Insane accommodation prices

Having lived in Salford, I just want to point out that some of the accommodation prices for student accommodation are insane. It's not Kensington in London, it's Salford.
Don't get me wrong, it's got some good aspects, and places on Salford Quays (actually at Salford Quays, not 10 minutes' walk away) can justify higher prices if the accommodation is top quality, but Salford in general:
- Has loads of chavs (even working in some of the shops)
- Speaking of shops, has a tiny shopping centre (you can walk from one end to the other in less than 5 minutes if you walk briskly)
- Has a virtually useless police force so full of criminals that they wreck their own cases and ignore grooming gangs (I wanted to use a more direct word for their behaviour but it might not be allowed)
- Has virtually nothing near the University of Salford - to the extent that the University pretends to be in Manchester to attract students (alongside (not in) Manchester, Salford is in a county confusingly called Greater Manchester). The council mentions two other bars but they're around 10 minutes' walk for one of them and 20 minutes' walk for the other, from the Salford University main entrance.
- Is pretty run-down in places
So it absolutely doesn't justify rents of £800 a month upwards, other than maybe in the Quays area. So the companies need to stop ripping off students.
Anyway, there are plenty of shared houses at decent prices (always try to get a place that does individual contracts so you're not responsible for someone else's rent) and some halls-type accommodation that's not too expensive.
For anyone depressed by the above, a few good things:
- Giant park next to the University (as with all parks, try not to wander through it alone at night). Great for chilling during the summer
- A river nearby (some people say it smells, but some people like the smell)
- Aside from the chavs, decent, down-to-Earth people, not pretentious fake people
- The Old Fire Station Café / Bakery / Bar on the main road (The Crescent / Chapel Street) near the main entrance (Maxwell Building) of the University
- A little place called Salford Museum and Art Gallery (note that the car park outside is not part of the University so charges are different and University permits are not valid there at all)
- A bus from the main campus to Salford Quays, which the Students' Union says is free for students who present their ID card (the main University website doesn't say)
- A train station literally on the campus
- A purpose-built social space and kitchen in the library (the library is also 24-hour but ID cards are needed in the evenings, times can change so always have it with you)
- The park sometimes has events (probably have to pay for them but I've watched the odd music event by sitting on the steps next to the library - not a great view if there is a fence but still fun). For example, the annual Pink Picnic
- Salford borders Manchester and Manchester has lots to do and see, two free buses around different parts of the city centre, and an extensive tram network that includes some places outside of Manchester, such as Salford Quays.

Where would you suggest renting instead like?