Philadelphia, PA

[dreamtime]

Yay! I don't find out my stipend for another 2 days! The wait is killlinngggg me. I'm setting my sights on parts of University City, Rittenhouse, Center City and Grad Hospital. A friend suggested Fairmount as well but we'll see.

 

Not sure if you are a foodie but lets hope its enough for you to enjoy BYOBs of Philly! Pls keep me updated if you find anything like an apartment complex what so ever that has also empty apartments. I m from a Southern-European country and I wont be coming to Philly till mid-august or so due to visa regulations.. Hoping to find a good apartment after that.. :/

[gi0825]

Not sure if you are a foodie but lets hope its enough for you to enjoy BYOBs of Philly! Pls keep me updated if you find anything like an apartment complex what so ever that has also empty apartments. I m from a Southern-European country and I wont be coming to Philly till mid-august or so due to visa regulations.. Hoping to find a good apartment after that.. :/

Hey 

 

So I am headed to Drexel as well and am in the same situation cos I wont be in Philly until aug, which course are you headed for ?

[ReadingLisa]

Hello all, after my open house visit I am seriously considering UPenn. Does anyone have any suggestions or comments about living in Center City/University City (are these two the same thing?) VS. living in West Philly? I heard the City area has only apartments and is a bit more expensive, while West Philly has houses and might be cheaper. Is this true?

 

Also, is the area safe?

[music]

I visited Penn earlier in the week and I'm very seriously considering it. I've got a generous stipend offer about $2350/month after tax, and am now trying to work out how to budget. Seems like prices for 1 beds vary a ton - I've seen as low as $700 for something reasonable looking, is that likely to be legit? I was going to cap rent+utilities+commuting at $1350 to allow $1000/month for food+books+clothes+leisure. Is that do-able in Philly?

[dreamtime]

Hey 

 

So I am headed to Drexel as well and am in the same situation cos I wont be in Philly until aug, which course are you headed for ?

 

Hey! Congrats for your admission to Drexel as well! I ll be coming for PhD in Materials Science!  

[DNARNA]

I visited Penn earlier in the week and I'm very seriously considering it. I've got a generous stipend offer about $2350/month after tax, and am now trying to work out how to budget. Seems like prices for 1 beds vary a ton - I've seen as low as $700 for something reasonable looking, is that likely to be legit? I was going to cap rent+utilities+commuting at $1350 to allow $1000/month for food+books+clothes+leisure. Is that do-able in Philly?

 

Hey!

 

I am also considering Penn for a very different program Bioengineering. But I am also going through the process of figuring out if I want to live in Philadelphia and if so where is a good place to live and how much would it cost.

 

So... That being said I was wondering if you accumulated any info on where is the best place to live around Penn ( cheap, safe and nice)??

Thanks!!

[sayitaintso]

 

Hey!

 

I am also considering Penn for a very different program Bioengineering. But I am also going through the process of figuring out if I want to live in Philadelphia and if so where is a good place to live and how much would it cost.

 

So... That being said I was wondering if you accumulated any info on where is the best place to live around Penn ( cheap, safe and nice)??

Thanks!!

 

I second this! Any help would be appreciated

 

I will be in Philly this Fall.

[music]

The grad students I spoke with all lived in West Philly or Centre City. It sounds like West Philly is a really good place to get cheap rent, be very close to campus and have enough local stuff going on so as not to feel tied to university life. Centre City seems kind of cheap too, for a city centre... like I have seen beautiful 1-bed modern apartments for $1350 inc bills. The bike lanes are good, and the city is pretty small, so I could imagine walking/biking that commute every day. I got the impression that if you live on campus, it could be easy to get stuck in that bubble and not need to ever venture out into the big wide world. Personally that's not how I want to do things, especially while I'm in coursework and will be in the department for class 5 days per week, so I'm thinking that living a little way out might be beneficial for building my own life and enforcing home/work boundries.

 

But like I said, I don't know

[scienceFAYM]

Hello everyone, I will be starting my micro/immunology PhD program this August at Drexel.  I grew up in Philly and know it well (I am currently employed at UPenn).  I am very familiar with both NYC and DC as well, and let me say Philly is by far the easiest to live in of the three.  You basically get the NYC feel (the smaller size being the difference of course) with the high-end bars/theaters/restaurants; while having distinct neighborhoods (like DC) with neat achitecture and unqiue attractions.  The great thing about the city there is something for everyone, and the price of living is wayyyyyy less then other east coast cities (for the time being).  You should have no problems find apartments in the city.  UPenn folks can look in West Philly (nothing past 45th though) and in the Graduate Hospital area.  Drexel folks can look in center city/ graduate hospital/old city/ queens village.  Again housing is very do-able (especially with roommates).  If you have any more questions let me know.  You will enjoy your time here there is plenty to do when you need some downtime outside of lab.

[kevintoy]

Hi guys,

 

I've done some extensive apt/housing search and the price really varies. There are a bunch of posts on Craigslist from 540-1000+ for one bedroom apartments and some local agents offer better deals, like $800 for two people. Anyone thinking of sharing an apartment? Since I'm international I need to attend the ITA training starting on June 22nd. Anyone thinking of sharing an apartment? PM me please!

[JavaGuy147]

Hi guys,

 

I've done some extensive apt/housing search and the price really varies. There are a bunch of posts on Craigslist from 540-1000+ for one bedroom apartments and some local agents offer better deals, like $800 for two people. Anyone thinking of sharing an apartment? Since I'm international I need to attend the ITA training starting on June 22nd. Anyone thinking of sharing an apartment? PM me please!

 

Still deciding (will soon obviously) but its looking like Penn for me as well. I was expecting to live by myself and have a hard time finding housing the first year, but then maybe house sharing after getting to know people. If I decide to go to Penn maybe we could work out a 2 or 3 bedroom deal for our first year and stretch all of our stipends that much further. I wonder when the first month of the stipend is, I'll have to check that out. I am a bit poor without it.

Edited March 28, 2014 by JavaGuy147

[kevintoy]

Still deciding (will soon obviously) but its looking like Penn for me as well. I was expecting to live by myself and have a hard time finding housing the first year, but then maybe house sharing after getting to know people. If I decide to go to Penn maybe we could work out a 2 or 3 bedroom deal for our first year and stretch all of our stipends that much further. I wonder when the first month of the stipend is, I'll have to check that out. I am a bit poor without it.

Don't know what you program is but for the science phds I think it's around $2200 per month. I think you can find studios for 650 or so, and apparently it's a lot cheaper to do shared housing. 

 

Are you coming to philly in August or June?

[nns91]

Don't know what you program is but for the science phds I think it's around $2200 per month. I think you can find studios for 650 or so, and apparently it's a lot cheaper to do shared housing. 

 

Are you coming to philly in August or June?

Have you taken into account tax yet, kevintoy? I think as international students, we lose a good amount due to tax. My friend at Cornell pays 28% federal tax

[kevintoy]

Have you taken into account tax yet, kevintoy? I think as international students, we lose a good amount due to tax. My friend at Cornell pays 28% federal tax

That's tax excluded. I understand in NY tax is a bit higher than elsewhere, but I'm pretty sure your friend get a significant portion back through tax return. This is what happens to me in Iowa; I make around $10000 usd per year and get all my federal tax back.

[ArcticApp]

I'll be moving to Philly this summer to start a PhD too. My husband and I are in the market for a 2 bdrm in the Grad Hospital/Centre City/Northern Liberties areas. From what I gather there's going to be a big expenditure up front; most places seem to want 1st month, last month and security (3 x monthly rent). I'm guessing the stipend payouts won't start until the middle or end of Sept. so we're saving now to cushion the costs of set up and start up over the summer.

 

We'll be flying there in early May to secure a place for July, so I'll report back on how that goes. I'm hoping two months is standard for places to open up.

[ss2player]

I'll be moving to Philly this summer to start a PhD too. My husband and I are in the market for a 2 bdrm in the Grad Hospital/Centre City/Northern Liberties areas. From what I gather there's going to be a big expenditure up front; most places seem to want 1st month, last month and security (3 x monthly rent). I'm guessing the stipend payouts won't start until the middle or end of Sept. so we're saving now to cushion the costs of set up and start up over the summer.

 

We'll be flying there in early May to secure a place for July, so I'll report back on how that goes. I'm hoping two months is standard for places to open up.

 

Good luck guys, Philly is great! I also really like the GradHo area, though parts of it are still kinda rough. And yes, most places want 3X rent, seems pretty common for east coast cities. On the plus side, makes it easier to move later! 2 months should be plenty of time; we're a hot market so stuff is always opening up. If you want someone to give you some info/little tour while you're here, PM me.

[BioE_Grad]

I'm joining the Bioengineering PhD program at UPenn next year. 

 

I was thinking of living on campus at Samson place for the first year and moving off campus for the following years. I wanted to get a double room with a kitchen at Samson, and I was wondering if anyone here is looking for a roommate for Penn. 

 

Message me if you are interested in getting the two bedroom apartment at Samson with a shared common place, kitchen, and bathroom (about ~$975/month).

[ReadingLisa]

So based on my searching (mainly using google maps) the area west of Penn's campus (42-47th street and Chestnut, Walnut, or Spruce) look A LOT better and are much cheaper than places in Center City. Most grads I met at Penn lived in, and advised me to live in, Center City, but honestly I don't know why. The place looks like a true slum, yet rent is not really cheap... Meanwhile, the areas I mentioned west of campus are just lovely. Many of them are converted Victorian-style homes, with nice porches and lots of trees..

 

 

So I don't know, does anyone know if there's a reason to live in Center City as opposed to 42-47th streets??

Edited April 5, 2014 by ReadingLisa

[ss2player]

So based on my searching (mainly using google maps) the area west of Penn's campus (42-47th street and Chestnut, Walnut, or Spruce) look A LOT better and are much cheaper than places in Center City. Most grads I met at Penn lived in, and advised me to live in, Center City, but honestly I don't know why. The place looks like a true slum, yet rent is not really cheap... Meanwhile, the areas I mentioned west of campus are just lovely. Many of them are converted Victorian-style homes, with nice porches and lots of trees..

 

 

So I don't know, does anyone know if there's a reason to live in Center City as opposed to 42-47th streets??

 

It's mainly a culture difference between the two: West Philly has a lot of hippy/social activist folks who all split houses and work at coffee shops to support their REVOLUTIONZ(!) habit, side by side with Penn students. CC will have working professionals who are career driven and don't care a lick about the community, side by side with Penn (and other schools) students.

Pick your poison! But all snark aside, there are good aspects to both but it sounds like you'd be happier in West Philly. Philly has a well known littering problem, hence why even CC can look dirty; if you go to where I live in a gentrifying neighborhood it looks like the apocalypse happened and then a block over there's new condos. It's an odd place.

[RomulusAugustulus]

Most grads I met at Penn lived in, and advised me to live in, Center City, but honestly I don't know why. The place looks like a true slum, yet rent is not really cheap... 

 

So I don't know, does anyone know if there's a reason to live in Center City as opposed to 42-47th streets??

 

UMMMM, Center City is the downtown section of Philly (with sky scrapers, fancy designer stores etc.) Where in the world did you get the idea it was a 'slum'? It is one of the more expensive areas, and most housing there is in apartment buildings or extremely expensive houses. You would probably find it difficult to live there on a graduate stipend. 

 

West Philly is lovely, it definitely has a different culture than Center City. I personally love West Philly. You just don't want to live too far west, because it starts getting a bit rough. 42nd-47nd Sts is a good range. I would recommend not going too far north either (between Market and Baltimore is nice. A little south of Baltimore is ok too, though I personally don't know the area very well.)

[ReadingLisa]

On 4/5/2014 at 3:28 PM, RomulusAugustulus said:

UMMMM, Center City is the downtown section of Philly (with sky scrapers, fancy designer stores etc.) Where in the world did you get the idea it was a 'slum'? It is one of the more expensive areas, and most housing there is in apartment buildings or extremely expensive houses. You would probably find it difficult to live there on a graduate stipend. 

 

 

Well I know Center City is not a slum and that it's the expensive part of town, but it didn't look all that great when I was there. Yes there are some lovely new buildings and condominiums, which are definitely out of my price range, but the regular buildings don't look all that great.

[nns91]

I am looking for apartments in West Philly as well. I am hoping to move some times early-mid August as school starts the last week of August. So far I have been looking on craiglist as well as some other pages like zillow. Do people have other pages that they are looking at?

 

I have received advice from people about the boundary of the safe zone. So far, most people tell me to stay east of 47th. However, I have received some different answers on north-south boundary. Is there any sort of consensus on this?

[Miss Angel]

Hi everyone! I've lived in Philadelphia for nearly 3 years now--I work for and attend Temple. If anyone has any questions about specific areas, I'm happy to answer to the best of my abilities. 

 

Espresso Shot--as far as the North boundary goes (I'm totally clueless about South Philly), for myself, I would put that at between Girard Ave and Cecil B. Moore from Broad Street into the West, and up further East of Broad Street in the Fishtown and New Kensington neighborhoods to around Berks Street,  For some people, living past Girard would be....uncomfortable, I guess. The area can be perceived as rough. I live on Girard and walk North to get to work everyday, and I'm absolutely fine with it (nothing  remotely dangerous has happened to me, and I walk home at 10-11 at night), but I guess it required a bit of adaptation. 

[RomulusAugustulus]

Well I know Center City is not a slum and that it's the expensive part of town, but it didn't look all that great when I was there. Yes there are some lovely new buildings and condominiums, which are definitely out of my price range, but the regular buildings don't look all that great.

 

Hm, maybe you are just looking at weird photos. Houses and other buildings in Center City are actually quite beautiful. But Philly is a weird city and neighborhoods vary a lot in look and culture. 

[Lifesaver]

Definitely have to second the above. Philly is a WEIRD city. I didn't see the charm. Center City isn't worth the price tag and West Philly has no appeal whatsoever, other than being walking distance to the campus.

 

I was given varying advice on living in West Philly. Some people said don't live past 42nd, others 47th, and even a few said up til 52nd. But south of Baltimore seemed to be the general consensus on north/south.