If you're really committed to living on your own, I would try to look around the Allston/Brighton area, JP, or Somerville for a studio around or less than $1,000 (although, don't expect to find a large inventory). Also note that if you go through realtors they may tack on an additional month's rent as a 'realtor fee'. If you don't mind living with roommates, I'd suggest looking for rooms available in apartments on craigslist- this often prevents you from having to pay a realtor fee, and if the roommates there have already lived there a year, chances are the apartment is already pretty well stocked, a serious bonus if you're moving from somewhere far away! Right now I live in a 4 bed in Brighton for $730 with heat and hot water included and a 2-minute walk to the t. It's hit or miss rather buildings will include heat in the cost of rent, but if you can find it, it is definitely worth it (as someone mentioned, a lot of the buildings are old and poorly isolated, old apartments of mine have had heating bills of up to $300 a month) The good thing about having roommates in Boston is that many young people here are very academically minded- either in school, trying to get into school, working research jobs, etc, so in a way, a lot of us are coming from the same place!
