If you can afford it, I would consider going the garage route. It will cost some money, but living in DC myself, it makes like SO MUCH easier when you aren't constantly having to jockey your car around or remember to get up early to move out of the metered spaces, etc. You will inevitably end up with a few parking tickets here and there and as a result, the garage wouldn't cost as much as you think.

However, it is a significant expense - at the low end, probably somewhere between $175-$250 per month. You might be able to find slightly less, but probably not in a convenient location.