I was in Cleveland for a while commuting to EWR. My rent in CLE was $700 a month for a decent one bed apartment that was 30 mins from the airport. I moved to Rahway in NJ which is 25 mins drive from EWR and only pay $300 a month more. When you take into account the crash pad ($150) I'm out $150 a month.

Well worth it.

I find people who shout loudest about how bad/expensive a city is either grew up in a one horse town or haven't actually lived there themselves.