what do you think of housing in DC area? (Washington: apartment, rentals)
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Boston, easily. I can only compare rentals though. Generally I look for, what in DC gets termed "group housing", which is to say roommates. These are easy to find in Boston and you can get great deals, sometimes as low as the $400 a month range for a not terrible area. Public transit is cheap, too. When I got here it was $15 per week for an unlimited bus/subway pass. That's about how much I spent over the course of 2 days on rush hour metro fare in DC.
NYC is obviously expensive, but its sheer size gives you more options. Manhattan is obviously on its own level, but affordable housing can be found in Brooklyn or Queens. I've never lived in New York, so perhaps someone with more experience can chime in on DC vs NYC prices.
DC is ridiculously expensive. Its a town built on prestige, and I feel most people are shooting for the 1 bedroom apartment as opposed to living with roommates. Not sure why it's termed "group housing" there, that sounds like a mental hospital or something, and it is an unusual term unique to Washington. I found DC more expensive in renting than San Francisco. The young people who flock to San Francisco all know its expensive there, and many people live with roommates for most of their lives to keep costs down. But it seems less common in Washington.
That being said, the costs of DC can be balanced out by earning and career potential. I'm in Boston now, and it is undoubtedly easier to live here in many ways. But with consideration to my career goals, I'm trying to head back to Washington. Like so many things in life, it all depends on what you want.
If you eliminate Manhattan then things sort of even out between DC and NYC. I'm not too familiar with Boston although I'm aware that housing is what I'd consider expensive. I got lucky in that I found a 1BR spot in Arlington with a pool and free and easy parking for a really reasonable price. I can commute into DC via bike and be at the Washington Monument in about 20 minutes. I've seen plenty of studios nearby go for more than I'm paying for my 1 BR. It isn't fancy and could use some cosmetic work but I'm pretty happy with it.
I rented a room in Astoria, Queens in 08/09 for $750. It was about 3 minutes walk from the Astoria Blvd N,R,W stop. It took about 25-30 minutes to commute to my job near Bryant Park. I didn't think it was really all that bad considering that I got unlimited transportation for around $80 with a monthly MTA pass. It wasn't all that nice but It was a place to sleep. I was hardly at home during waking hours. My friend had a decent 1BR for $1200 a few blocks away on Steinway but he had a longer walk to the subway than I did.
Contrast those with paying $700 for half of a 4 BR house with a large fenced yard near East Atlanta Village. It was nice having that much space for that much money but I was bored out of my mind in Atlanta and couldn't find a decent job for anything. I was happier with paying more for an old room in Queens. I suppose it all really depends on where you are in life.
Hands down Boston. However, if you really want affordable living on the east coast then the real winner if Philadelphia. Philly is cheaper than all of the three cities mentioned even if you take Manhattan out of the equation.
I like DC. I've learned that you either accept the high cost of living or move back to where you came from. There are certain things one can't change.
When I think of housing, "Is it cheap?" doesn't come to mind. "Is it nice", "Is the architecture interesting?" "How is the neighborhood?" "How is the traffic?" "Is their good shopping nearby?" all come to mind, but not "Is it cheap?" If it's cheap, the answer to all of the other questions is likely to be "bad".
When I think of housing, "Is it cheap?" doesn't come to mind. "Is it nice", "Is the architecture interesting?" "How is the neighborhood?" "How is the traffic?" "Is their good shopping nearby?" all come to mind, but not "Is it cheap?" If it's cheap, the answer to all of the other questions is likely to be "bad".
Unfortunately you do get what you pay for especially when dealing with DC, Boston, and New York. If cost is so important I would suggest the south or the Midwest.
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