People Pay $700 a Month to Live Like This in Paris
16 clips from a 38:15 video · top score 95
Get clips like these, freeWhy it works
The ending payoff where she demonstrates holding the broken communal toilet door shut while saying 'I'm like this and hating my life' is comedic gold and the most quotable moment of the video.
Transcript
This is a whole flat and she has she has like everything she needs within like one arm length. She can reach anything. Do you feel claustrophobic in here? I go a little bit crazy sometimes. do feel claustrophobic? Yeah. But you have a balcony that helps. That help me a lot. And I just sit there. I don't smoke but I can imagine a cigarette and I take my scotch and think of my life. It's night and also the night we have beautiful sunset sunset amazing. And how much do you spend for one month for rent? For oh, 600 with everything. So water all that gas. Yes, but I just miss the toilet. Oh yeah, you don't have any toilet. You got to show me where is the toilet. Let's go. Let's have a look. The toilet very very small. Oh wow. Yeah. That's it. When we close the door it's feel like we're in a box. It's very small. And everybody uses this toilet. Yes. So And sometime I have some surprise. Yeah, no it's not funny. Yes, nice. It's not funny at all. The big problem here is we can't close the door. Oh. Really? It doesn't It doesn't lock? It doesn't It's lock. Here you have something to lock but you can't close. Like when you close we can You see? So what do you do when you're inside? Just like this. I'm like this and I hating my life.
Why it works
Tiny apartment tours are a proven mega-viral format; the hidden elevated shower right next to the stove and the funny 'separate from who?' punchline make this highly shareable.
Transcript
This is the smallest flat in Paris, 8 square meters. This is the whole place right here. Look at that. And this gentleman lives here. That's me. Yeah, I do. Is it worth it? Absolutely, 100% 100%. You're going to look back at these days when you're 21 and be like, "Damn." It's best time of my life. cool. Yeah, it was. Yeah. Let's start with the closet first. So, I have um curtains, yep. And then I just cover up with my closet. So, all my clothes are here. A little bit of me I actually my duvet's here cuz it's too hot to sleep with it, so I just sleep with the cover. Side note, few people in Paris have AC and it's really hot right now. Especially here. Especially in these little rooms, like no way. Yeah. When it's over 30° like it is now, it's hot. Mhm. Mhm. Yeah, yeah, these little places kind of I don't know, they hold heat quite well. So, anyways, there's my closet. Holds everything I need. Nice. And then right next to it actually my shower right here. That's your shower? What, dude? I did not even see that. That's crazy. Yep, it's my shower and it's elevated like that. It's elevated like it's like So, the pipes can fit under it and they don't have to dig into the the rooms, I guess. It's literally an elevated shower. Your shower's right here. Right there next to the kitchen, everything. So, I put up some curtains just to separate it a little bit. But, separate from who? No one No one can see you. Yeah, but I think for me, like when I'm cooking, I don't want to see my shower right there. It's like a whole It's a mental thing. To me, it's like, "Oh, I got two different rooms, you know?"
Why it works
Combines an instant visual shock ('This is my bed, toilet, shower, and sink') with a massive statistic (50,000 people) and the 'illegal to rent' angle, which triggers immediate debate and curiosity in the comments.
Transcript
If this isn't tight living, I don't know what is. This is my bed, toilet, shower, and sink. In Paris, more than 50,000 people are squeezing their lives into apartments smaller than your closet. Some of them are so tiny, they're illegal to rent out. These rooftop rooms were built in the 1800s for the servants of rich tenants down below. But today, they are mostly occupied by students and young professionals who want to save money to live in Paris. In this video, I'm traveling across the French capital to meet the people living in these tiny homes to how they eat, how they sleep, and what they sacrifice to stay here.
Why it works
Features the exact viral hook from the video's intro ('This is my bed, toilet, shower, and sink') and addresses the exact question every viewer is thinking: what happens when the toilet right next to your pillow smells?
Transcript
And here we go. Welcome to Casa de Pietro. Yes, my Pietro Pietro's room. This is my bed, toilet, shower, and sink. Yeah. You go from bedroom right to toilet. It's all right next to you, bro. That's so interesting. Yeah, yeah. How much do you pay for rent? I just pay under 600, so it's super cheap. For For Paris, it's incredibly cheap. And since I'm doing an internship, I'm not getting 5,000 euros. It's perfect for me. I really was happy when I found it. What's your internship? It's in the sustainability sector. So, I my also my master's in sustainability. Nice. And it's really nice. I really like it. So, shower, it's here we go. Not bad. No, no, it's good. All right. So, yeah, it's actually fine. No, no, it's okay. This is definitely better than all the ones I've been to. Really? Okay. Okay. I shouldn't complain then. No No complaining. And then there is my dressing room. If you use the toilet and it smells really bad, then you have to sleep with the smell. Yeah. I mean, that's that's the thing. I have the spray for for good smells, bro. Pietro, what's the best and the worst part about living in a tiny apartment? I don't know. The tiny apartment, it allowed me to live in Paris, which is the best city I've lived in.
Why it works
The combination of a secret guest chamber, a rooftop plunge pool, and paying only €400/month in mooring fees (less than the closet apartments) creates massive 'life hack' engagement.
Transcript
Oh, it's actually a guest room. This is crazy. We walked through their living room, through their bedroom, through their bathroom, and then there's another secret chamber and this is where the guests stay. The the bedroom for two people here. The guest, if you want, we go directly on the rooftop here. Let's do it. This place is like a maze. We just keep going, keep going. Wow, this is amazing. You have a swimming pool? I am. Do you go in there? Yeah. You go in there every day? Every day all the time after work. So do you not like to go to the city center? You don't like the crowded streets and the cars and everything? I like but we take When we are here, then it's perfect together here. Do you have to pay like rent for to be on the water? Pay the government to to stay here? Yeah. How much do you spend a month to live here? That's it. That's only 400? Yeah. Yeah, because you own the boat now, so That's not bad at all. I mean that's that's cheaper than these other tiny flats in the city center. Yeah, it is. It's like It's amazing here. You're so lucky.
Why it works
Easy's chaotic, charming personality shines here: taking freezing showers for a month because the landlord won't reply, and keeping 'coffee, tea, rice, pasta, and scotch' as her only life essentials.
Transcript
Welcome to my house. I do my best to make my place comfortable and also disco because I'm a disco girl, but sometime it's feel also hard for me because I'm just under the rooftop. Yeah. So, I hear a lot of noise. With the heat wave, it's very hot. Do you have a shower? Yeah, but I don't have hot water. You don't have hot water? I don't have hot water. It's been 1 month and I called the No reply. have hot water? I mean You take freezing showers? Yeah, freezing. That's why I'm crazy. Like at least the heat wave. It's very small, but the shower is pretty pretty good. So, here I put my spice tea. Here I have a microwave also. Mhm. Do you use it? Mhm, yeah, sometime. Here I have put also the the food. Just literally the essentials. And also the scotch. Hold on. Coffee, tea, rice, pasta, and whiskey. Those are like literally the the essentials to living a life. Your room is like literally a music studio and a room. So, it's almost like you don't need to rent a music studio because you have it and you live in it.
Why it works
Shifts the entire narrative of the video: instead of living in a tiny home to save money, Cleo uses the tiny space to manage memory loss and mobility issues after surviving a horrific car crash.
Transcript
So because she has a traumatic head injury because she got hit by a car, she still has some after effects and so that makes it so much easier for her to navigate in a small space just to see that she remembers where everything is. Got it. I think that's really cool that you have found a solution to help you. Do you mind me asking like what actually happened? So when she was 21 years old, she got hit by a car. You went into coma? 2 weeks. For 2 weeks. It's a very complicated for a walk. Ah. No. Yeah, because you when you got hit by the car like she was thrown away like 7 m away and then she rolled over and I would say for like 10 more meters and her brain is uh broke. I don't know Your brain is broken, yeah. Yes, but you see All of your back? She has a fracture there. So, that's why it's hard like right behind so that's why it's hard for her to walk and So, I have to say now you don't look like you had any problems. You look perfectly fine and normal. It's impressive how she's recovered. Yeah. But I guess people do not believe her. That's my car. For park? Yeah. Yes, and for When you're shopping at the airport? Yes, exactly exactly. Thank you for sharing your story. Because you have had such a bad experience and you became injured, explain to me how this small home is beneficial for your lifestyle.
Why it works
Transforming furniture (pull-out bed, folding tables, custom pull-up bar) is visually satisfying, and the honest admission ('I am the owner... My dad') always sparks lively comment debates.
Transcript
This is 13 m 13 m². In in my opinion, it looks like 15 or 17. Yeah, it feels a bit bigger. I chose the perfect furniture to make it better. Yeah. Because my Like the bed is really small. Yes. And for example, my my bed when I have a friends Yeah. or what, I just I just pull it and I have a like a double bed just like this. And Nice. Okay. You know? Yeah. And that's it. Now it feels like 8 m². It's a bit strange, you see, but yes. And how much do you spend a month for this? This is the thing that makes it easier for me. I am the owner. You own this place. You bought it. My dad. Your dad owns it. It's very easy because I can I chose my bed, I chose my furniture, I chose even the floor. How much do you think this would cost if you if you rent it? If you if somebody was paying like 500? How much would you Oh, more. More than 500? More. Really? Maybe minimum 800 per month. So, I can see that you like to work out. Yes. I I love it. Yes. Every table is a folding table. So, I just have to you know This is great. Okay. This is my my my father built built So, you just have to put it like this. And so, I can do pull-ups.
Why it works
Shows a deeply practical, inspiring system for independent living with a traumatic brain injury, culminating in a powerful final message ('I am the living proof that I can make it work').
Transcript
Everything that's very important is here. Like Mhm. The thing that she's going to use on a daily basis, that's here. All of her notebooks like to write everything just again to make sure she doesn't forget anything. So, she's forgetful. Yeah, yeah. Mhm. Wow, that's cool. It's my organization. Okay. All of the medical treatments that she's receiving. These are all of the stuff that she's not using on a daily basis. There's one for red leaves, one for cables, one for like hair ties. What do you think about all this? It's cool. Yeah, I would love to be as organized to be I think I think It's obligatory for me Oh, I got you. I think everybody should live like this. In your house it's really easy that you have things that you can remember, but when you're on the street and you forget things, how do you live with that? She would just write everything down in her notes on her iPhone. Like kind of similar like at her place she does that and then when she goes outside she does that. Mon petit lavabo, mes toilettes, the sink, the toilet. Another view service. The shower. And the sink is so small. Yes. Do you work? It's my uh final internship. Yes. At Brut. That's a French media and American media and African media. If you could say any message to the whole world, what would you tell them? Believe in your dreams. You can make it work. Like I am the living proof that I can make it work living by myself in that small apartment after everything that happened.
Why it works
The contrast between living in an 8m² room and having a private balcony overlooking the Eiffel Tower and Sacré-Cœur hits the ultimate Parisian dream aesthetic.
Transcript
And I was living outside the city in a much bigger place. I was paying a bit more but honestly I was like, I didn't need the space because I was always outside. I was always at work. I was always with friends out by the river or just hanging out in the city and that's really all I wanted to be close to the city so I now I can go downstairs. I'm 10 minutes from everything on a bike and yeah, that's really what I wanted so I downgraded but I upgraded the location. That's what's important. It's all about location. At your age bro, like Yeah, exactly. Who cares if you have a small place? Yeah, yeah, I was like spending two hours on the train every day and I was like, I got to find somewhere closer and you know what? This is not the biggest, it's not the most charming but It's certainly charming. It is not the most biggest but you even have a balcony. Yeah, and the view is pretty sweet. Honestly. Sometimes I sit here, have a little coffee or little glass of wine and I just kind of people watch the people on the street. Dude, that's actually the dream though. You're above all the buildings and they're all the same height so you can see everything including the Sacre Coeur. Sacre Coeur. I can't even pronounce it. Man, this view is insane. Yeah, it's pretty sweet. Like few people have a view this high overlooking Paris and you can see the whole street. Eiffel Tower, you see Tour Montparnasse.
Why it works
Watching a guy do CQB rifle clearing drills inside a 13-square-meter Parisian apartment where he takes two steps and hits the wall is unintentionally hilarious and unexpected.
Transcript
So, do you have this flag only because of World Cup, or you always have the flag? No, always. What does the flag mean to you? A lot. Actually, I'm a student in a business school, but I'm also a French military. It's a passion. It's a hobby for me. I don't want to become military 100% of my time. I'm paid Are you paid when you're Yes. And what's your other job? Uh so, I'm paid, and actually I'm also in an internship. I want to become a an event organizer. What about that hat? The red hat. Uh oh. This is a a clown that I owned at a a party. Nice. I can show you this also. It's one of my passions. It's a gun, but it's not a real one. It's a airsoft. I don't know uh Nice. The same weight and the same feeling that the real one. And this is the one we use in the French army. That works. Oh, that's It looks the same. Yes, it's it's the same model, you know, but this is airsoft, but the real one have airsoft and not the real one? Um because I can practice at home. How do you practice at home? Yes, you know, you have to For example, to move uh this. Okay? Okay. Like this. Up. Cool, man.
Why it works
The question 'What happens if you're really drunk?' with 6 flights of stairs and her brutally honest answer about sitting on the steps for 2 hours thinking about her life is peak relatable humor.
Transcript
I hope you're ready because it's a bit of workout. We have six floor so let's go. It's my daily workout. And there's no elevators in this building? No elevator at all. So what happens if you're like really drunk? Oh I fall down just there. Or I sit down for hours like like next Friday I was sitting there and I was just thinking of my life. I was like Oh And I was there like for two hours. Sometime it's very hard because I don't have a washing clothes so I have to do to take all my clothes with me. And sometime it's very hard. How many times a day do you go up and down? A lot a lot but it's always hard. Here's my tiny apartment.
Why it works
Exposes the unglamorous reality behind romanticized Paris living—1800s servant back-staircases with 7 flights and no elevator.
Transcript
This is like the back doors. So, the story of like my rooms and stuff in the top floor, that's called chambre de bonne. It's like the servants' quarters. So, this is how they used to get in people's homes without going through the front. So, there's no elevators here. There's no elevators. This is something to know about Paris. Like, most buildings don't have elevators or they're small. yeah, definitely very small, very old. Sometimes the key's tricky as well. Can't get in your own place. It's a little sketchy. So, we have seven flights to go. So Oh my god. Seven flights here. So, do you try to plan your days around If I do it up twice, it's fine. Like Twice in a day? Yeah. Well, you just came down to get me on the street. So, that says one. You take a minute to catch your breath, then it's fine. These are like all people's homes. Like, all these doors. These are how they like the back doors. Yep. But no one goes this way, do they? No, not anymore. Yeah. So, only you take like the OG entrance. Oh, I'm out of breath. Almost there. Dude, just imagine when you guys come to Paris and you have your amazing touristy days, just imagine Ulysses walking seven flights up the back alley of this building. Holy crap, dude.
Why it works
After seeing cramped 8m² rooftop rooms, this houseboat with a fireplace and multiple rooms feels like a massive life-hack for living in Paris.
Transcript
She was living at the sixth floor with a roommate, um like a very tiny apartment, and now she feels like she's more free. So, this is like living room and kitchen? Yeah. You have everything in here. Yes. Where do you sleep? It's bigger than my apartment. No, we sleep on the on the bedroom. room. This is so cool. Look, for the winter for the winter we have a Woah, and that looks nice. know the name in English, but it's the fireplace? Uh we sleep here. It's a new bedroom because before we have no extension. So, when we here, we need to make like this. Okay. This is like really nice, man. That's so nice. This is nicer than a I'm loving this episode. How do you get clean water? We put the the hose. Okay. We make full this tank and this tank. Oh, okay. And with that, maybe we have for 2 weeks the water for 2 weeks.
Why it works
Rent transparency clips always drive massive comment sections comparing prices in NYC, London, and Paris, and the miniature teacup plant-watering detail adds a memorable quirky payoff.
Transcript
Can I ask how much you pay for rent? Yeah, 600 euros. But the government does aid some students and stuff. So I pay more like 450, 500 euros. It's really all I need, you know? cheap actually like for flats in Paris. Yes, yes. For like the location I'm at, I think it's it's pretty cheap, yeah. Have you ever met someone that pays less in a good location? Oh yeah, there's some people that had like no families, no friends and stuff that give them a crazy deal for like a huge flat. But you know, that's uh this is just a random person that I I I found on a listing. So yeah. And do you rent like month by month or year by year? Exactly, yeah. Month by month, yeah. So do you think you'll stay for a while? Um I think until Until your legs are gone? Until my legs are gone or until I have like a really stable job and I can afford a place that's a bit bigger. But right now this is exactly what I need and for for where I'm at, this is uh it's perfect. Do you use this tiny miniature teacup to water your plants? Yeah, sometimes. It's a little bit wonky, but it works. You actually use it? Yeah. This is like this is the cutest thing ever. Doesn't work at that good, but hey, it does the job. It does the job.
Why it works
Authentic physical reactions—getting jump-scared by the boat horn, choking on diesel fumes, and pissing off the neighbors—make for entertaining IRL vlog content.
Transcript
If this isn't tight living, I don't know what is. You have so many cool things in here. This is amazing. It looks like a shop. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Uh here you have the motor. It's the uh in the perfect condition. It's the very good motor. The mark is uh DAF. It's for You know how to fix things. You can fix everything if it's broken. You can You can make it better. It's possible, but I I don't make any Or or she fixes it. That's Lily. This is actually the coolest part. the the river? Original. Or it is original. 1 year old. When I say tight living spaces, this is about as tight as it gets. Oh, I got scared there. The horn does work. It's okay. Woah. The smell in there is insane when he starts the engine. I can barely breathe. Feel like I'm going to get high from breathing in the fumes. What do you think about this boat? I'm loving it, man. It's really cool, right? Yeah. I mean, especially with the heat. Like I can't imagine how she breathes in here. What do you think? I think it's awesome. I think it's really really unique. Oh, he said stop. You're pissing off the neighbors. You got to let this man enjoy his life.
