Can not afford downtown :( (Chicago, Columbia: transplants, apartment, rent)

[orelaf]

First post, but have been reading these forums for over a year now. Thanks to you all for helping me finally make a decision about a place I want to relocate to permanently.

I'm a week away from moving to Chicago. Have several job interviews lined up (entry level positions for a recent, but older college grad) and about $15,000 saved up. I am not even going to ask whether I can afford the rent in the prime downtown locations, even though that is my ultimate goal. My hat's off to those who think they can make the move with $2500 in their pocket and no job lined up- the world would be a far worse place without the dreamers.

I know I can't live downtown, but I would still like to enjoy the life-style. Is there a neighborhood in Chicago that's in close to medium proximity to downtown, with an abundance of public transportation, where it'd be safe for my girl-friend to walk by herself when it's dark and where a one-bedroom apartment can be found for $800-$900 per month?

I myself have just come to grips with reality and realized that it doesn't make sense to live downtown if you have no money left over to actually enjoy it. I also don't see myself living in the distant suburbs, because I just don't feel the energy of a big city there. A good place for me would still feel like a city, but be affordable nonetheless.

Thank you all.

[knitgirl]

I don't think you really mean "downtown". What we mean by that term is the central business area - not that many people live there period, and it's certainly not a hotbed of young transplants. If you've been reading the forum for a year, you should be familiar with the standard newbie neighborhoods. There are plenty of threads that have addressed this.

[MannheimMadman]

There are a ton of places you can rent for $800-$900 per month. Touch up on your reading.

[ToriaT]

Yup, what others have said is right. You don't want to live "downtown". Search out the neighborhoods and get one near the L or bus lines. There are quite a few of them that are near or in close proximaty to downtown.

[dewthedru]

exactly. there are a tons of sweet places to live outside the loop.

[jwaiter]

Why would you want to live downtown?

[SJaye]

Originally Posted by jwaiter

Why would you want to live downtown?

Some people want to live downtown to be close to work... The standard newbie neighborhoods span the lakshore from Old Town to Lakeview. You can probably get a one bedroom for 800-900 if you look around, but I doubt it would be that big. I know some people have gotten some decent deals in the South Loop and West Loop.

[Aleking]

studio apt.

[eevee]

what exactly s the "downtown lifestyle"? Downtown, to be blunt, is rather boring. sure you've got shopping on the Mag Mile, museums, and theaters, but that's pretty much it. Good bars are hard to come by, ditto good restaurants, and the shopping off the Mag Mile isn't that great. the only people I know who live right downtown are people who go to Columbia/Roosevelt/Depaul and live in dorms, or students who go to those schools and wanted to live near school. I guess if you work downtown, living there would make it easier to go to work, but it's not exactly hard to get downtown from other locations.

frankly, if you're looking for a lifestyle that includes interesting restaurants, fun bars, non chain, independent shops, and plenty of things to do after 5pm, downtown isn't the place to be

[FAReastcoast]

I have been in Chicago for 2.5 months, and I still don't really know what "downtown" is