World’s Richest Man Elon Musk: Crashing at Friends’ Homes, Living on $1 a Day

Billionaire Elon Musk, the wealthiest man on Earth, once sold nearly all his real estate, lived in a tiny home, even crashed at friends’ houses—and survived on just $1 a day.

No Real Estate to His Name

Despite holding the title of the world’s richest person, Elon Musk doesn’t live like a typical billionaire. According to Forbes, his current net worth is $409 billion. However, he has publicly stated that he avoids spending money on things the wealthy usually indulge in, such as luxury mansions, expensive cuisine, or supercars.

In a tweet posted in May 2020, Musk wrote:
“I am selling almost all physical possessions. Will own no house.”

Following that statement, Musk moved into a compact Boxabl house measuring only about 35 square meters (approximately 375 square feet), located near his SpaceX facility in Texas—a space smaller than many studio apartments.

Between 2020 and 2021, he sold all seven of his homes in California, collectively worth around $100 million.

Once Lived on $1 a Day

At just 17 years old, Musk once challenged himself to live on only $1 per day. On the StarTalk program, he described:
“In America, it’s pretty easy to stay alive. I set myself a threshold: if I could just live in a cheap apartment with a computer, I wouldn’t starve—I could survive.”

No Home, Slept at Friends’ Places

Google co-founder Larry Page once revealed that Musk would occasionally ask to crash at his house when he had nowhere else to stay. Musk himself confirmed this in a 2022 TED Talk interview:
“I don’t even own a home right now. I’m literally staying at friends’ places.”

The revelation stunned many people—how could one of the world’s richest individuals not even have a permanent place to live?

No Expensive Furniture

Grimes, Musk’s former girlfriend, once told Vanity Fair that Musk often lived “below the poverty line.”
She recalled:
“He doesn’t live like a billionaire. There was a time we stayed in a $40,000 house—no security, and there was a hole in the mattress. Instead of buying a new one, he just said, ‘Let’s sleep on the other side.’”

This starkly contrasts with the opulent lifestyle usually associated with the ultra-wealthy.

Crashed a $1M McLaren—Didn’t Replace It

Musk once bought a McLaren F1 worth $1 million—but then totaled it himself while showing off.

“Watch what I can do,” he reportedly said—right before losing control and sending the car flying through the air before crashing back to the ground.

The car was not insured. But instead of buying a new luxury vehicle, Musk made a personal decision to only drive Teslas—vehicles made by his own company.

A Billionaire Who Rejects Materialism

Despite being one of the richest individuals on the planet, Elon Musk refuses to be shackled by material possessions. Instead, he embraces a minimalist lifestyle so he can focus entirely on what matters most to him: advancing technology, exploring space, and changing the world.

His lifestyle is not just a reflection of personal values, but a powerful statement: true wealth does not have to equal lavish spending.

Once again, Elon Musk defies conventional definitions of success and wealth—on his own terms.