Travel nurse housing in Santa Barbara, CA
7 furnished rentals listed by hosts for travelers, median $3,100 a month. HUD fair market rent for a one-bedroom here is $3,240, the benchmark this page holds a housing stipend against, and the median asks $140 less.
- Active listings
- 7
- Median asking rent
- $3,100 a month
- Price range
- $2,300 to $7,100
- Pet friendly
- 43%
- HUD fair market rent, 1BR
- $3,240
What renting here costs
Median asking rent across the 7 listings is $3,100 a month, from $2,300 to $7,100. HUD fair market rent for a one-bedroom is $3,240 (2025); 4 of the 7 sit at or under it.
| Asking rent | Listings |
|---|
| Under $1k | 0 |
| $1–1.5k | 0 |
| $1.5–2k | 0 |
| $2–2.5k | 1 |
| $2.5–3k | 1 |
| Over $3k | 5 |
Available now
- 1-bedroom apartment — $3,000 a month · under fair market rent · utilities included, furnished · 1.4 mi to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
- 1-bedroom apartment in Alta Mesa — $2,300 a month · under fair market rent · utilities included, furnished · 0.8 mi to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
- 3-bedroom condo in Upper East — $7,000 a month · over fair market rent · utilities included, parking, pets ok · 0.8 mi to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
- 1-bedroom house — $2,800 a month · under fair market rent · utilities included, parking, furnished · 3 mi to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
- 3-bedroom house in Westside — $5,900 a month · over fair market rent · utilities included, furnished · 0.8 mi to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
- 1-bedroom studio in Westside — $3,100 a month · under fair market rent · utilities included, parking, pets ok · 0.8 mi to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
- 3-bedroom house — $7,100 a month · over fair market rent · utilities included, parking, pets ok · 0.8 mi to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
Where to live by hospital
| Neighborhood | Listings | Median asking rent | Miles to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital | Parking included |
|---|
| Westside | 2 | $4,500 | 0.8 | 1 of 2 |
| Alta Mesa | 1 | $2,300 | 0.8 | 0 of 1 |
| Upper East | 1 | $7,000 | 0.8 | 1 of 1 |
Distances are straight-line miles from the neighborhood's listings to the hospital.
The stipend against the market
HUD fair market rent is the benchmark this page holds a housing stipend against; furnished traveler rentals ask what they ask. Monthly figures, side by side:
- HUD fair market rent, 1BR
- $3,240
- Median listing here
- $3,100
- HUD fair market rent, 2BR
- $3,650
- Market asking rent (Zillow ZORI)
- $4,119
The GSA lodging rate for Santa Barbara is $205 to $262 a night (fiscal 2026), up to about $7,860 a month: the tax-free ceiling for a lodging stipend, not what an agency pays.
Against the national average, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA runs housing 51% above, utilities 50% above and groceries and goods 5% above. (Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro, 2024.)
| Category | vs. national average |
|---|
| Overall | 9% above |
| Housing | 51% above |
| Utilities | 50% above |
| Groceries and goods | 5% above |
| Services | at par |
HUD fair market rent for a two-bedroom in Santa Barbara is $3,650 a month (2025, utilities included); a one-bedroom is $3,240.
California taxes wage income.
Renting here as a traveler
- 4 of 7 listings sit under fair market rent
- HUD fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Santa Barbara is $3,240 a month, the benchmark this page holds a stipend against. The 4 under it run from $2,300.
- 7 of 7 include utilities
- Every listing here states which utilities are included; the detail page lists them.
- Parking on 4 of 7
- 3 state none; the detail page says what each offers.
- 3 listings take pets
- 43% of the listings here state pets allowed.
- Minimum stay: 2 months median
- Across the 7 listings that state one, in months.
Open assignments
| Specialty | Open | Median advertised weekly | Facility |
|---|
| Case Management | 1 | $2,965 | Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital |
| L&D | 1 | $2,803 | Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital |
Advertised weekly rates on current postings, refreshed hourly.
Common questions
- How much does travel nurse housing cost in Santa Barbara, CA?
- 7 listings on CircleRN ask from $2,300 to $7,100 a month, median $3,100. HUD fair market rent for a one-bedroom is $3,240, so the median sits $140 under it.
- Which Santa Barbara hospitals are these listings near?
- Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital (2 open) are hiring in Santa Barbara. 7 listings are within five miles of the nearest one.
- What is the GSA lodging rate for Santa Barbara?
- $205 to $262 a night depending on the month for Santa Barbara (fiscal 2026), up to about $7,860 a month. That is the tax-free ceiling for a lodging stipend, not what an agency pays; your recruiter quotes the actual figure.
- How do booking and payment work on CircleRN?
- You message the host on CircleRN and make the arrangements with them directly, including payment. CircleRN does not hold or process rent. Never wire money before you have seen the place or spoken to the host; see the Trust & Safety page for the signs of a scam.
- Do I need a California license to work in Santa Barbara?
- California is not a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so you need a California license to work here even if you hold a multistate license.
- Where do travelers stay in Santa Barbara?
- Listings here are in Westside, Alta Mesa and Upper East. Alta Mesa sits under fair market rent. The table above gives the distance from each to the hospitals hiring.
Housing elsewhere in the state
- Housing in San Diego — 72 listings, median $2,350, $180 under fair market rent
- Housing in Los Angeles — 56 listings, median $2,150, $0 under fair market rent
- Housing in Sacramento — 27 listings, median $1,800, $170 over fair market rent
- Housing in Riverside — 15 listings, median $2,000, $10 over fair market rent
- Housing in Palm Springs — 14 listings, median $2,175, $315 over fair market rent
- Housing in Bakersfield — 13 listings, median $1,600, $540 over fair market rent
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