Living Large! 7 Affordable Apartments Over 800 Square Feet

Just 7 miles from downtown and 20 miles from Walt Disney World Resort, the complex has resort-like swimming pools, a children’s playground, and a tennis court. At $1,029 per month, your 1,000-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment rents for well below the ZIP code’s median rate of $1,250. Blocks away, you’ll find a lively food scene along South Semoran Boulevard, where you can eat beef empanadas at Pio Pio Cuisine or tom yum soup at Thai Island.

Thanks to the two pools, two fitness centers, and an outdoor gathering area with fireplaces, every day will feel like a staycation when you live at Cascades at Northlake. Your two-bedroom, 1,019-square-foot apartment (which rents for $105 less than the median monthly rental price of $1,150) is within walking distance of restaurants and shopping at Northcrest Shopping Center and Northlake Mall. The community is close to major interstates that will take you straight into Charlotte’s bustling downtown.

Austin is the Southwestern answer to the city that never sleeps thanks to its embrace of live music and a rocking food scene. When you aren’t enjoying the resort-style swimming pools, coffee bar, and access to hiking and biking trails at AMLI Covered Bridge, take in concerts at the 1,500-seat LifeAustin Amphitheater or seek out the city’s furriest residents at the Austin Zoo. Your two-bedroom, 1,154-square-foot apartment rents for almost $1,000 less than the ZIP code’s median rental price of $2,400. That means extra change to spend at nearby vintage shops (try Off the Wall and Uncommon Objects) and restaurants (like Jo’s Hot Coffee) in the South Congress neighborhood.

Littleton is Denver, CO’s more affordable little sister. The town is just 11 miles from downtown Denver, so you can easily bop into town for restaurants and breweries in the big city. Enjoy coming home to your 944-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment while knowing that you’re paying about $500 per month less than the area’s median price of $1,985. Terra Vista at the Park also offers an on-site pool, outdoor grilling area, gym, and dog park.

Two-step through Nashville’s legendary music halls like The Bluebird Cafe and The Station Inn and dine on its famous hot chicken (try Hattie B’s in Midtown, just 13 miles from home). When you need a break from Nashville’s famous nightlife, hit the pool at Whetstone Flats or make dinner in your two-bedroom, 1,129-square-foot apartment with hardwood floors and granite countertops — all for well below the median monthly rate of $1,700 per month.

When you aren’t using Seven’s on-site pool, gym, or cafe, immerse yourself in Phoenix’s natural beauty, from the Adobe Mountains and Hedgpeth Hills to Skunk Creek. When you’ve worked up an appetite, head to Wildflower Bread Company for pillowy pancakes or something meatier at Burger Mania. After a day outdoors, retire to your two-bedroom, 1,152-square-foot apartment (renting for $400 less than the median monthly rate of $1,600) nestled among rust-hued hills. Bonus: You’ll find travel in and around Phoenix’s Deer Valley easy, thanks to Seven’s proximity to Route 101 and its location just two minutes from the regional airport.

You can rest easy knowing you’re spending almost $1,500 less than the area’s median monthly rent of $3,874 for this pet-friendly, one-bedroom, 937-square-foot apartment. When you aren’t admiring the building’s views of the iconic Space Needle, head to nearby Myrtle Edwards Park and Southwest Queen Anne Greenbelt for a walk or jog. The toughest decision you’ll have to make is whether to get java from Street Bean Coffee Roasters, Seattle Grind, or Seattle’s own, Starbucks. Get dinner at Collections Café, located inside the stunning Chihuly Garden and Glass. Then head to a show at Mural Amphitheatre or a Seattle Shakespeare Company production. Or cheer on a new sport by watching an Ultimate Disc League game at Memorial Stadium.