As college students, most of us are in a perpetual state of penny pinching. We forgo a night out for a new textbook (or vice versa) and in order to pay tuition, some of us go without life’s other luxuries such as new cars, new technological gadgets or a new wardrobe every season. But perhaps the most basic, most vital expense is rent or the cost of housing, and for a lot of us, it’s too damn high.
If you know where to look, who to ask, what to search for and what to avoid - finding affordable housing in a good neighborhood can be a lot easier. When it comes down to it, this is a dilemma with a foundation in two principles: convenience and luxury. How convenient to your lifestyle should your domicile be and how luxurious of a place does your budget have room for?
Dorms are expensive. The cheapest dorms on the Tempe campus will cost nearly $5,400 for the full academic year, which lasts roughly 10 months. Do the math and dorms cost a minimum of $540 per month per person. That is a little high for a space less than 400 square feet (and shared with a roommate).
It often doesn’t get better when looking for an apartment near campus. Many of the flashy, high-profile locations cost much more than the dorms after electric and utility expenses. Block 1949, located on East University Drive just east of South McClintock Drive, runs its cheapest studio at $940 a month, and it’s only 482 square feet. A studio at Grigio Metro costs $761 per month, the Vue will cost $1,299 per month and a one- bedroom at the Villas on Apache will cost $699 per month. Prices decrease as the number of roommates increases, but these places take advantage of students and their desire to live in a college environment outside of the dorms.
Shop around. Salado Springs apartments, at Beck Avenue just south of Rio Salado Drive, start two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments at $750 per month. In comparison, a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at Block 1949 will cost anywhere $485 to $770 per person. Block 1949 does have cable TV, Wi-Fi across the complex and the apartments come furnished with a TV, and you have to pay extra for that. The neighborhood is very different. There won’t be weekly pool parties at Salado Springs, but it is also a 15-minute walk from Mill Avenue.
It comes down to taste. The party atmosphere is available outside of campus but it costs extra. Are the beer bongs and weekly themed parties worth the additional $100 a month? Or is a room just a place for sleep and homework? If it’s the latter, explore your options. The best places to live are often not as visible.
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Clarification: Prices at Block 1949 include cable TV, internet service and the apartments come furnished with a TV.
