Cheap yes, shitty no.

Living in a shitty place to me means potentially unsanitary (broken, moldy) or unsafe neighborhood/building. Cheap on the other hand might mean well out in the suburbs or a generally less desirable/boring area. That’s something I feel like a compromise is possible.

Struggle to afford is also a bit of a vague statement. Can you give us an idea? There have been some ratios going around like rent should be max 30% of your income for example, but I don’t really get why you shouldn’t go beyond that if your remaining expenses are manageable.

So before sacrificing safety, I’d rather do a proper budget and check if there’s a chance to save money elsewhere to make a nice place more affordable.