Anyone know of affordable NYC locations to find apartments (sublet - 1BR)?

...they are pretty expensive. You are from NJ, so you probably know a fair bit about the City. Here are some pointers that I consider important. I hope they will be helpful.

For $1k, off the top of my head, I think you may be better off going in on a larger apartment with a couple friends. I think your budget isn’t going to get you a 1-BR in a nice neighborhood in Manhattan. Inwood, at the Northern tip of Manhattan, where you 90% do not want to live unless you are married, will cost you about $1,400 to rent a 1-BR. If you use http://www.citi-habitats.com/ it will take a minimum of $1,700-$1,800/mo to get a 1-BR on the Upper West Side or Upper East Side. You can do the exploring by clicking on neighborhoods to check how prices vary. You didn’t mention where you work. That will make or break your desired neighborhoods. You will want to live someplace with convenient subway or bus access to your office. Transfers are ok but a pain and they will slow you down in the morning. If you work Downtown or in another neighborhood conveniently accessible by the PATH train, I think you will find Jersey City to be a relative bargain and very nice in parts. The commute into NYC is fast and convenient. Yes, it is not Manhattan. But, it might allow you to find a better place for your money, and the views are spectacular. NYC real estate is funny...if you ask me, you are better off trying your best to keep your belt tight for the first couple years. Sounds like you are just starting your career after college. If your career permits, your salary will rise nicely. Soon you will be able to get into a place you like. But, now you are likely to shop for days getting pretty depressed. I’ve been there and done that and seen many others in similar situations. See if some of your college mates are interested to share a place. By the way, if you get depressed, make sure you realize that you are not alone in this. When I was selling one of my places in the City, a 1-BR with a formal DR in fair condition in Midtown back in the mid-1980s, I remember a retired judge and his wife looking at the place from out of state. It was clear that the price of my run down apartment was more than a luxury home on the ocean where they were coming from. Manhattan pricing is depressing...but, look on the bright side...it could be worse...you could be looking for a place in CA on the "SF-LA-SD strip"... Best of luck to you. I hope some of these recommendations from experience will help.

I lived in Astoria Queens for 6 years. I took the N or R trains to Manhattan where I worked and was there in 10 minutes. Long Island City is also about 10 minutes from Manhattan but a little more expensive than Astoria. You can also try many up and coming neighborhoods in Brooklyn like wyckoff, Williamsburg, Greenpoint. The rents in all these areas are cheaper. Check out the listings at craigslist for these areas. If your heart is set on Manhattan Harlem is really going through a great transformation and is a very hot and still affordable area to live at.

Let's start with Manhattan. There are no apartments that fit your criteria in your rent range, not even studios, but you might be able to find something in the $1200 range in Inwood.

In Queens you will need $1300 and up for a one bdrm that meet your 3 criteria in Sunnyside, Jackson Heights, Kew Gardens, Astoria.

In the Bronx there are very affordable apartments in the relatively safe area of Parkchester and some affordable apartments in other areas of the Bronx that have undergone much improvement in recent years.

Your best bet for criteria number 3, besides Manhattan, is Brooklyn, but expect to pay more than $1500 in the neighborhoods that will provide this such as Williamsburg and Park Slope. For 1500 try Carroll Gardens, Windsor Terrace and Fort Greene. Some areas of Brooklyn meet 3, are cheaper than 1500, but there is less chance of finding criteria 1, BedStuy, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights for example.

Sorry, but I can't speak to Staten Island.

You might want to check out various walkups on the UES. I moved there in 2006 and found the neighborhood to be very safe and that there are reasonably priced eateries all along 2nd Avenue and First Avenue. You might want to stick to walkups since doorman/elevator buildings tend to be pricier. Also, condos tend to be stricter about sublets, so if you're willing to take care of the paperwork (references, bank statements, condo board approval) and have some leadtime, you might be able to save money by picking a condo. The further East you go and further North, the cheaper it is on the UES.

The Lower East Side and Murray Hill seem to be less developed as well and have numerous eateries and spots for recent graduates and transplants to NYC. There should be quite a few bargains there as well. Similarly NoHo might have some spots and the outer ranges of Hell's Kitchen.

Do check craigslist since it has a wide range of listings of sublets and leases without having to deal with the outrageous broker's fee.

You might also check various no fee apartments - just do a google search for the websites of no fee apartment buildings in NYC.

you could certainly find something nearby, maybe in the bronx, and just suck it up for the half hour commute to manhattan each morning. I dont know the current manhattan housing market too well, but i could give examples: Friends appt midtown, decent building, nothing fancy, quiet street, near the area where they blow up the balloons for parades (for the life of me i cant remember the street though); living room, kitchen, 1 bathroom, studio, bedroom. I would guess in the upwards of 2-3k/month. You would never find anything midtown for that, even a hole in the wall around midtown would be more than 1k. There might be some things towards the south of the island in like china town/canal street area that would be pretty safe and decently affordable. But it would be far from luxurious from the looks of the buildings in that area. You could probably find something decent around harlem, way up north on the island for cheap. Things that get too far north of 125th street seem to have a bad rep, but Ive spent a lot of time in those areas around 114th and morningside, and 175th and broadway at night and never felt that i was in any danger.

Good luck

below is a link to several places you can find to sublet places here in NYC. However, places you may want to look at depends on the neighborhood and price. Most places like around the Central Park area, lower Manhattan and the West Side by Broadway and Riverside Drive can be a bit pricey.

Also when you calculate your rent, you may want to include for groceries, transportation and other luxuries that may occur.

Good luck and enjoy.

Live with one or more roommates! the benefits of a place to yourself are NOT worth the extra debt you would accumulate by living alone ($1100 would be pretty good for a 1BR in a safe neighborhood of Brooklyn or Queens).

Anything affordable in New York City is really an oxymoron.