Find solution
Where can I buy cute Japanese stuff in San Diego?

Where are the cheaper San Diego Neighborhoods and jobs?

  • I am thinking of moving to San Diego soon and am aware that it is very expensive. I want to stay close to the coast for the good climate benefits. I heard La Jolla was super expensive. So where are the cheaper neighborhoods that are still close enough to the coast that the weather is still mild and not hot? I don't want to buy a house, just rent an apartment or a room or something. I've heard Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Downtown, North Park, and Gaslamp are all pretty good places. Which of these has the more affordable rent you think? Any other places anyone would recommend? I'd also like to stay somewhere that has a lot of stuff going on and a good social scene so I can meet some folks. I am 25/m so looking for people around aged 22-30. Also, I have a bachelors degree in internat'l trade but no good work exp., I am afraid I won't find a good-enough paying job to afford to live out there? Any tips/advice to ease my concern? Will $9.5k be enough to take with me? Please help!

  • Answer:

    Pacific Beach and Mission Beach is where you want to be for the action. N.park is good too. The Crown Point area of PB is really nice. As far as affordability goes, I have to say that you probably can't have it both ways...fun and cheap and by the ocean...I don't think it exists. That's why we have a traffic problem, because we can't afford to live where we work and play. One option would be going to North County. Carlsbad seems to be booming as far as jobs are concerned lately and with the Marines being in Oceanside there are a lot of younger people up there. Cardiff and Leucadia are nice too, but those are sleepy little beach towns and not necessarily "happening". Clairmont does seem to be a cooler, but it's an old community and not much happening there. Mira Mesa is affordable and not far from Torrey Pines, but it's a concrete jungle. I would prioritize what's most important to you. I would try to first take the cheapest apartment or room I could find month-to-month, then get a job and find out how much you have left at the end of the month...from there you'll know what you can afford apartment wise and then move to an area you like better. To start with, if it were me, I would look for an apartment near the I-15 between I-8 and the SR56. I would also email every temp agency well in advance of coming out here. 9.5k doesn't sound like a lot of dough, so save as much as you can before you come here. Intl Trade BA will be very hard to apply and get paid a decent wage. Although we have Sony, Nokia, Kyocera and Siemens here, the market for such jobs is really tough. Irvine, Costa Mesa or LA would almost be a better location for you job-wise (although SD is a way nicer palce to live). If you speak Spanish, you might have an easier time, but in that case you'll probably want to apply for jobs and look for an apartment in the South Bay, such as Chula Vista. It will be very hard to survive on your own on less than approx 35k/year here. So I'd look for jobs that pay at least 16-20/hr. Check the classifieds at signonsandiego.com also, a good source of info is the San Diego Reader (they are also online). It's free publication and has lots of room-mate wanted ads as well as events happening around town and help wanted ads. Do lots of research so you know what you're getting into and make a scouting trip before you actually come for real...maybe interview/meet with some temp agencies.

nihilist... at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

Was this solution helpful to you?

Other answers

Imperial beach is the cheapest close to the coast. Alot of military live there its pretty safe and there are things to do all year round. I rented a 1 br for 625 a month 2 blocks from the beach.

dozerdriver

Nothing in SanDiego is cheap. Rent is ridulous. I'd certainly take more than $9,500 with me. You'll go thru that in no time without a job. I'd suggest you'd get a job before you make the move. The only thing good is the weather and the scenery. People are snobs - in the richer areas. I know first hand. Taxes taxes taxes! Down in Coronado is all rich folk. I was there for a while. Mostly tourists.

leslie

Downtown and Gaslamp will probably be too expensive b/c most of the good housing there are brand new high rise condos. But if you go outside of downtown a little, to either Hillcrest or North Park it's more reasonable. North Park is probably the cheapest out of all those neighborhoods. Ocean Beach is cool, but's it's more the tatoo/biker crowd there. PACIFIC BEACH is probably the best community for you. Everyone there is 22-30 and Garnett Ave has tons of bars and clubs and it goes off almost every night of the week, especially during summer. Lot's of college kids and people out of college just working and having fun. You'll meet tons of people there from all over the place. Tons of restuarants and has San Diego's most popular and visited beaches. It's pricey but still very reasonable for being by the beach and all of the things to do there. I pay $1375 for a 2 bedroom 8 blocks down from the water. But you can get cheaper rent the farther east you go. You can easily find a one bedroom for under $1,000 or a studio under $800 the closer the freeway you go. $9.5k should be enough to last you a few months but it may be somewhat diffucult to find a good paying job. If you go to a temp agency like Ranstaad, they've hooked up my friends with decent paying jobs that have turned to permanent jobs.

Sav

Golden Hill, North Park, University Heights, City Heights... All of San Diego is cheering. Development around the 30th Street corridor: Bravo! At the end of they day, though, it's about density and the toll of poorly planned fung-shui. The daily, added costs of, say, buying groceries or transiting from driveway to freeway. And, finally, the wear and tear from all the above in residents' faces. Go directly to Hillcrest or Ocean Beach, or later on wish you had. They're centrally located, welcoming to pedestrians. Public libraries. Post-office branches, varieties of shopping options. ...And OB still has its annual Street Fair. (PB cancelled theirs. Were attendees having too much fun or just not spending enough?)

squidb8becham

Dont go downtown, North Park. Pretty much a good rule of thumb in San Diego is if it's up in the hills, it's bad (that was my experience). Mission beach is o.k. I lived in Linda Vista then moved to Claremont (nice). Lot's of jobs there. No pacific beach, golden hill, spring valley (Yuk!)Good luck

jeffggina

Related Q & A:

Just Added Q & A:

Find solution

For every problem there is a solution! Proved by Solucija.

  • Got an issue and looking for advice?

  • Ask Solucija to search every corner of the Web for help.

  • Get workable solutions and helpful tips in a moment.

Just ask Solucija about an issue you face and immediately get a list of ready solutions, answers and tips from other Internet users. We always provide the most suitable and complete answer to your question at the top, along with a few good alternatives below.