At first glance, you might think it is a joke: to pay rent of 1,000 euros per month for a space as big as. But for Víctor Caoldo, a Spanish architect established in Hong Kong, this is the daily reality. Its mini-caring has only 10 square meters and is considered even one of the “increase” from the building where he lives.
The living of a 10 MP mini-spine architect from Hong Kong Capture at Xesta Atresplayer
In the following rows, readers will discover what the daily life looks like in a city where the demand for housing exceeds the offer, how the “nano-apartments” system works and what are the challenges of the expatriates. They will find out why the real estate prices in Hong Kong are among the largest in the world, how they influence the lifestyle and what alternatives exist for those with low budget, from capsule hotels to tiny living spaces. The story of the European architect in the real estate madness in Asia illustrates the paradox of metropol “Box of matches”showing how intense and fascinating the urban living in Hong Kong can be.
Life in the box of 10 square meters
The mini-pursue or nano-the-sector's department has everything it needs-but at the level of survival. A bed, a tiny desk, a refrigerator, a microwave oven and a bathroom where “Everything is wet“Each time he takes a shower. The storage space? A laundry rope behind the bed, where they hang their clothes. “I have the strict necessary to survive”he told for television to the sex.
The irony makes his home being the second largest in the building. Actually a 67 square meter apartment was divided into five “Nano-Apartments”each sold or rented separately. A very common business in Hong Kong where the housing crisis was born an entire industry from the conversion of spaces into “Pocket rooms”.
The absurd price of a “match box”
For this tiny space, Víctor pays 1,000 euros per month – almost a luxurious apartment rent in the center of Bucharest. Difference? In Romania, the same amount brings you an apartment of two or three rooms or even a small house on the outskirts of the city, practically more space than the entire house of housing in Asia.
In Hong Kong, however, where the demand for housing far exceeds the offer and the land for construction is extremely limited, the reality is different: young people, expans and families with modest incomes come to live in “Chibritis boxes” or even worse.
Personal paradox
What makes the story of Víctor and more amazing is the contrast between his professional and personal life. At work, as an architect in a large company, he projects villas and buildings of hundreds of square meters.
“The last project was a 700 square meter house”the architect said. And at home, he returns to his 10 square meters.
The problem of a generation
phenomenon “Nano-Apartaments” He was denounced by many specialists as a public health problem. The lack of space affects not only the comfort, but also the rest, intimacy and mental health of the tenants.
In the case of Víctor, his apartment even gives a huge neighborhood advertisement, which illuminates the whole room.
Real estate prices in Hong Kong: A challenge for city residents
Hong Kong is known for the high prices of real estate. In the first quarter of 2025, the prices of the apartments decreased by 6.89% compared to the previous year, but remain among the largest in the world. For example, the average price per square meter in Hong Kong varies between about 13,000 and 25,000 euros, depending on the area, area and housing conditions.
This situation makes it like small homes, like “Nano-Aparts”be a viable option for many inhabitants of the city.
Capsule hotels: Another low budget solution
And the capsule hotels are a popular option in Hong Kong for those who want to save on accommodation. They offer extremely small, small rooms, equipped with essential facilities and common services. Prices vary depending on the location and facilities, but they are generally more accessible than traditional hotels.
For example, the Hong Kong capsule hotels have prices that vary depending on the location, facilities and season and vary between 24 and 124 euros/night, offering a convenient option for travelers or limited budget.
The life of another European in Hong Kong: 50 sqm apartment at 600,000 € vs animal cages
Others, however, are more fortunate, as is the case of Sunny, a Romanian, who at the age of 22 has taken his world and moved to Asia. Six years later, he lives with his husband and two dogs in a Hong Kong apartment of only 50 square meters, for which he paid no less than 600,000 euros. Sunny told Tiktok that, although initially the decision was impulsive and provocative, the experience offered a unique perspective on the exorbitant cost of housing, Asian lifestyle and cultural differences.
Her apartment is not a luxury one but just one “standard” in the city where the space is sold at astronomical prices. And her story illustrates how difficult and expensive the living conditions in Hong Kong can be, a confirmed reality and two Romanian vloggers who, at the end of last year, tested “Extreme living” In Asia and they told how tens of thousands of people live in cages like animals. Such housing are called house-cashew or houses, such as those in the Colón district.
Coşciug houses, a growing phenomenon in Hong Kong
These are unifamilial dwellings built in the 1950s, illegally subdivided until overcrowded. In some of these there are even 16 bunk beds, in which people cook, sleep and eat in the same place. The government recognized them as a serious problem and began to impose minimum dimensions for apartments, as well as other basic standards for housing.
The stated purpose is to eliminate this type of illegal housing by 2049, although, in reality, the phenomenon continues to increase due to the lack of social housing, as a recent report of Expansión mentions.
Romania vs. Hong Kong: An open question
For the Romanians, the story of Víctor seems shocking especially by comparison: what does 1,000 euros per month here and what it means there. But he also raises a disturbing question: are the big European cities, including Bucharest, could reach extreme solutions in the future, where “residence” It's no longer a space of life, but a survival box?
Hong Kong – beauty, contrasts and exorbitant real estate prices
Hong Kong remains a city of contrasts, where tradition and modernity coexist at a unique pace. For expatriates and locals alike, life here means constantly navigating between the spectacular beauty of the horizon and the hard reality of real estate prices, which are among the highest in the world. Rents for small apartments or “Nano-Apartments” They can reach thousands of euros per month, and the cost of life is not limited to homes – nutrition, transport and services are also more expensive than in many European cities.
The story of Víctor Caudo, the architect who projects hundreds of square meters and lives in a space of only 10 square meters, perfectly illustrates the paradox of life in Hong Kong. The city offers incredible opportunities and unforgettable urban experiences, but it also imposes real challenges for those who choose to live here.
For anyone who is thinking of moving or investing in Hong Kong, understanding the costs of housing and lifestyle is essential. From “Nano-Apartments” And capsule hotels, until luxurious villas, life in Hong Kong remains an adaptability test, but also an unforgettable experience for expatriates and lovers of dynamic cities.
