Clueless Midwesterner Moving to Miami in May 2018 for 1-2 years (Miami Beach: apartments, rentals)

[UsernameChecksOut]

NOTE: I have been reading through Miami threads each day to gain salient advice on the rental atmosphere, but if there are particularly helpful threads any of you have encountered, please PM me or link here! Many thanks in advance!

Current situation: I recently accepted a paid internship with a government agency located in Miami. The pay (35K, pre-taxes) is below what I would consider an "average" salary for Miami, but it is an internship and comes with really nice government perks. I am excited to move to Miami, and from what I have heard it can be a vibrant city with many interesting cultural facets that set it apart from other cities in the States. That said, aside from visiting Miami for 2 days when I was a teenager and my frequent layovers at Miami International Airport, I have absolutely no clue about the city itself.

Considering my tentative salary and my current savings, I can afford about $1,200.00 in rent alone, though I am hoping to keep it at $1,000. I am not making Miami my permanent home, so I am fine with studios, student housing, or mixed income neighborhoods. Safety is a concern, but I understand my budget might not grant me the best options. My internship is located right Downtown, so any neighborhoods with straightforward access to Downtown works. I have heard public transportation in Miami is lacking, so purchasing a car will be on the agenda as well - though if there are public transportation options, I would be happy to hear about them! As I will be finishing my Master's degree, I won't be going out much to clubs, but I am interested in any low key neighborhoods that have an interesting bar scene (not sure if that is asking too much!)

About me: 33, Black American woman from Midwest, advanced Spanish speaker (lived and worked in South & Central America), accostumed to living in multi-ethnic neighborhoods. I like to bike and walk and am also a lapsed vegan

I have reached out to my networks and to folks I know who live in the area, and they have given me leads on where to live. So far, they have mentioned:

Coconut Grove;
Coral Gables;
Little Havana (up and coming);
Wynwood (up and coming);

and have told me to avoid Allapattah and Overtown.

I am open to your advice and am really willing to make things work in Miami because the internship is such an amazing opportunity.

Thanks!

[Marc Middleton]

Just under $3k/month before taxes in Miami? Doesn't sound fun.

Best to get a room mate, take an uber (or buy a crappy old car) and keep expenses low. Otherwise, you'll be miserable and waiting tables on weekends & nights to supplement income and never have any free time to enjoy Miami.

[valicky]

It won't be 3k a month after taxes. Maybe $2500? That's rough.

[AnnRyan]

The magic word is going to be roommate. You really should have one. Trying to live in Miami on one $35,000 salary is going to be very tough.

[UsernameChecksOut]

Thank you for offering your perspectives! Very sobering and what I was looking for when I made the post.

The magic word is going to be roommate.

Noted. This seems to be the best fit.

Otherwise, you'll be miserable and waiting tables on weekends & nights to supplement income and never have any free time to enjoy Miami.

Trying to live in Miami on one $35,000 salary is going to be very tough.

Thank you for your replies! The salary from the internship alone is $35,000 pre taxes, but is not my entire income. My savings add an extra $1,000 USD/month, and because this is a government position, I also will receive certain subsidies which reduce costs like transportation. I am trying to stay away student loans at the moment, but might consider it in the future, since I am eligible for loan payment reductions. I am really interested in understanding how far my dollar can go for rental properties in Miami. I was given advice that for a single woman $1200 in rent alone is doable.

Maybe $2500? That's rough.

I read that COL in Miami is 14% higher than the National Average (and 80% higher than where I live now, in Central America, LOL). The average Miamiam my age makes just around 40K/year, and income inequality in the city is stark. Those stats are troubling. However, through my networks, I met AmeriCorps volunteers who made <1000/month; they mentioned that most lived with 2-3 roomates and though difficult at times, they managed to make it work. Their advice was to take advantage of the plentiful free activities that are available, and to use current connections for socializing.

This seems like solid advice, but am I missing something? Are Miami grocery store prices extremely high? Are free events/areas in Miami generally low quality or not fun? Really trying to gain perspective. I am not single (so will save on costs associated with dating), will be spending a lot of time studying and working at my internship, and will be taking advantage of the free or low-cost opportunities in Mami.

I should mention again, that this internship is an investment: it is near-exactly what I have been looking for and is in the federal agency I've wanted to work for since I began studying; if I am successful in the internship, there is a high likelihood I will be offered a permament position at a higher salary on the scale.

That said, does anyone have any specific advice on neighborhoods? I will most likely have a vehicle (paid in full) around the same time I arrive in Miami, so I am particularly curious about commute times as well.

[WINTERFRONT]

Get a roomate in Coral Gables (northern side, between ponce and le Jeune) at a cheap studio and you'll do fine.

[UsernameChecksOut]

Originally Posted by WINTERFRONT

Get a roomate in Coral Gables (northern side, between ponce and le Jeune) at a cheap studio and you'll do fine.

Thanks for the info - I really appreciate it!

[himain]

That's going to be a tight budget even at 45k a year

[Costa1211]

Super important question about commute time!
Check out a studio on south beach. The rental market for older walk ups has gone down in the past year as short term rentals (under 6 months) were outlawed (25k fine). I’m a 5’1 32 year old who for sure pays attention to her surroundings, but feels safe coming and going. I’ve never had an issue with street parking in the past five years either. I’d also check out older north beach apartments.

***Agree with the older gables suggestion but the commute to downtown will likely be a pain. I’m talking 30-45 minutes possibly. Yes, as the crow flies it may be 10 miles, but that’s like 35 miles in Miami traffic. Miami Beach to downtown is super easy. I do it now and it’s awesome. Commuting from Broward is a painful experience so if you work in Miami, live in Miami.

Are you able to get access to one of the university housing boards? FIU, UM, etc? Those are good places to find a roommate.

Ok, so it won’t be a walk in the park, but it can be done. I’m a lawyer who chose to work in public service for three years making 37k. I lived in Ohio for five years and while rent was much cheaper, I didn’t find the grocery stores to be more affordable, in fact I found vegetables and fruit to be more expensive. I have also found a lot more free activities here. Yoga in bay front park, community barre classes for $8, student discounts for theatre and music events and a ton of outdoor activities. Especially take advantage of any student discounts! Miami dining can for sure be pricey, but happy hour food and drinks are plentiful. At your age, roommates are normal (most of my law school friends had at least one) and I don’t think you are looking for marble floors.
Note: public defender and state attorneys don’t start that much higher and most of them have debt. I worked for a public officer and commuted against traffic to south Broward.

[WrongStreet]

At $1,000 to $1,200 in Coral gables or Coconut Grove you're looking at renting a room or having to split a 2 bedroom with apartment with a roommate. There's no way you'll find anything around there at that price for just one person, even a studio would be pushing it.

You should consider North Miami or North Miami Beach if you don't want to live with a roommate. You'll be able to find a one bedroom for that price in those cities, and they're pretty central so commuting shouldn't be a problem.