I was in NYC (on a gov't salary) for 8 years before coming to Boston (9 years). Chicago ain't got nothing on those two cities, expense-wise. Even in those places, with enough legwork, I always managed to find a good deal on an apartment. I was paying $1100/month in a Brooklyn neighborhood where $2,000 was closer to the going rate at the time. Ditto for Boston -- $1300 in an area where $1800-$2000 was the norm. You have to pound the pavement and really get out there looking for the best deals. There's always a landlord looking for a good, no-hassle tenant they feel they can trust. I was that guy. I own now, but my neighbor across the street rents units in his 3-unit place for well under market (which in my hood is now $2500-$3000!). He just looks for a certain kind of tenant (typically, young-ish, well-educated professionals), and he's always gotten them.
