Another semi-obnoxious relocation post (Austin, Pittsburg: apartment, condos, how much)

[sightunseen]

Another possible future Austinite here. I'm seriously thinking relocating from Pittsburgh to the city of Austin, but as someone intimately familiar with the old and dense cities of the northeast, I'm confused about where in Austin would be a good fit. I'm thinking a neighborhood where grad students and professors live.
How much can I expect to realistically pay for a 2 or 3 bedroom apartment with all or most of these things? My expectations are completely unrealistic as far as rents go, as anyone familiar with the ridiculously cheap housing market in Pittsburgh would know (e.g. I pay $850/mo for a 5 bedroom house-->e.g. the cheaper, the better).

Here are some of my criteria:
walkable coffee shop/bars/library/venues--preferably independently owned
close to public transportation, parks, downtown, and UT
lots of young people (I'm 23, but I don't want to settle in the middle of a frat party)
urban/dense--not a huge fan of giant complexes, not opposed to well planned green spaces
quirky/neighborhood-y--I grew up in the soulless suburbs of Philly and there's nothing I despise

Also, I've been searching for housing on craigslist and it seems that condos and townhome complexes are the norm. Is this true or has my sample size been skewed by craigslist spammers?

Also, what is public transportation like? And can I get by walking/biking/riding the bus rather than driving?

Any and all suggestions would be welcome! And thanks!