Inside trillionaire Elon Musk’s 400-square-foot tiny home: Why he still lives there

Elon Musk, who has reportedly become the world’s first trillionaire following SpaceX’s blockbuster June 2026 IPO, continues to draw global attention for a striking contrast — his modest living arrangements in a 400-square-foot prefabricated Boxabl home in Texas.

A compact base near SpaceX Starbase

According to reports cited by Fortune, Musk primarily resides in a SpaceX-rented tiny home in Boca Chica, Texas, located near the company’s Starbase facility where the Starship programme is under development.

The compact unit includes a small living area, bedroom space, kitchen and a basic bathroom with a tub-shower combination. Musk has previously described it as “kinda awesome,” highlighting its functional, no-frills design.

A $50,000 home near SpaceX headquarters

After relocating to Texas in 2020 and shifting major company operations there, Musk sold most of his luxury properties in California, though he reportedly still owns or is linked to several high-value properties near Austin worth around $35 million.

However, Musk has repeatedly stated that his primary residence is a far smaller home near SpaceX’s Starbase in Boca Chica.

He revealed in 2021 that he lives in a house worth around $50,000, rented from SpaceX.

“My primary home is literally a ~$50k house in Boca Chica/Starbase that I rent from SpaceX. It’s kinda awesome though,” he wrote on X.

Built by housing startup Boxabl, the compact 20x20-foot unit includes a living area, bedroom space, kitchen and a bathroom with a tub-shower combination, according to Chron.

The setup stands in sharp contrast to larger properties linked to Musk’s business empire. Sources told The Wall Street Journal that companies associated with him own at least three homes in Austin’s West Lake Hills area, each ranging from 6,000 to 9,000 square feet and featuring swimming pools.

Inside the tiny home lifestyle

Reports from The Wall Street Journal describe a pared-down living environment. Musk’s mother, Maye Musk, once noted after a visit that “there is no food in the fridge,” and described basic sleeping arrangements, including a converted garage space and shared amenities.

Despite its size, the home includes practical essentials such as a Murphy bed, built-in storage, kitchen fittings and energy-efficient design features.

A life built around work

Musk’s living arrangement reflects a long-standing habit of staying close to his companies. In 2023, biographer Walter Isaacson described the home as a “spartan two-bedroom” space where Musk would “sit at this wood table and make phone calls.”

He has also previously slept at Tesla factories during periods of production stress, prioritising engineering demands over personal comfort.

Work-first philosophy over luxury living

The Boca Chica tiny home allows Musk to remain close to SpaceX’s most ambitious programmes, including Starship development and long-term space exploration goals.

His lifestyle reflects a broader belief in minimalism and mission-focused living, where material comfort is secondary to technological progress.

A striking contrast to billionaire norms

The image of a trillionaire living in a 400-square-foot home continues to fuel global fascination, reinforcing Musk’s unconventional approach to wealth.

Rather than luxury estates, his lifestyle centres on building companies aimed at reshaping transport, energy, and humanity’s future beyond Earth.

With inputs from Agencies