ADU Glossary · Data Sheet · Updated 2026-07-02

San Diego ADU Cost Data — 2026

Cost by type & size, neighborhood $/sqft tiers, City of San Diego permit fees, and ADU rent comps. Free to cite with attribution.

Cost by ADU type

ADU typeAll-in cost$/sqftTypical rent
JADU (interior conversion, <500 sqft)$60K–$150K$150–$300$1,200–$1,800
Garage conversion$80K–$200K$200–$250$1,500–$2,200
Attached ADU$150K–$300K$250–$350$2,000–$2,800
Detached ADU (new build)$200K–$450K$300–$450$2,500–$3,500
Two-story / custom detached$250K–$500K+$350–$450$3,200–$4,500

All-in cost by size

400 sqft $200K–$330K
500 sqft $243K–$405K
600 sqft $285K–$480K
800 sqft $370K–$630K
1000 sqft $455K–$780K
1200 sqft $540K–$930K
1500 sqft $668K–$1.16M
2000 sqft $880K–$1.53M
Model: San Diego $/sqft hard cost ($425 budget – $750 high-end) + $18K permits + $12K utility hookups. Bars span budget→high-end.

Neighborhood cost tiers ($/sqft hard cost)

Coastal Premium $400–$500/sqft
Urban Core $350–$450/sqft
Mid-Range Residential $300–$400/sqft
Value Corridors $250–$350/sqft
Tier$/sqftTypical ADU rentNeighborhoods
Coastal Premium$400–$500$3,200+La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Del Mar, Point Loma, Ocean Beach
Urban Core$350–$450$2,800+North Park, Hillcrest, South Park, Mission Hills, Downtown
Mid-Range Residential$300–$400$2,400+Kensington, Talmadge, Clairemont, Serra Mesa, Allied Gardens
Value Corridors$250–$350$2,000+El Cajon, Chula Vista (East), Mira Mesa, Santee, Escondido

Permit & soft-cost fees — City of San Diego DSD

Plan check$1,000–$2,500
Building permit$1,500–$4,000
Impact feesWaived (<750 sqft)
School fees$2–$4/sqft
Utilities hookup$2,500–$7,000
Total permit + soft cost$5,000–$13,500

ADU rent comps

Rent range: $3.27–$4.43/sqft
Size (sqft)BedroomsMonthly rent
6001BR$2,400
8002BR$3,200
11002BR$3,950
How to cite: "San Diego ADU Cost Data 2026, ADU Glossary" with a link to https://aduglossary.com/san-diego-adu-cost-guide/. Raw CSV of every figure here: https://aduglossary.com/downloads/san-diego-adu-cost-data-2026.csv.