments between $1,544 and $2,249 in 2026 [4], so $2,249 is the number to plan around. Budgeting at the top of the range leaves room for a pricier unit or a rent increase at renewal.
What is a realistic rent budget for Clearwater?
Clearwater averages sit between about $1,450 and $2,250 a month across sources, so that is the range to plan around.
Match that figure to your bedroom count and neighborhood before you set a budget. A citywide number blends studios with larger homes, so it will understate what a three-bedroom costs. Start with the newest dated figure, and budget toward the upper end for the area you want.