Expensive? (Boston: cheap apartment, to rent, college)

[mrmaninacan07]

I hear that living in boston has one of the highest costs of living. If I am coming out of college planning to get a food service job what can I expect cost wise and what is the best living situation I can get.

[miu]

What kind of food service job? As a bartender, server or cook? I'd start off by getting an cheap apartment share and take it from there. What you want to do is doable, but there are so many variables.

Search Boston craigslist to get some wage and rent numbers to crunch with.

[Missmoose]

Second the cheap apt. share idea. Alsolook for things close to the T to eliminate the need for a car.

[mrmaninacan07]

I wouldnt end up driving so where ever I lived would be close to the T

[shiver]

Yes, Boston is expensive.

Your best situation will be to rent with roommates; probably with 2-3 other people. Hazarding a guess, on the low end, you're probably looking at rent and basic utilities around $600. Try to find a place that includes heat in the rent (many do) because you don't want any nasty surprises come the winter heating bill.

But don't forget to factor the cell phone, T pass, groceries, prescriptions, clothes, personal stuff, entertainment, etc.

With regards to the job, if you're working nights, realize that the T stops running around 12:30AM. I never worked in the service industry, but that probably works for most servers. But if you're working as a bartender or any position that requires you to be there until 2 or 3AM, you'll have to either walk, bike, get a ride or catch a cab.

[mrmaninacan07]

The transportation will not be an issue for me. Now I may move in with my two friends in Beacon Hill and they eat out a lot because groceries are "unavailable" are there any grocery stores or a combination of stores where I could go to get what I need instead of take out every night?

[shiver]

Heh. I'm going to call your friends out on laziness. Granted, Beacon Hill isn't right near a large general supermarket, but it's not accurate to say that groceries are unavailable. There's a nice Whole Foods in that area and a few smaller grocery stores (DeLucas Market on Charles St.). Now, these aren't the cheapest grocery stores around, but it's certainly cheaper than spending $8-$10 on takeout every night.

You can also take the T to the Shaws supermarket near the Pru every so often to stock up on basics.

[clevedark]

And doesn't Peapod deliver?