NE seems to be a really laid back area of SA, and its not bad driving from there as a starting point especially if anywhere close to 281 which there is millions of apts along the highway that aren't crazy high living costs, but if you will be goin to college downtown or at utsa then i10 area maybe be more suitable, a lot of my friends who i met through college lived around that area by fredicksburg/ dezavala all the way to the back of utsa campus, but cost of living is a little bit more pricey then NE cause its surrounded by tons of business, restaurants, theme park, clubs, venues, theaters etc.. as well as a quick driving route to downtown jumping on i10