Cheap Apartments for Rent in the Center City Neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA from $600 (286 Rentals)

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Search the lowest-cost Apartments available for rent right now in the Center City area of Philadelphia.

Roommate Matching: Finding the Right Fit and Avoiding Pitfalls

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property at 201 S 13th St

201 S 13th St

PhiladelphiaPA19107

The Ultimate Long-Distance Moving Checklist: Tips from a Real Estate Pro

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property at 2004 Chestnut St

2004 Chestnut St

PhiladelphiaPA19103

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property at 2100 Walnut St

2100 Walnut St

PhiladelphiaPA19103
property at 1524 South St

1524 South St

PhiladelphiaPA19146

Philadelphia's Best Affordable Neighborhoods

Learn about Philadelphia and the best places to live with original content written by our Local Expert Richard Corrigan

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Center City, Philadelphia, PA Local Guide

Cheapest Available Center City Apartments for Rent

 

The cheapest available apartment rental in the Center City area of Philadelphia, PA is a 1 Bed unit found at Universal Court 1 priced from $812. 1606-1608 Locust St has the second lowest priced unit, which is a Studio apartment currently listed from $950. Here are the most affordable Center City apartments for rent in Philadelphia, PA:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPriced From
Universal Court 11 Bed, 1 bath1BR,1BA$812
1606-1608 Locust StStudio - 2nd FloorStudio,1BA$950
1501 Locust St Residential0BR/1.0BAStudio,1BA$1,000
Juniper PlaceStudioStudio,1BA$1,025
Spruce Tower1BR/1.0BA1BR,1BA$1,050
226 South 21st StStudioStudio,1BA$1,060
The ClaremontStudioStudio,1BA$1,075
Ronan FlatsD1Studio,1BA$1,204
The DrakeSEStudio,1BA$1,211
The HowellLayout B1BR,1BA$1,225

Best Value Apartments for Rent in Center City, PA

As of August 12, 2025 the best value apartment in the Center City area is the $1.69 price per square foot 1928 Rodman St Model at 1928 Rodman St, Unit 1928 Rodman St A in the in the Belmont neighborhood starting from $3,300. The second greatest value Center City apartment is the 2013 Walnut St Model at 2013 Walnut St, Unit #4 starting at $2,200 with a $1.22 price per square foot in the Belmont neighborhood. Here is today’s list of the best values for Center City apartments based on price per square foot:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPrice Per Sq.Ft.
1928 Rodman St, Unit 1928 Rodman St A1928 Rodman St3BR,2.5BA$1.69
2013 Walnut St, Unit #42013 Walnut St2BR,1.5BA$1.22
1729 South St, Unit B1729 South St2BR,1BA$1.87
The Mercantile Apartments1F-1G-1H2BR,2BA$1.93
1302 South St, Unit 11302 South St3BR,1.5BA$1.90
1535 South St, Unit 31535 South St2BR,1BA$1.56
Mariners Court Apartments081BR,1BA$1.88
The Barrymoreone bedroom1BR,1BA$1.81
514 South Street1BR/1.0BA1BR,1BA$1.79
Universal Court 11 Bed, 1 bath1BR,1BA$1.29

Quick Rent Budget Calculator

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The common "Rule of Thumb" is that rent should be no more than 30% of your income. How much is that? Enter your monthly income and click "Calculate My Budget" to find out.

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Pet Friendly Lifestyle
Center City, Philadelphia, PA

Ranked #6

Among cities in Pennsylvania for Apartment listings with Pet Friendly Amenities.

Pet Friendliness Lifestyle Score

4.0
Pet Friendly

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Lifestyle Ratings

ApartmentHomeLiving.com is happy to bring you comprehensive Lifestyle Ratings of rentals in areas across the United States including Center City, Philadelphia, and the greater Philadelphia area. LifeStyle Ratings are a useful tool for comparing and sorting apartments and neighborhoods when choosing your rental home. This takes in many factors including filtering automatically for the best outdoor access, luxury housing options, kid and pet-friendly communities, availability of transit options, in addition to floorplans, availablity, and pricing. These search options are in the site filters at the top of this page.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cheap Center City Apartments

What is a cheap apartment in Center City?

A cheap apartment is any apartment up to the 30% percentile of cost for the area, which in Center City is under $1,225.

What is the price of a cheap apartment in Center City?

The cheapest apartment in Center City is Universal Court 1 which is listed at $812, while the average apartment in Center City costs $12,590.

What types of apartments are the cheapest in Center City?

Student, low-income, and by-the-bed apartments are typically the cheapest rentals in most cities, though they require qualifying criteria to rent. There are 440 regular apartments in Center City that we think qualify as ‘cheap apartments’ that do not have special requirements to apply to rent.

How do the prices of cheap apartments compare to the average apartment in Center City?

Cheap apartments in Center City have an average cost of $1,061 which is $11,529 cheaper than the average rent for all rentals in Center City.

Expert Rental Resources

Helpful Apartment Articles, How-To's and Tips

The rental experts at ApartmentHomeLiving.com provide you with top advice, tools, and tips for understanding the leasing process and finding the perfect rental. Here are a few helpful rental and leasing articles from our experts to guide you on your search.

decorative image for A Local Expert's Guide to the Best Affordable Neighborhoods in Philadelphia article

A Local Expert's Guide to the Best Affordable Neighborhoods in Philadelphia

Written by: Richard Corrigan

There’s always been more to Philadelphia than meets the eye. When I first came here, I saw it as a tough, gritty town.

decorative image for The Ultimate Long-Distance Moving Checklist: Tips from a Real Estate Pro article

The Ultimate Long-Distance Moving Checklist: Tips from a Real Estate Pro

Written by: Christine Leonard, Esq.

Hard truth. Moving is never easy. I’ve done it all – from local moves to cross-country relocations From packing to unpacking the last box, I have found moving to be an exhausting, expensive and stressful experience every time.

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Cash or credit? Understanding the Importance of Credit Score in Real Estate and Renting

Written by: Christine Leonard, Esq.

Throughout the day, think about all the times that you have to pay for something. So many of us reach automatically for a credit card or even our phone for a quick payment.

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Roommate Matching: Finding the Right Fit and Avoiding Pitfalls

Written by: Cheryl Bowman

A fantastic way to save money and enjoy a built-in community is to share an apartment. However, a bad roommate situation can turn your dream rental into a nightmare.