Housing in DC

[Shaheer Ahmed]

I would be starting grad school in DC in fall. How much should i budget for rent? I would ideally want my accommodation to be close to Georgetown.  

[iwearflowers]

Georgetown is pricy. I paid around $1500 (utilities included) to live by myself in Glover Park, which is just north of Georgetown. You’ll be able to save a bit with housemates. The rental market in DC turns over quickly, with most units posted less than 30 days before they’re filled. That being said, you can start looking at Craigslist now to get a sense of what you want and can afford.

[Crescenza]

A lot, I'm afraid...

Will you be living with roommates?

Unless money is no object, I would strongly recommend looking further afield than Georgetown. It is the most expensive neighborhood in a city which is very pricey (by some metrics, the most expensive city in the country) to begin with and only getting worse (that being said, for the record, I love living here and it is worth it to have some of the most amazing cultural opportunities in the country at your doorstep). I'm actually surprised/impressed that @iwearflowers found an apartment there for "only" $1500 (iwearflowers, how did you swing that? ^^)

Will you be at GW? If so, you'll be right by the metro. It is slow and there are delays but it will get you where you need to go. Southeast is a few stops away and there are lots of nice, very liveable neighborhoods there that would be somewhat more affordable. Unfortunately there's not much within walking distance of Georgetown. Technically you could walk from there to, say, Metro Center, but it is a hike. Not something I would want to do in bad weather or by myself at night (although walking around Georgetown is absolutely lovely when the weather is nice).

Congrats on starting grad school in the fall, btw! I am a Washingtonian and love my city. It is a beautiful place. I hope you like it!

(As a side note, I am not sure if Grady Management is in DC or just in Maryland, but I was not happy with my experience renting from them at all. YMMV however.)

[feralgrad]

As others have said, Georgetown is not a great option. If you're going to school in Georgetown, keep in mind that it's not very accessible by metrorail. You're better off taking the bus. Arlington, VA is nearby and offers a high quality of life for much less than Goergetown (it is still expensive, however). 

You're going to spend /at minimum/ $1,200 anywhere in or near the city unless you're willing to live on the opposite end from Georgetown.

[Shaheer Ahmed]

On 3/30/2019 at 9:00 AM, Crescenza said:

A lot, I'm afraid...

Will you be living with roommates?

Unless money is no object, I would strongly recommend looking further afield than Georgetown. It is the most expensive neighborhood in a city which is very pricey (by some metrics, the most expensive city in the country) to begin with and only getting worse (that being said, for the record, I love living here and it is worth it to have some of the most amazing cultural opportunities in the country at your doorstep). I'm actually surprised/impressed that @iwearflowers found an apartment there for "only" $1500 (iwearflowers, how did you swing that? ^^)

Will you be at GW? If so, you'll be right by the metro. It is slow and there are delays but it will get you where you need to go. Southeast is a few stops away and there are lots of nice, very liveable neighborhoods there that would be somewhat more affordable. Unfortunately there's not much within walking distance of Georgetown. Technically you could walk from there to, say, Metro Center, but it is a hike. Not something I would want to do in bad weather or by myself at night (although walking around Georgetown is absolutely lovely when the weather is nice).

Congrats on starting grad school in the fall, btw! I am a Washingtonian and love my city. It is a beautiful place. I hope you like it!

(As a side note, I am not sure if Grady Management is in DC or just in Maryland, but I was not happy with my experience renting from them at all. YMMV however.)

Thanks for your detailed  comment. I will be starting grad school at Georgetown (God willing). I visited Washington in the summer of 2016 for a few days and fell in love with the city instantly. My monthly budget would be a little  more than $2000. I doubt that would be sufficient for a month. I will definitely check out neighborhoods in the Southeast. 

[Shaheer Ahmed]

On 3/30/2019 at 9:15 AM, feralgrad said:

As others have said, Georgetown is not a great option. If you're going to school in Georgetown, keep in mind that it's not very accessible by metrorail. You're better off taking the bus. Arlington, VA is nearby and offers a high quality of life for much less than Goergetown (it is still expensive, however). 

You're going to spend /at minimum/ $1,200 anywhere in or near the city unless you're willing to live on the opposite end from Georgetown.

Thank you @feralgrad. Any idea how much accommodation in Airlington will cost me?  

[feralgrad]

8 hours ago, Shaheer Ahmed said:

Thank you @feralgrad. Any idea how much accommodation in Airlington will cost me?  

A quick look at Zillow says $1,500-2,000 a month to live on your own -- honestly more than I expected, but manageable if you're willing to live with roommates. I grew up in Arlington, so trust me when I say this area will offer you an excellent quality of life if you can afford it. It's very well-connected to public transport, has great food, and lots of good entertainment options (parks, movie theaters and drafthouses, etc.). The nightlife is also pretty good if you're comfortable rubbing elbows with yuppies.

Alexandria will be $1,250-2,000 (much more variation by area compared to Arlington), but your commute will be way longer. The quality of life there varies a lot depending on what area you're in; the more expensive sections are comparable to Arlington, but the farther from the city it's ugly concrete apartment complexes and little else.

You can also look within the city, but some of the "cheaper" areas aren't very liveable (e.g. there are no grocery stores nearby, and parking is a mess). Still, try looking near Union Station. There's a bus that goes directly from the station to Georgetown.

Edited April 1, 2019 by feralgrad