‘A small sparrow, but it’s complete’: micro flat with toilet right next to kitchen restarts cost-of-living debate in China
- The new tenant praises the landlord, saying he is ‘definitely a genius in design’
- Some online commenters say it is a smart use of space, but others were horrified, describing the flat as ‘stifling’ and ‘depressing’
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A 55-sq-ft micro flat with a loft and a toilet right next to the kitchen rented at 1,600 yuan (US$228) a month in China has sparked a cost-of-living debate on mainland social media.
Star Video reported earlier this month that an unidentified man in Shanghai was happy to rent the tiny split-level flat.
A video posted with the story showed the flat is divided into two levels. The floor level has a tiny kitchen and a toilet while the second level is a loft.
When the new tenant opened the door, he seemed happily surprised by the layout. The kitchen has a tiny sink, stove and a washing machine taking up most of the kitchen space. Right next to it is a small bathroom with an electric heater, a sink and a toilet by the only window in the flat.
“The bathroom is spatial,” the tenant said in the video.
“The landlord is definitely a genius in design, and I have to admire him,” he added.
There is a small clothesline outside the only window, a desk near the door and a refrigerator underneath the loft stairs. The loft level has a mattress, a wardrobe and an air conditioner.
“Although the size of the flat is like a small sparrow, it’s complete,” he said excitedly.
He said he was happy with the rent at 1,600 yuan per month.
“What do you think?” he asked, addressing people watching the video online.
The story has divided opinions on mainland social media.
One person said: “It’s very cost-effective.”
Another person commented: “It’s not bad.”
But another person disagreed: “The narrow space is stifling.”
“If I lived there, I would be depressed,” said one person.
At the beginning of last year, Oxfam found that China’s wealth gap had grown in the past three years. Its report found half of the working-age adults in China earn about 25,520 yuan (US$3,600) a year while the richest 10 per cent earn 14 times that.
According to the Chinese real estate information platform Anjuke, in 2022, the average monthly rent for a unit in Shanghai was 4,000 yuan (US$566). And the average price in popular districts such as Jing’an, Huangpu and Xuhui could reach more than 10,000 yuan.
