A less expensive alternative to D.C.?

Question

I was curious as to whether or not there is a city close to washington d.c. that doesn't share the same high cost of living as our nation's capital. I really don't feel like paying 800 to 1000 plus for a studio apartment and don't really care to be right next to the white house. Even if the city is 50-100 miles away. I know there's baltimore but I've heard that it's quite dangerous there and even though I live in new orleans and have for more than 20 years, I've never been close to any crime here despite how notorious we are for it. I've also heard that baltimore isn't exactly cheap either, but I'm realistic, I'll pay up to 700/month for a studio if I have to. Any suggestions would be great and thanks to all who respond.

Answer 1

How much one pays or say the going range they charge for a studio apartment in the Metro DC area has a lot to do with LOCATION to prime areas throughout Washington DC, Northern Virginia and Montgomery County Maryland. FYI there are more economical areas to live close-in like certain parts of PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY and Southeast DC but crime is much higher than I would advise you to look elsewhere...

Best advice is to take temporary lodging in extended stay hotel and make permanent lodging decisions based on where your actual job/work location is bec traffic and commuting to/from work is pretty bad that the farther out you stay has tradeoffs in terms of time <= very important factor.

Hope the Above Info Helps and Don't Advise You to Move & Relocate unless You Have Written Job Offer in Hand!

Answer 2

Where are you planning on working?  If you plan on working in the District you might want to consider sacrificing some $$ for commute hassle.

If you are looking at 50-100 miles away you are looking at a good 2-3 hour drive into the district (at least).  

Look in Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun county.  I would stay away from the I-95 corridor...that's just a total mess!

We live in Fairfax and I love it.

Answer 3

Most of the less expensive apartments are either in high crime areas--like parts of Prince Georges County or Southeast Washington--or in the exurbs where what you save in rent, you will pay far more in gas, wear-and-tear on your car, and the sheer aggravation of sitting in traffic.  You have to decide what matters to you.  

Many people get sticker shock when moving to the DC area (unless you move from an even more expensive area, like I did when the ex and I moved from San Jose, CA, in the late 1990s).  And, yes, the cost of living here is high.  But I'd argue it's worth it.  If you're lucky, you can find a spot that includes utilities.

By the way, nobody lives "next to the White House," although it looks like there's a luxury condo/apartment building going in a few blocks away in what once was an office building.  My apartment is about two miles from the White House.

And if you live close enough to the city, you can ditch your car and rely on the Metro system.

Answer 4

The northern VA area has alot of apartments that are affordable. I lived in Warrenton, about 30-40 miles east of DC. Beautiful area and a much lower crime rate than the city. BTW, there are plenty of job opportunities as well.  

Answer 5

Baltimore has a bad reputation but is not that awful if you choose carefully where to live. Indeed some of the central areas are charming and interesting and a lot less expensive than DC. Another possibility (though I personally loathe the place having lived there for 4 years) is Richmond, Virgina. Like Baltimore it has a crime problem, but if you choose your neighborhood carefully there is interesting housing and a  fair amount to do. As in most big cities in the US, the crime problem is in large measure a function of where you live.

In addition to the large cities, there are a bunch of smaller cities in 50-100 miles. Some possible ones include Frederick, MD (which would be my choice) and Fredericksburg, VA with good transportation into DC. A little further out but interesting are Hagerstown, MD, Winchester, VA, and York, PA. In all cases they are quite a bit cheaper for housing than DC (do not know how they compare to NO in that regard).