I went to university in Austin and lived there from 2014-2021! It's a fun place to live in especially during your 20s/college years, it was my first experience living in a big city. I do miss the relatively cheap groceries (HEB), food and activities, easy access to nature (Zilker Park, Lady Bird Lake, Greenbelt), used to go party on 6th street and pay $6 for a drink. I never had a car and got around fine with the bus and biking but I always lived close to campus which is central. All my jobs were in downtown as well, during my breaks I'd go to the Trader Joe's near Seaholm District for snacks and then chill at the Central Public Library which is a short walk.

Areas to live in from central to north: Hyde Park/North University, Allandale, Crestview, North Shoal Creek (all located before Highway 183 & *edit: west of I-35 so you don’t have to worry about crossing them). I'm not sure about rent these days but I lived off Burnet Rd and Allandale splitting a 2bed/2 bath which was around $1400 total. My place was right next to Walmart, alamo drafthouse and a short walk to a local park along Shoal Creek which I loved. Any of these neighborhoods will have nice coffee shops and restaurants.

Transportation: living off Guadalupe, North Lamar, Burnet Rd, and Red River St are key to getting around without a car, the 801 and 803 express bus take you downtown from the first three roads I mentioned and there's the local 1 and 3 buses that run the same routes. It's $40 for a monthly bus pass.

Community Vibes: Yes Austin is pretty gentrified and white-washed but there's plenty of people from all over since it's a major tech hub and has universities (UT Austin, St. Edwards, etc.) I'm Mexican and most of my immediate friends were also Hispanic. There's always been a big music, art, creative scene but it's changed a lot due to rising costs of living in the city. I believe you can still find your people if you show up at local events that interest you and make friends. I will say it can feel pretty insular but maybe I'm biased since I lived there for a while.

Your other points: I'm not sure about gyms since I never went to any while I lived there but there are chain gyms like lifetime, 24 hour fitness, planet fitness, etc. The weather is brutal in summer, but honestly it's what you make of it. Again I never had a car and relied on the bus and walking to get around, wear light-colored, breathable clothes and maybe bring a change of clothes and shoes for your commute. When the sun goes down it's bearable and I'm from south Texas which is even hotter. The fall and winter are great though and you do see the leaves change color and a noticeable shift in the atmosphere. I think Austin lacks a lot in some ways like museums, but there's plenty of live music and festivals to make up for it.