Young New Yorker contemplating moving to San Francisco (Oakland, Berkeley: for rent, how much)

[SKR14]

For various reasons, I've decided to delay higher education (I'm 19) for a year and instead move out on my lonesome to San Francisco to focus on my own projects.
From what I've read, the atmosphere and culture of the Bay do seem to suit my tastes, perhaps more so than even the better parts of New York (which I obviously can't afford). I'm far from a tech guy, but the culture clash will no doubt only sharpen my creative faculties.
(Please note that I'm here for a change in environment but not for partying or bohemian hedonism. I envision myself studying, writing, and working on my own, for the most part.)
(Further note: While it'd be nice to live in San Francisco proper, I'm interested in the general Bay Area, though preferably not too far. Oakland, for example, is at a palatable distance.)
As a result, a couple of questions:
- I'm a white young man who wants to live alone. Obviously that means I'd like a room (or roommate) for a very low price. I basically need a room I can sleep in. I was half-seriously considering homelessness until I decided the logistics of that were too absorbing to pull off. However, I am willing to trade 100 dollars or some inconvenience for the luxury of not getting shot, if you know what I mean. To boil it down: what are some rooming options that are cheap yet also safe enough? Particularly detail neighborhood situations and the like.
- Safety in general. I come from working-class Brooklyn so this isn't likely to be a problem, but you never know.
- Work. I may earn income through my own projects, but I am also thinking to supplement that or earn survival money by getting a basic job. How is the jobs market for basic no-experience jobs that require a high school degree or lower?
(Or, if someone knows something where I can leverage my current brainpower without necessarily having a degree, that would be ideal - if unlikely to exist.)
- Transportation options. Frankly, the city looks walkable enough, but I may need to use this in case I decide to get a real job. Is it good enough for a daily commute somewhere?
I'm sure these questions aren't the most original in the world, but I do have a specific situation about which they revolve.
Thank you in advance for your responses.

[mayorhaggar]

Go to colllege, dude, or at least pick a city that is cheaper. SF isn't really bohemian anymore, maybe 5 years ago. A studio in SF goes for $1500. If you're lucky you'll find one in Oakland or Berkeley for around $800.

[clongirl]

I also hate to be the bearer of bad news but we don't really need any more homeless here. I can almost guarantee that this will be your future if you decide to move here right now.

Figure out what kind of career path you'd like to follow, go to college, gain some work experience, then move here. San Francisco isn't the place for you yet.

[bmw335xi]

Almost half of San Francisco's population has a bachelor's degree or higher. The weather is too cold most of the year to be homeless. Go to college and get a degree in computer science, then get your mba in computer science and you'll be making six figures virtually right out of school in the San Francisco Bay Area. With that money, you can start all the side projects you've always wanted.

[jaypee]

Let's see ... you want to move to one of the most expensive cities in the country with one of the highest unemployment rates with little work experience, no tech skills, no education, no job lined up, and no money?

[SKR14]

Originally Posted by jaypee

Let's see ... you want to move to one of the most expensive cities in the country with one of the highest unemployment rates with little work experience, no tech skills, no education, no job lined up, and no money?

I think I wasn't clear enough. I don't need the job to live here, I have a flow of income already from my side projects. I thought it would be nice to work as a supplement to that income and also as a disciplinary tool. But this misconception is probably my fault. I'm sure people are visualizing something quite different from what my situation really is. Yes, I am going to college, and yes, I know the high prices. (And no, I wasn't really planning on homelessness.) It's not an "actual" move in that I am only staying here for a year before I go to college.
I must apologize profusely, for without mentioning a few crucial details like the last one people must have gotten the wrong impression. I'm not here to live permanently, build a career, etc. It's a gap year.
So, I'm just looking for the cheapest rent possible and maybe an odd job to supplement my income and savings.

[mayorhaggar]

I told you what rent in the Bay Area is like. Unless you have at least $500 a week in income, don't move there. You wouldn't move to NYC expecting cheap rent would you?

[SKR14]

Originally Posted by mayorhaggar

I told you what rent in the Bay Area is like. Unless you have at least $500 a week in income, don't move there. You wouldn't move to NYC expecting cheap rent would you?

I see. However, I have seen rooms rented out for $500 a month (on craigslist), which seems palatable. Admittedly, these rooms may not be in prime locations, but I wasn't expecting downtown SF (or the city in general) to be anywhere within my price range. Nor do I need it to be. Seems to defeat the purpose of moving, I know, but I have my idiosyncrasies.

[mdwstrnkid]

Originally Posted by SKR14

I see. However, I have seen rooms rented out for $500 a month (on craigslist), which seems palatable. Admittedly, these rooms may not be in prime locations, but I wasn't expecting downtown SF (or the city in general) to be anywhere within my price range. Nor do I need it to be. Seems to defeat the purpose of moving, I know, but I have my idiosyncrasies.

You should be aware that there are a lot of scams on CL advertising cheap rooms for rent. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

[jaypee]

What is your expected monthly income and how much are you budgeting for rent and living expenses?