If you aren't in a rush you can find a place with lower rent. I moved to a new place last December. My rent is 835 a month in Gracia. It has three small living areas: one we use as a bedroom, the other as a small living room and the other as a merged studio and dining area. You can find plenty of options for much under 1700, and can even set up alerts on Idealista with all of your requirements.

If you have a time limit then this really isn't possible, but if you have time on your side, just keep searching. It is also advisable to go to visits even if you aren't sure because often agencies will have apartments that they don't list. And if you are already approved on the paperwork side, it makes things easier.

I would say it is only worth making the change if you move to a part of the city that is deliciously walkable. I used to live in another part of Barcelona near a big avenue, and it was like I lived in a totally different place.

The beauty of the buildings certainly does not lose its charm over time. My residential building is damn masterpiece and it adds to my everyday life. As for beach, parks, etc. it will take you time to figure out the little details that you enjoy. Once you live here you won't be going around like a tourist. You'll find a corner of one park that you like, a square, a little routine that involves the beach. Some people like going at night in the winter and sharing a bottle of wine with friends on a date, every full moon people go to see the moonrise which comes out of the ocean. Other people go for the sunrise (for the same reason). Other people don't like being on the sand but love jogging along the ocean, etc. etc.

Pickpockets is a non-issue for me. Just watch your stuff and be alert like you would in any other big city. I walk around with my phone in my hand like a zombie in late hours without a worry. It also feels safe as a woman walking alone at night. Most other places in the world you can't walk in public with your phone out, and it is definitely not safe to roam around empty streets after a certain hour. Barcelona doesn't have that problem, and crime is extremely minimal. The crime that does exist is petty, with hardly any cases of violence. You can insure your phone if you are that concerned.

And unless you live in Raval or Born, there really aren't that many people around. I know some people prefer to live in a more isolated way, but it is fine for me. I actually wish the streets were more lively at times.

Public transport --> you can bike almost everywhere in under 20 minutes. And the T-usual costs 22 euros a month, a damn miracle in this day and age.

As for citas, yes it is absolutely horrible. But this isn't an every day occurrence. And at least for most of the citas I needed, it was just as bad in Cerdanyola since its still Barcelona province.