Cambridge is super doable if you don't drive! Between pedestrian friendly streets, bike lanes, the subway and the bus system you can get just about anywhere in the city. Personally, I'm biased and recommend East Cambridge, but there's tons of walkable neighborhoods and there's tons of labs in the Kendall area which is easy to get to. Just make sure you're looking at subway and bus stops when looking for places to live because there are a few areas in west Cambridge that are a bit more car dependent.