Study and live in the United States: international student guide

• from 1,200 USDroom/month
• 5universities

The financial, media and cultural capital of the United States, New York City is one of the most iconic and cosmopolitan metropolises in the world. Five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island) and hundreds of neighborhoods offer top-notch universities (Columbia, NYU), endless job opportunities and an unparalleled nightlife and cultural life, with a 24-hour subway. The downside is the cost: rents are among the highest in the world, apartments are small and the market is very tough (you need a guarantor who earns 40-80 times the rent or a guarantee service). Living together is almost the rule. Look for a house well in advance and take into account high initial costs.

• from 950 USDroom/month
• 5universities

World capital of entertainment and second city in the United States, Los Angeles is an immense and widespread metropolis, made up of very different neighborhoods, among hills, beaches and an almost perpetual sun. It is home to leading universities (UCLA, USC), the film and TV industry, the “Silicon Beach” tech scene and an extraordinary multicultural culture. The downside is the high cost of living and, above all, the dependence on the car: despite an expanding subway network, LA remains a city designed for cars, with notoriously heavy traffic. Rents are expensive (cheaper than New York and San Francisco) and the market is competitive.

• from 1,300 USDroom/month
• 5universities

The heart of the Bay Area and the technology capital of the world, San Francisco combines hills, fog and iconic views with an unparalleled density of companies, startups and talent. In the region there are some of the best universities in the world (Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCSF) and the headquarters of tech giants, between the city, the East Bay and Silicon Valley. The downside is the cost of living, among the highest on the planet: rents are extreme and the market is very tough. The city is compact and (downtown) walkable, with Muni and BART connecting the region, but petty crime (especially car thefts) is a real problem. Tech salaries are very high and partially offset the costs.

• from 1,000 USDroom/month
• 5universities

Capital of Massachusetts and heart of New England, Boston is the most university city in the United States: the metropolitan area has over one hundred universities, including Harvard and MIT (in Cambridge, on the other side of the river), Boston University and Northeastern. It is also a major hub for biotechnology, healthcare and finance. Historic, compact and fully walkable — small by American standards — it is served by the “T,” the oldest subway in the country. The downside is the cost of living, among the highest in the USA, and a very tough rental market (with the chaotic "moving day" of September 1st). The winters are cold, but the quality of life and the university offerings are at the top.

• from 750 USDroom/month
• 5universities

Third city in the United States and capital of the Midwest, Chicago combines the skyline and architecture of a large metropolis with a much more affordable cost of living than New York, San Francisco or Boston. On Lake Michigan, it is a large economic (finance, trading, corporate headquarters, growing tech) and university hub, with the University of Chicago, Northwestern and several large universities. It boasts a leading music scene (blues, jazz, house), food and nightlife and the "L", the historic elevated railway. The downside is the harsh and windy winters and a safety that varies greatly between neighborhoods: the center, the north and the lakefront are safe, some areas of the south and west are much less so.

• from 750 USDroom/month
• 5universities

Capital of Texas and "live music capital of the world", Austin is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States: young, creative and become a large tech hub ("Silicon Hills", with Tesla, Apple, Oracle, Google) thanks also to the absence of state income tax. It is home to the huge and prestigious University of Texas at Austin and is famous for its festivals (SXSW, Austin City Limits), barbecue, lakes and the “keep Austin weird” spirit. The downside of the boom is that rents, once cheap, have risen significantly (although remaining below the large coastal cities), and the city remains very dependent on the car, with limited but expanding public transport.