PR students who landed internships in New York last summer coped with high housing costs. One intern paid $1,750 monthly for a 9x11-foot "box" on the upper East Side that didn't include a bathroom.

That was in the hall and she shared it with a dozen others on the floor. The landlord required her to take a six-month lease. The room had a bed, desk, drawers and a closet and reminded her of her college dorm.

Students ran into a key fact of life in New York -- the skyrocketing costs of apartment renting or buying propelled by the influx of billions of dollars of investments in properties by foreign investors often using "dummy" corporations that hide the real owners, as reported in the New York Times in the past few days.

The student now says she should have looked for space in Brooklyn or Queens and advised future interns to do so. Initial thoughts were that commuting to the boroughs might be unsafe and too time-consuming. She has now revised those opinions.

Positives about her experience were that the rent also included access to a gym, swimming pool, weight training rooms, and an indoor track. Her building also held lectures, classes and concerts for the residents.

While the rent was a burden, she feels the "wonderful experiences" she had in New York made it worth the price. She liked being close to midtown where she worked and enjoyed going to Soho and downtown for social activities.

Rent was paid by swiping her credit card at the office at the beginning of the month. The paid internship was not enough to cover living costs. Her parents made up the difference.

Students Like Central Location

Another intern ended up paying $4,200 for a two and a half month stay in NYC, at approximately $1,680 a month. "Finding affordable housing was crucial to me," she said. "I came from Tennessee and didn't know anybody, I also did not have a lot of money to spend for the internship." Since she came alone, not knowing anyone in New York she made sure to do as much research beforehand as possible.

"I wanted to be in the 'heart' of the city or as close to it as possible," she said. She also did not want a long commute to work. She felt "safe" where she lived, a key requirement. I definitely felt safe where I lived," and safety is key.

She used nycintern.org to find her place in Herald Square in midtown. She had two roommates in a spacious apartment with a full kitchen, bathroom, laundry access and close proximity to the subway. The building included 24-hour concierge, full gym, private roof access and even fitness classes. Her rent was due in full at the start of the summer. She also enjoyed going out to eat in the village and Soho, finding that many of her coworkers were familiar with the city and suggested suitable places.

College Dorms Are about $1,200 Monthly

Summer interns might land living quarters at New York University, Columbia or Fordham. Rates start at around $300 a week. A double or triple room without air conditioning is $187 a week. A double with air conditioning is $300 and can get higher.

An NYU apartment puts the student in the middle of the posh Soho/Greenwich Village area with easy access to nightlife and restaurants.

Other options may include living with family from the area and commuting. Monthly passes on trains such as the Metro North start at around $200.