Cheap Car Hire in San Diego from $31
This price is the cheapest per day rate found by a Cheapflights user in the last 48 hours by searching for a car hire in San Diego with a pick-up date of 18/10 and drop-off date of 25/10. Fares are subject to change and may not be available at all agencies or on all dates of hire. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
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San Diego car hires in 2026
Get helpful information to start your search for the perfect car hire in San Diego. The average price data is based on the last 12 months and was last updated on 11 October 2026.
Most popular company | THRIFTY |
|---|---|
Price of petrol per litre | $1.81 |
Average price per day | $60 |
Cheapest price per day | $31 |
Popular car types in San Diego
Explore the most popular car models available for hire in San Diego and choose the one that suits your needs. The price data is sourced from various car hire companies and was last updated on 11 October 2026.
In San Diego, there are 162 active hire locations from 68 car hire companies. small car is the cheapest car type to hire in San Diego in the past week - currently priced from $31/day. View deals for 6 car types available to hire in this destination:
Economy
$31+
Compact
$32+
Intermediate
$35+
Full-size
$38+
Passenger van
$73+
Pick-up truck
$53+
Supplier choice
$36+
Compact SUV
$45+
Best car hire deals found in San Diego
Browse through a selection of recently found affordable car hire deals in San Diego. Plan your trip with ease and find the perfect hire option for your needs. There are currently 8 hire car agencies in San Diego with an average daily rate of $43. Data was last updated on 11 October 2026.
Suzuki Swift$31/day
Kia Rio$32/day
Toyota Camry$35/day
Cheapflights insights for San Diego car hires
Get relevant, data-driven information to help you hire a car in San Diego, including pricing trends, ideal booking times, and more.
How far in advance should I hire a car in San Diego?
For the best savings on car hire in San Diego, make your reservation 7 days before pickup. The average price then is just $57/day – about 18% less than the yearly average.
What is the cheapest car hire company in San Diego?
In San Diego, the most affordable car hire company right now is Fox, offering prices from just $21.03/day over the past two weeks. Another budget-friendly choice is NU Car, with rates starting at $24.20/day.
What is the best car rental company in San Diego?
Based on Cheapflights user feedback, the highest-rated car hire company in San Diego is Avis (rated 6.4/10 with 127 reviews). Budget (rated 6.4/10 with 113 reviews) is also highly rated by our users.
What is the cheapest month to hire a car in San Diego?
The cheapest month to hire a car in San Diego is January, when you can expect to pay $50/day on average. The most expensive month to hire a car in San Diego is June ($80/day on average). The average daily car hire price for each month is shown below. Keep in mind that prices will vary based on availability, when you book, and the type of car you hire.
January
$50
February
$63
March
$74
April
$70
May
$69
June
$80
July
$79
August
$73
September
$64
October
$67
November
$63
December
$77
What car do most people hire in San Diego?
SUV cars (Nissan Rogue or similar) are the most popular option for those visiting San Diego. Full-size cars (Toyota Camry or similar) are also a popular choice, followed by Economy cars (Chevrolet Spark or similar).
Which car hire company has the most locations in San Diego?
Avis has 12 locations throughout the area, more than any other company. All Star Rent a Van has the second-highest number of locations in San Diego at 1.
Top hire agencies in San Diego
Explore the leading car hire agencies in San Diego known for their outstanding service and extensive range of vehicles to choose from. There are currently 8 car hire companies in San Diego. Reviews were last updated on 11 October 2026.
Overview
Reviews
Locations
Avis
127 reviews•12 locations
Overview
Cleanliness
7.2
Comfort
7.3
Overall
6.4
Pick-up/drop-off
6.6
Value
6.6
Recent reviews
4.0
|July 2023Staff was good but car was dirty
2.0
|Apr 2023Additional RSN charge sneaked into contract. Not explained or agreed upon.
2.0
|Apr 2023Perhaps my Owen fault, when I did not bring my credit card from Denmark. Back Home it is Ok to rent with just a debit card. The rent was prepaid and verified.. !! Anyway - my son and I had to go by public transportation instead. After the waiting at Avis San Diego.
2.0
|Apr 2023I had no idea the locations for pick-up and drop off were not at the arrival and departure airports as requested. Had to get a taxi to take from airport to the p/u location and office was closed for 30 minutes once I arrived, in a pouring down rainstorm. The car was not cleaned and the tools in the cargo area were unsecured adn rolling around on our drive. The drop off location was also offsite and I had to have a friend meet me there and give me a ride to the airport.
10.0
|Apr 2023Easy peasy, great desk staff too!
2.0
|Mar 2023Worst experience I’ve had renting a car. Lady at desk was rude and wouldn’t help me out.
1 out of 43
Overview
Reviews
Locations
Budget
113 reviews•11 locations
Overview
Cleanliness
7.3
Comfort
7.3
Overall
6.4
Pick-up/drop-off
6.6
Value
6.6
Recent reviews
2.0
|June 2024I was very disappointed. I went to rental location and was told that my debit card could not be used for payment. I asked to use apple pay and that was a big fat no. I returned home and picked up a credit card and went back to rental location and they were closed at noon. The $26 I paid for insurance was not refunded. When I lift the location I should have been informed that they close at noon on Sunday, I told the customer service representative that I would be coming back with a credit card,
10.0
|July 2023The staff menber was extremely friendly and spoke to me about making them my number one choice in the future without being pushy. Very positive experience.
10.0
|Apr 2023I liked all, the ease of navigating on website was amazing. Keep it like it is!
2.0
|Apr 2023My plane was late coming in so I missed my reservation. Budget would not honor my reservation rate the next morning bc they said I was outside my grace period. Very unprofessional. Will not do business with them in the future.
2.0
|May 2022I have very bad experience & I’m still waiting for my money back, All this company want your money They don’t care customer services
1 out of 38
Overview
Reviews
Locations
Hertz
223 reviews•12 locations
Overview
Cleanliness
6.4
Comfort
6.2
Overall
5.4
Pick-up/drop-off
5.5
Value
5.7
Recent reviews
2.0
|Dec 2025Car was not available
10.0
|Sept 2023Your customer service person who helped me with correcting my rental was awesome.
10.0
|Aug 2023When we arrived at San Diego Airport, we were told that our reservation was Tijuana not San Diego. I had a print out of my reservation and it showed Pick-up and Return were both San Diego. I ended up paying $90 more than my reserved price. I was not very happy about it.
2.0
|July 2023Location was not san Diego Airport. I That's what we asked for and the reservation was for Otay. Had to redo everything at .much higher lrice. Will never use kayak again
10.0
|July 2023We had an issue with where our original rental was planned and the gentleman at San Diego airport did a great job in fixing our situation
10.0
|July 2023I found it very easy to cancel a reservation. As they say " ... with no questions asked ..." excellent customer service.
1 out of 75
Overview
Reviews
Locations
U-Save
24 reviews•1 location
Overview
Cleanliness
7.1
Comfort
6.9
Overall
6.5
Pick-up/drop-off
6.2
Value
7.2
Recent reviews
8.0
|Sept 2024Explain the double shuttle ride better
10.0
|Aug 2024Very friendly staff, easy pickup and drop off. Definitely recommend.
8.0
|Jan 2024Good
10.0
|Apr 2023I really had a tremendous experience with U-Save at every level. Had never rented from them before, but would do so again in whatever location they have agencies. I will say for certain I will always rent from them at the San Diego location. Many of the big rental car chains - such as Thrifty and Dollar in particular.....are absolute jokes. It is refreshing ro find a smaller outfit like U-Save that cares about every level of customer service and giving you a good car for your money.
10.0
|Apr 2023The employee at the counter was very professional and courteous, he took care of us in no time. Right now, it seems everything is over inflated however, U-Save was, and by far, much cheaper than it’s competitors present at the airport. We got a brand new Tesla and there was no hassle. Pick up and return way easy.
1 out of 8
U-Save Locations in San Diego
Overview
Locations
All Star Rent a Van
1 location
All Star Rent a Van Locations in San Diego
Overview
Locations
NextCar
1 location
NextCar Locations in San Diego
Overview
Locations
National
1 location
National Locations in San Diego
Overview
Locations
Rhodium
1 location
Rhodium Locations in San Diego
Car hire FAQs
Find answers to frequently asked questions about car hires in San Diego, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 11 October 2026.
What is the cheapest hire car found in San Diego?
In the past two weeks, Cheapflights users have found many deals under $60/day when booking a car hire in San Diego. The absolute best deal a user found was for $48/day from NU Car, booked on Oct. 3.
How much does it cost to hire a car in San Diego for a week from Dollar?
Dollar is one of the top picks in San Diego. They can have you in a hire car for about $402 per week on average.
Can I rent a car for a month in San Diego?
Yes, hiring a vehicle in San Diego for a month is certainly possible.
How much does it cost to rent a car in San Diego for a month?
The monthly cost of a car hire in San Diego is $1,724 ($57/day) on average.
How much is a car hire in San Diego for a weekend?
The average price for a weekend car hire in San Diego is $79. Hiring a Economy is your cheapest option if you’re looking to save money on your weekend car hire in San Diego. For the month of November, Cheapflights users have found hire cars in San Diego for as low as $0/day.
Travelling to a place near San Diego?
Hire a car at San Diego if you plan to visit one of these locationsSan Ysidro
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