Warren Buffett epitomises living modestly in today's tough economic climate.
Despite a $47 billion fortune, the legendary investor, and the world's third-richest man, lives in the same five-bedroom, gray stucco house he bought in Omaha, Nebraska's Happy Hollow suburb in 1958 for $31,500.
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This folksiness is in line with his famous investing philosophy.
"If you don't feel comfortable owning something for 10 years," he once told a reporter, "then don't own it for 10 minutes."
However Buffett, who also professes a love for pub fare like burgers and Cherry Coke, is the exception.
Few billionaires are as frugal. Even in these tough times, modesty is a relative term among the super rich.
Computer mogul Michael Dell is a prime example.
Dell claims to live simply, yet his Austin, Texas, residence built in 1997 is a 33,000-square-foot mansion.
His home is what locals call "the castle" because of its high walls and tight security that guard the 20-acre estate.
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Megamansions
With an estimated billion-dollar cost, Mukesh Ambani's under-construction 27-storey Mumbai skyscraper eclipses previous records for the world's most expensive homes.
No two floor plans for the inside of the lavish tower, known as Antilla, are alike and each space uses different materials, such as one bathroom’s Gingko-leaf sinks with stems guiding the running water into their leaf basins.
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Of course, no list of billionaire homes would be complete without mention of real estate magnate Donald Trump.
His penthouse apartment in Manhattan's Trump Tower is a monument to marble and gold and has an entire floor designated to Trump's fifth child, Barron. This floor's decor is inspired by Louis XIV.
Despite the costly details, Trump might say his apartment's best feature is its location, which allows him to ride the elevator to his offices in the same skyscraper.
That's the true luxury of being a billionaire: an extravagant home and a short commute.
