If you’re looking for an affordable rental student apartment, you know that in every borough of New York City, competition for apartments is fierce and rents are high. However, some neighbourhood are more affordable than others. If you’re flexible, you may be able to move to a more affordable neighbourhood – one that’s not even on your radar yet.
So where exactly is that? Read on to find out where you can rent an apartment for cheap in NYC.
MANHATTAN New York
Manhattan is indeed one of the most desirable boroughs in New York City, with popular attractions, a beautiful cityscape, diverse culture, delicious cuisine, and entertainment galore. As a rule of thumb for moving to this area, the closer to Manhattan, the more expensive the rent and the higher the cost of student living. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t find an affordable Student accommodation New York in this borough.
If affordability is a priority for you, you might want to consider Upper Manhattan. With an average rent of $2,000, your rental costs will be quite a bit lower than the average rental costs in Manhattan.
Washington Heights
Located in Upper Manhattan, Washington Heights is a vibrant neighbourhood between the Hudson and Harlem rivers. Rents in this area range from $1,802 for a studio apartment to $2,567 for a three bedroom apartment. Washington Heights is often considered one of the last affordable neighbourhoods in Manhattan and is a good choice.
South of Upper Manhattan are other popular neighbourhoods and communities like Harlem. Although it’s not far from Washington Heights, rental prices are higher in Harlem, averaging $2,189 – likely due to its proximity to Manhattan, as well as its prized cultural diversity and jazz-filled history.
Inwood New YORK
Inwood is the northernmost part of Upper Manhattan and is bordered on three sides by the Harlem River, the Hudson River and Spuyten Duyvil Creek. The key to this pristine neighbourhood is the mix of big city and sprawling nature – weird, right? It’s not every day that you picture wooded trails, tennis courts, multi-purpose fields and scenic river walks in New York. But that’s exactly what you get as an Inwood resident, and it’s because of a hidden beauty that I (and everyone else) like to call Inwood Hill Park. This historic, rolling green space makes Inwood unlike any other neighbourhood in New York City.
What else is unique, you ask? Well – have you ever seen the rental rates for this wonderfully mixed neighbourhood? From a studio to a three-bedroom apartment, the average rent ranges from $1,597 to $2,728. Can you say “hello” to a riverside residential oasis and “goodbye” to skyrocketing Manhattan rents? I know I can. At $3,995, Inwood Park is significantly less expensive than Manhattan’s Upper East Side (every Gossip Girl lover’s dream home) and manages to keep rental costs down while providing a safe, family-friendly environment for its residents.
BROOKLYN
Brooklyn is a great place to realize you’re not quite as cool as you thought, and that’s because Brooklyn is one of New York City’s most vibrant, diverse and artistic boroughs that exudes trendiness. With an average rent of $2,544, Brooklyn is currently the second most expensive borough in New York City and is “in” (do the cool kids still say that?). Hip, trendy, hip – however you want to put it, Brooklyn is the place to be.
Loft-style apartments, affordable neighbourhoods, international cuisine, and a well-developed public transportation network are just a few of this borough’s enticing attractions. The cheapest submarket in Brooklyn is currently East New York, with an average rent of $1,123. The cheapest of the borough’s five cheapest submarkets. In East New York, you’ll sit in the front row to Jamaica Bay, close to the shopping paradise Gateway Center. With easy access to JFK International Airport, and with more green space than most other New York neighbourhoods. This is a great option for affordable rent for student.
East Flatbush
East Flatbush is located in the Flatbush borough of Brooklyn and offers an average rent of $1,764 – higher than East New York, but still much lower than Brooklyn. It is extremely commuter-friendly, with numerous subway stations and public bus stops in the city that can take you to neighbouring boroughs and even as far as the Bronx. The average rent in East Flatbush for a studio to three-bedroom apartment currently ranges from $1,076 to $2,148. This affordable neighbourhood is easily accessible by foot and bike and is centrally located in Brooklyn.
Bedford-Stuyvesant
Bedford-Stuyvesant, often referred to as Bed-Stuy, is located in the Bushwick community of Brooklyn. Although this area is a bit more expensive with an average rent of $2,328, there are many hidden residential gems in this submarket waiting to be inhabited by renters like you.
Don’t be fooled by the Brownstone student apartments, tree-lined streets, and historic architecture – they’re beautiful to admire, though, as you stroll the neighbourhood’s walkable streets. Affordable housing is available here, it’s just harder to find compared to other neighbourhoods. Rents currently average between $1,783 and $2,690 for a studio or three-bedroom apartment. In Bed-Stuy, you get a sense of old-school Brooklyn and a tight-knit community – a quality that’s increasingly hard to find.
Also visit: Equipment You Must Have For Trekking
