Most cleaning companies publish ranges. We publish our price list. Below is what house cleaning actually costs in San Diego in 2026, from a local company that bills by the quarter hour: hourly rates, minimums, and realistic totals by home size.
The short answer
Standard and recurring cleaning runs $60 an hour, billed in 15-minute increments, with a three-hour minimum ($180). Deep cleaning and move-out cleaning run $65 an hour on the same billing, with a $195 minimum. Airbnb turnover cleaning is a flat rate: estimated hours times $60, three-hour minimum. And your first clean is 10% off, a discount that stays on every visit if you keep a monthly-or-faster recurring schedule.
San Diego cleaning cost by home size
These are estimates for a full-home standard clean. The final quote depends on bathrooms, condition, and which rooms you care about most.
| Home size | Typical hours | Standard clean | Deep clean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 3 (minimum) | $180 | $195 |
| 1 bed, 1 bath | 3 to 3.5 | $180 to $210 | $195 to $228 |
| 2 bed, 1 to 2 bath | about 4 | about $240 | about $260 |
| 3 bed, 2 bath | about 5 | about $300 | about $325 |
| 4 bed, 2.5+ bath | 6+ | $360 and up | $390 and up |
What moves your price up or down
Bathrooms matter most. A two-bedroom with two baths takes noticeably longer than a two-bedroom with one. Bathrooms are the slowest rooms in any house.
Condition beats square footage. A home we maintain every three weeks is fast. A first visit to a home that hasn't been professionally cleaned in years is deep-clean territory, whatever its size.
Layout adds time. Stairs, lofts, and split levels show up constantly in Otay Ranch and Carmel Valley two-stories, and they slow everything down.
Pets, dishes, and laundry. All fine. Just mention them when you text for a quote so the estimate is honest.
Access. Gate codes, guest parking, and elevator waits eat clock time. Anyone who has waited for a Pacific Beach high-rise elevator knows this.
How our billing actually works
For residential work, we estimate hours for your whole home from square footage, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Then we bill for the time actually worked, in 15-minute increments. If we quoted four hours and finish in three and a half, you pay for three and a half.
Here is my honest take, since it is my company: we would rather recommend five hours than sell you three and quietly add more later. Under-quoting to win the booking is the oldest trick in local service. It is why so many estimates do not match the invoice, and it burns goodwill we would rather spend keeping clients for years.
Want to spend less than the estimate? That's fine. We work your priorities within the hours you authorize. Kitchens and bathrooms first is a common request and a sensible one.
If the cleaner realizes she needs one more hour to finish what you asked for, she doesn't just run the clock. We text you first, tell you the cost of the extra hour, and wait for your approval.
Airbnb and turnover work is quoted as a flat rate for up to the estimated hours. The flat rate protects your checkout window. If we finish early, the rate stands. If the clean runs long, that's on us, not your next guest.
The 10% math
| Scenario | 3 visits a month | Effective hourly |
|---|---|---|
| One-time clean | $180 first visit, 10% off = $162 | $54 on the first visit only |
| Recurring monthly or faster | 10% off every visit, $162 each | $54, every visit |
Recurring service costs less per visit. That's the whole table.
Hidden costs to watch for
I will say the quiet part: the pricing games in this industry are why people dread booking cleaners. Some companies advertise minimums under three hours, then re-price at the door. Some say supplies are included, then itemize them. Move-out quotes balloon when cabinets, appliances, and closets were never scoped. And a cancellation window stricter than your calendar is a fee waiting to happen. Ask about all four before you book anyone, including us.
Questions San Diego homeowners actually ask
How much is house cleaning in San Diego? Standard is $60 an hour with a $180 minimum. Deep cleaning and move-out are $65 with a $195 minimum. Most one and two-bedroom homes land between $180 and $240. Three-bedroom and larger homes run $300 to $390.
How much should a cleaner get done in 3 hours? A full clean of a well-kept one-bedroom, one-bath home. In a larger home, three hours covers priorities: kitchens and bathrooms first, then what time allows.
How much do cleaners charge per hour in San Diego? You'll see everything from $45 to $75 across the county. Published professional rates with supplies and insurance included typically run $60 to $65. Ours are on this page, not behind a quote form.
Do you tip house cleaners? Never expected, always appreciated.
How much does a move-out cleaning cost? $195 minimum. Most one to three-bedroom homes land between $195 and $325. There's a separate guide to move-out costs, including who typically pays, the landlord or the tenant.
How much is an Airbnb turnover in San Diego? Estimated hours times $60, flat. Studios run about $180, two-bedrooms about $240, three-bedrooms about $300.
Do you charge extra for supplies? No. Supplies and equipment are included in every rate on this page.
A note on neighborhoods
Coastal condos in Pacific Beach and La Jolla add elevator and parking time. Two-story planned communities in Otay Ranch and EastLake add stairs. Older homes in El Cajon and La Mesa often need a deep-clean conversation before a standard visit. None of this is a surcharge. It's just how time gets spent, and it's why we ask for photos before quoting. I have seen enough quotes go sideways to know that the two minutes you spend texting us photos saves us both an awkward conversation later.
Prices on this page are The Tidy Turnover's published rates as of October 2026. See the full price list for details, or get 10% off your first cleaning.