If you get a studio, even in a better priced location, you would probably need to sign a lease which would be much longer than the length of an internship. So, I agree with other people that you should look for a shared rental, which not only will be much cheaper than getting your own apartment, but you will be much more likely to find a place where you can just stay for the length of your internship.

Redwood Shores itself is pretty small. Some nearby towns with more housing options are San Mateo, Redwood City, Foster City, Belmont, and San Carlos. If you are willing to cross a bridge every day, you can look into Hayward, San Leandro, Castro Valley, Union City, Newark, and Fremont. These are likely cheaper, but not only have a longer commute, but also bridge fare which is $4 now and likely to rise soon.

There are yet more towns that are a reasonable commute away from EA – just go to a map website like google maps and look around, and try to look at the traffic during commute hours on there. Craigslist is the go-to website in the Bay Area for rentals.

In less expensive areas of the Bay Area, a decent price for a single room is $500 or so. $800 for a studio really isn’t that bad under our cost of living. Most interns here live at home with their parents – do you know anyone in the Bay Area you could live with for a few months?

Short answer no.

Look on Craigslist and check into a share rental, you may be able to get something larger for about the same money.

Downside you will be living with a total stranger, sometimes it works, sometimes it can turn into a nightmare.

But $800.00 for a studio in that area is reasonable.

Keep in mind that if you move too far away you will be spending on gas what you may save on rent.