I’m one of the lucky ones. Moving to the Boston area in 1999, I was pretty much oblivious to the fact that the Hub was being consumed by the fires of its dreaded "apartment hell." Skyrocketing rents. Realtors’ fees. Stiff competition. A housing market that was tighter than a drum. Once here, though, I wised up quick, forced by my meager income into sharing an obscenely overpriced shoebox, way out in Arlington Heights, with three of my friends. The tiny bedroom and constantly occupied bathroom were bad enough. But after a year of the twice-daily commutes on the bus/Red Line/Green Line (an hour-and-a-half slog at best), I’d had enough. I needed bigger, I needed closer, I needed not-much-pricier.

There was one way to do it, and it was risky: avoid insulting broker’s fees by somehow finding a kindly stranger with a ready-made pad and a room to rent. I was wary, but I gave it a go. And then, not long after I’d begun my search, on the wall of Cheapo Records, half-obscured by fliers for coffee-shop gigs and sofas for sale, I saw it:

ROOM IN LARGE PORTER SQUARE APARTMENT. SUN PORCH. DISHWASHER. WASHER/DRYER IN APT. NEAR T. MUST BE FUN. SHOULD NOT LIKE GRATEFUL DEAD. $583/MO.

A brief interview a day later, quickly establishing that Mr. Porter Square’s bookshelf and CD-rack collections were practically identical to mine, and I was in. Size had increased, distance from civilization had been reduced, and amenities had improved immeasurably — all for a mere $83 more per month. In the two years since, the price has not gone up. For this, I am thankful.

I feel guilty relating all this. Because I know not everyone has been so fortunate as to stumble upon a good roommate with a huge, furnished apartment and a landlord who won’t raise the rent. And I’m under no illusions that, were I forced to start from scratch today, I’d ever be able to find a place remotely like the one I call home for anything close to what I’m paying.

But there are glints of hope in the smoldering embers of Boston’s apartment hell. It’s just a matter of having an open mind. Instead of insisting on a place in Jamaica Plain, for instance, why not head just a bit south to Roslindale? The North End has Old World charm, but East Boston, just through the tunnel, also has something of an Italian feel — plus a lot more. Cambridge is on the Red Line, but so is Southie. Why not divert your attention from Kenmore and the Fenway and head up to Mission Hill? We won’t pretend apartments in any of these neighborhoods will be available for a song. But as tight as the market still is, relatively affordable locales exist where — though rents and sales prices have risen apace with the rest of the city — decent finds can still be unearthed.

East Boston

The rumbling roar of overhead jets and the steady stream of travelers (about 25 million per year) flocking to Logan Airport are permanent and pesky presences in East Boston. But for those willing to put up with the inconveniences, a pad in a vibrant neighborhood can be had for a comparatively modest price. According to Robin Perry of Boston Real Estate Group, one-bedroom apartments in Eastie are currently going for anywhere from $800 to $1000 a month, and two-bedrooms usually fall in the $1200-to-$1300 range. Condos, Perry says, average in the $99,000-to-$269,000 range. East Boston is more expensive than it was a few years ago, yes. But it’s a damn sight cheaper than the $1800 rent one might pay for a single bedroom in Harvard Square, or the $2800 a Back Bay two-bedroom might cost.

Granted, those are two of the most appealing neighborhoods in all of Boston. But Eastie has a charm all its own. It’s made up of five Boston Harbor islands, which are now more or less contiguous, thanks to a century and a half of land filling. While Logan Airport comprises Governor’s Island, Apple Island, and Bird Island — two-thirds of Eastie’s area — the two largest, Noddle’s Hog Islands, play host to the bulk of Eastie’s homes. Affordable, renovated apartments can still be found in Eagle Hill, Maverick Square, Jeffries Point, and Orient Heights — Eastie’s main residential areas.

East Boston has always been a neighborhood of immigrants. First came the Irish and the French-Canadians, then Eastern-European Jews, and later, huge numbers of Italians, who established themselves in short order as the area’s primary ethnic group. More recently, South and Central Americans, Southeast Asians, and Haitians have made their claims on the neighborhood, adding spice to Eastie’s ethnic stew. Such variety makes for a vibrant community that boasts a plethora of eateries and a lively, colorful feel.

Now, venerable eateries like the ever-popular throwback Santarpio’s pizzeria, CaffŹ Italia (with its charming piano bar and Italian cafŽ), and the De Angelis Bakery hearken back to the neighborhood’s Old World roots, while newer establishments such as Uncle Pete’s Hickory Ribs and sundry Brazilian cafŽs attest to its very diverse present.

Other Eastie diversions include Piers Park, a grassy six-acre waterfront expanse featuring an amphitheater, exercise equipment, and a sailing center. And, of course, there’s the Madonna Queen National Shrine at the top of Orient Heights, a 35-foot tribute to the Virgin Mary that, apart from stirring religious devotion, also plays host to weekly bingo. (Red lights are fastened at the top to alert incoming air traffic from Logan.)

Mission Hill

Perched on a rise overlooking the Longwood medical area, Mission Hill is a residential neighborhood that encompasses both quiet, quaint yards and a gritty urban ambiance. Here, says Perry, one-bedrooms have recently been going for $1200 to $1400 and two-bedrooms for somewhere just north or south of the $1800 mark, while condos average $279,000 to $359,000. Besides the commanding views it offers of the city below, one of the hallmarks of Mission Hill is a tight-knit sense of community. For a tiny example of this, check out the Garden of Art on Parker Street, a humble jumble of arts and crafts spread across a placid plot of land, offering a pleasant respite from the teeming city below. It was created through the cooperation of students at the nearby Massachusetts School of Art, neighborhood residents, and the children of the Mission Hill School for all residents to enjoy.

Such a sense of community is all the more remarkable when one considers the area’s diversity: Longwood staff, Northeastern and MassArt students, and recent Latin American and Southeast Asian immigrants all co-exist in this descending warren of tree-lined streets and large Victorian houses — homes whose paint might often be chipping, but whose charm remains intact. Another hallmark of Mission Hill is its family atmosphere. Although crime has risen some, this is still a place where you might see kids pedaling their bikes or tossing a football on empty residential streets. On summer evenings, three fields at the top of the hill play host to the popular Mission Hill Little League.

Dining options in Mission Hill are primarily modest and heavy on the take-out side. But the year-old Solstice CafŽ (formerly CafŽ de Michel) boasts an outdoor patio, fine pan-ethnic fare, and a great beer selection, in addition to occasional evening DJs. For eating at home, "groceries and sundries" can still be procured at the charming Hillside Market, established in 1919.

Nights out might be spent at any number of drinkeries. Flann O’Brien’s is a homey Irish pub with a great jukebox and a red-felted pool table. Across the street, Dropkick Murphys fans will recognize the American Legion where the band posed for the inside photo of their first album. Pat Flanagan’s is much loved for the cheap drinks it serves up to area students. The Squealing Pig is a laid-back pub that often hosts live music.

Another great aspect of Mission Hill, of course, is its location. Of the four neighborhoods spotlighted here, its monthly rents are the steepest, but it’s also the most conveniently located. It’s easy to get downtown, and the Hill also borders Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, Brookline, and the Fenway. While its residential neighborhoods are quiet and marked with permit-only parking signs and stately homes, it also encompasses parts of busy Huntington and Tremont streets. Says one pal who’s called the Hill home, "I can definitely think of way worse places to live."

Roslindale

Nestled between Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury, six miles from Boston proper, Roslindale is a little bit off the beaten track. But, fortunately, it doesn’t look as beaten up as it once did. Rozzie’s revitalization is manifest in its steadily climbing property values (condos fall mostly in the $99,000-to-$389,000 range) and monthly rents that are considerably higher than they were just a few years ago (about $900 to $1000 for a one-bedroom and $1300 to $1800 for a two-bedroom, according to Perry). This little, almost-suburban burg, sometimes dubbed "Roslinopoulos" for its abundant Greek population, has become more and more diverse — ethnically and economically — as the years have worn on. Slowly, this formerly rough-around-the-edges neighborhood is evolving into a polished gem.

Roslindale’s turnaround flows in part from the gentrified spillover from neighboring JP, but also owes much to the beneficence of its former city councilor (and current Boston mayor), Tom Menino. In the early 1980s, Menino saw to it that Rozzie was the first community in Boston to benefit from the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Program, which channels federal and city funds toward rejuvenating foundering commercial districts. Almost 20 years on, Roslindale Square is now known as Roslindale Village. Talk about results.

Many brand-new businesses that typify the Roslindale renaissance have benefited directly from the Roslindale Village Main Streets program: 18 Birch Street is an art and antiques store specializing in home furnishings made by local artists. Prices are reasonable and, says someone in the know, the owners are always willing to haggle. Village Books is a smallish but well-stocked independent bookseller that allows prospective buyers to do some advance reading in its outdoor courtyard. Village Sushi and Grill serves up superb sushi and other Japanese fare.

As for other international eats, Delfino’s is a new favorite, preparing innovative Italian dishes. It’s small and very popular, so prepare to wait for a table if you haven’t made reservations. Gusto is another excellent trattoria, opened in 1999 by the owners of Icarus in the South End. It, too, enjoys a robust reputation, and is reportedly a favorite of Boston’s first Italian mayor.

Fornax Bread Baking Co. is a hugely popular bread store that can sell you a loaf or two to take home, or where you can enjoy a great breakfast or lunch. (Try the grilled cheese, made with Asiago cheese on homemade sourdough bread.) Solera is a wine store whose tiny appearance belies its vast selection. One of its staffers, Michael, is lauded by a Phoenix writer for really caring about what she drinks. "He’ll always ask, ‘What are you eating tonight?’" she reports. "He’s always helpful, always willing to point you in the right direction." And the Village Market is a co-op grocery store that’s much beloved by Rozzie residents of all stripes.

If the numerous smallish green spaces that dot Roslindale Village — like the quaint Adams Park in the center of town, or the Alexander the Great Park (where the bust of its namesake was a gift from the city of Athens) — aren’t enough for you, the gorgeous sprawling greenery of the 265-acre Arnold Arboretum is just a 10-minute walk away.

South Boston

Say the words "South Boston" to someone who’s not from around here (or even someone who is), and chances are he or she will think of at least one of the following: Irishness, insularity, local politics, racial tensions, or red-nosed, bulbous-bellied old men belting out "Southie Is My Home Town" with tears in their beers.

These, of course, are stereotypes. The Southie of today, while certainly retaining a prickly sense of independence and unassailable hometown pride, is not the hard, provincial neighborhood it’s so often misperceived as. Yes, Broadway is still deluged by a sea of cheap green beer when it hosts the Paddy’s Day parade each year. But these days, one is almost as likely to run across a yuppie in gym clothes as a townie decked out in a scally cap and cable-stitch sweater. Perry says rents in Southie currently hover at around $900 to $1100 for one-bedroom apartments and $1400 to $1800 for two-bedrooms. Many of these are found in Southie’s ubiquitous triple-deckers, once home to large blue-collar families and now just as appealing to young professionals who want to stay close to Boston proper but don’t want (or can’t afford) to live in it. (Condos have a wider range: Perry says they run from $169,000 to $799,000.)

Of a piece with South Boston’s new character are establishments like the Cranberry CafŽ (lattes, in Southie!); Maude Mango, which specializes in vintage consignment clothing for the stylish woman; and Larry Baron’s Newbury Street–esque salon and spa.

That’s not to say that Southie’s been irrevocably yuppified. Tradition lives on in places like the ’50s-era Mul’s Diner, which is de rigueur for a filling, cheap breakfast. The Loaf & Ladle is another great choice for breakfast — of the traditional Irish variety. But if doing the Irish thing in Southie seems just a little predictable, buck the trend and grab a meal at Salsa’s Mexican Grill.

For liquid nourishment, traditional Southie still rules. The Boston Beer Garden is a bit more upscale, serving brunch, lunch, and dinner, but the Blackthorn Bar and the Quencher Tavern are both real "taste of Southie" pubs. So is the venerable Woody’s L Street Tavern, even though it’s had a taste of the big time thanks to a role in Good Will Hunting. Nevertheless, it hasn’t put on airs because of its movie-star status.

Of course, one of South Boston’s main attractions is its proximity to the waterfront. Head out to the Revolutionary War–era military fort at Castle Island and fish, munch on concession food, or simply stroll along the beach.

Mike Miliard can be reached at mmiliard[a]phx.com