photo courtesy of houzz

LA can be an expensive place to live, but surprisingly it’s only ranked the fifth priciest rental market in the US behind D.C., Boston, New York, & San Francisco respectively.  With that said though, rents are on the rise in Los Angeles and it’s a competitive market out there with only around 3% availability.  (If you find a great deal, snatch it up as soon as you can with these tips.)

When we were apartment hunting seven years ago, we quickly found out the hard way that we had Restoration Hardware taste on an Ikea budget when it came to our expectations of finding a decent apartment in LA.  We realized that after seeing what felt like a hundred different apartments, that all we could afford was Downtown or Koreatown and what we really wanted was to be in Beverly Hills!  (True story.)

So where do you find those sweet deals?  The folks over at LAist and Zumper, have pulled together a map showcasing the average price of a 1-bedroom apartment around the sprawling neighborhoods of LA.  (Thanks, guys!)

And what did they find?  Rents out there can be expensive: even though it offers rent control, Santa Monica takes the top spot at $2,800.  They also found some up-and-coming neighborhoods that offer great deals like Culver City for $1,430.  Here’s an overview and our picks for sweet deals in great neighborhoods:

priciest pads

Santa Monica $2,800
Marina del Rey $2,600
Bel Air/Beverly Crest $2,500
Venice $2,450
Downtown $2,390

affordable abodes

Florence-Graham $875
Central Alameda $900
South Central LA $900
CANNDU $950
Park Mesa Heights $950

suite spots (our picks)

Culver City $1,430
Mar Vista $1,610
Greater Griffith Park $1,610
Silver Lake $1,700
West Hollywood $1,950

Be sure to check out our tips for finding an apartment in LA and ways to score the perfect place once you find it.

Which LA neighborhood are you thinking about moving to?  Let us know in the comments below.