It can certainly be frustrating to live in a city full of cars but not be able to afford your own car.
Public transportation can work in some cities, but of course will constrain your schedule and will go much slower than moving under your own control.
Walking and biking can be good options, but can be difficult if you need to go more than a couple of miles.
A scooter can be a great option which is cheaper than a car, but offers a lot of the same convenience.
A 5 mile commute that would take an hour or more to walk will be a 5 to 10 minute trip on your scooter.
As a bonus, scooters are typically easier and cheaper to park than cars in most cities.
You can park on the sidewalk or even between spots without getting a ticket in many places.
A scooter is tons cheaper to buy than normal cars, and insuring it will be dramatically cheaper as well.
Many scooters get 40, 60 or even 80 miles per gallon and will save a ton of money compared to owning a car as well.
Perhaps the biggest trade offs are being more exposed to the weather, and being a bit less safe than a car: It's important to wear appropriate safety gear since a crash on a scooter can be dangerous! Certainly be sure to wear a helmet, and also investigate motorcycle gloves and perhaps even a shielded jacket which can help protect you in the unhappy case of an accident or collision.