Apartments in New York City aren’t known for being especially spacious, or for being especially cheap.
TikTok via @calebwsimpson
Perhaps that’s why the internet is so fascinated with one woman who has now gone viral for showing off her comically small 80-square-foot apartment that she rents for a cool $650 per month.
Alaina Randazzo was interviewed by TikToker Caleb Simpson, who often asks New Yorkers on the street how much they pay for their apartments, and if he can take a tour as part of his bit.
@calebwsimpson @Alaina Randazzo ♬ Sunroof – Nicky Youre & dazy
Randazzo then takes viewers inside her Midtown Manhattan apartment as the camera shoots down on her from above. Viewers can see the one room (if you can even call it that) that combines one burner on a stovetop, some shelf space, and a loveseat.
When Randazzo (who Simpson says “is 5’5 on a good day”) lies down on the floor, her full body is too long to even fit the length from wall to wall.
“No window, but like, we’re good,” Randazzo notes, after pointing to a skylight and her lofted bed.
Viewers had a field day, seemingly split equally between feelings of awe and horror.
“I’m too claustrophobic for this,” one user said.
“I’d actually love to live there,” another disagreed.
New Yorkers also jadedly flooded the comments saying that paying that little for rent in Manhattan is still a “steal” regardless of the apartment size.
“This is solid. Anyone who doesn’t think so doesn’t understand opportunity cost,” one commenter even wrote. “Living that cheap in Midtown has such a high ROI.”
Many pointed out that Randazzo didn’t mention anything about having a bathroom, which seemed to be concerning, though she did clarify on her own TikTok page that she uses a shared bathroom in the hallway.
@alainarandazzox Replying to @brandondoesntcode
She also revealed that she shares the apartment with her dog.
According to most recent data, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in NYC right now is around $3,927, up about 27% from the same time last year.
The most expensive neighborhood for a one bedroom apartment in New York right now is the Upper West Side where the average one-bedroom goes for $4,198 — about $3,548 more than what Randazzo is paying.
Tiny or not, that’s certainly no money being wasted on rent!
