Cheap urban areas to rent for under $600? (San Diego, San Jose: car insurance, safe area)

[EddieCooley]

So how could I do with $800 then? And if not in an urban area, then at least a drive's distance from one.

[ragnarkar]

Originally Posted by EddieCooley

So how could I do with $800 then? And if not in an urban area, then at least a drive's distance from one.

$800/mo in Los Angeles

$800/mo in Orange County

$800/mo in San Francisco area

plenty of choices out there...

[Losfrisco]

Originally Posted by EddieCooley

When I meant on the west coast, I just meant the state, not necessarily near the ocean or anything like that. Is it possible to find a decent place anywhere in the state for $600?

I have a studio with utilities included for 525.

[KC6ZLV]

It shouldn't be a problem in Fresno, Bakersfiled, Visalia, Modesto, or Stockton. You will have to look for one in a not so bad area, but you can do it. Well, maybe with the exception of Stockton.

The lowest prices start at just over $600 a month in Sacramento, Chico and Redding. With persistence you might find a small studio somewhere in the vicinity of Downtown Sacramento, but there will be a lot of competition. I've noticed a few suburban apartment complexes here with rents between $600 to $700. They aren't in bad neighbourhoods, but they aren't the best either. I'm sure those apartments still have the appliances from the last remodel sometime in the 70s.

I don't know how much rent is in Yuba City or the small towns. Maybe taking a look at a map and looking up individual town newspapers will give you an idea of rents in those areas.

[Oerdin]

At $600 you're looking at a studio in the ghetto some where or renting a room off of Craig's List in any of the major coastal cities.

[gone down south]

I don't think you understand just how big California is, you might need to narrow your search parameters a bit to get any kind of help here.

[FresnoFacts]

Originally Posted by KC6ZLV

It shouldn't be a problem in Fresno, Bakersfiled, Visalia, Modesto, or Stockton. You will have to look for one in a not so bad area, but you can do it. Well, maybe with the exception of Stockton.

The lowest prices start at just over $600 a month in Sacramento, Chico and Redding. With persistence you might find a small studio somewhere in the vicinity of Downtown Sacramento, but there will be a lot of competition. I've noticed a few suburban apartment complexes here with rents between $600 to $700. They aren't in bad neighbourhoods, but they aren't the best either.

Fresno/Clovis prices are currently similiar to Sacramento. Right now around Fresno its about $600-$700 for a studio or $700-1200 for a 1 bed/1 bath located in a good area and it will be higher in some of the north Fresno complexes.

Even in downtown Fresno, which is nowhere near as developed as downtown Sac, the new loft complexes in the small Arts/Mural District start at about $750 for a 1 bed/1 bath. Construction is starting this summer converting downtown's old Hotel Fresno into 72 apartments with rents at $900 and up for a 1 bed/1 bath.

[Dport7674]

Originally Posted by EddieCooley

So how could I do with $800 then? And if not in an urban area, then at least a drive's distance from one.

You can get a pretty nice place for $800 in Chico. One of my favorite Ca. towns.

[nightbird47]

Originally Posted by nmnita

not if you want want urban or suburban like you said. You might be able to find something in places like the inland Empire or in the northern most part of Ca and very much inland. But that would not give you am urban atmosphere. Do you have a profession and what do you plan on doing to pay your rent etc? I think you might need to think this through a little more.

NIta

I don't know what it is now, but before I moved my little 300sf apartment in a relatively ok part of Riverside was going up towards 900 a month. I don't recall seeing anything in a place I'd live there for under 600 then. Even room rentals under that were getting scarce. I'm assuming that since housing has crashed so bad there, rental prices have gone up.

Always, always think a whole lot about those "safety challenged" places since who wants to live where you don't want to go outside after dark?

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by EddieCooley

When I meant on the west coast, I just meant the state, not necessarily near the ocean or anything like that. Is it possible to find a decent place anywhere in the state for $600?

Probably in places that are far inland such as Fresno, Bakersfield, Sacramento, or Riverside. These places are generally considered less desirable because of very hot summers (and sometimes chilly winters), less attractive locations, low paying job markets, poor economies, etc.

In general, the inland cities in California typically still have above average living costs and below average wages. When you hear people refer to various places in California as "cheap" they mean cheap by California's overpriced standards...which is still about 25% above the national average. Your situation may vary, but don't count on it.