Living in a city as incredible as New York comes with great sacrifices, mostly in the form of square footage and paychecks. So, it’s no surprise that what’s considered a budget-friendly apartment in Manhattan is a single room hardly bigger than a walk-in closet. One in particular making the rounds on social media is 100 square feet, with a “community bathroom” in the hallway and a sink right next to the front door.
The tenant, a guy named Axel Webber, posted a tour of his West Village micro-studio in a TikTok video last week and has gotten millions of views since.
“Here’s what it’s like living in the smallest apartment in New York City,” says Webber. “Whatever your expectations are, lower them.”
First, he showcases the sink, which is inches away from the front door. The “kitchen” is on the other side of the sink and consists of a mini-fridge, a microwave, and a few tiny shelves. The apartment has no living room but it does have a bunk bed.
@axelwebber#nyc #livinglikerockstar #carbohydrates♬ original sound – Axel
Thankfully, the good people of TikTok were quick to give Webber some tips. He posted another video putting their advice to the test and moved his bottom mattress against the wall, which made a noticeable difference.
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@axelwebberthanks for the idea guys #smallapartment #spacefortwo #needguests♬ original sound – Axel
The biggest downfall of the place would have to be the shared bathroom down the hall. Webber posted a tour of that too, pointing out the random spot of blood on the floor, the lack of hand soap, and the BYOTP policy.
@axelwebber Reply to @zoloftsiderffects
Given how shocked and horrified the internet seems to be by Webber’s apartment, you’d think that it’s the first of its kind. But, micro-units like these already exist in cities around the world, including Tokyo, Hong Kong, and even Toronto.
One Globe & Mail article from 2019 details a place exactly like Webber’s. One Toronto apartment that recently went viral on TikTok, although bigger than 100 square feet, is easily the most atrocious rental in the whole city.
If this is what it takes to live in a big city on a budget, we’ll definitely pass.
