In a city like New York, the word “house” often translates into “apartment”. There really aren’t a lot of houses to be had on Manhattan. And because real estate prices are so high, the common man often settles for a small apartment.

And then there is the tiny apartment. The New York Post ran this article on a 175 square foot apartment:

Cozy-crazy couple makes tight all right in the city’s tiniest studio

Zaarath and Christopher Prokop — and their two cats — live in the smallest apartment in the city, a 175-square-foot “microstudio” in Morningside Heights the couple bought three months ago for $150,000.

At 14.9 feet long and 10 feet wide, it’s about as narrow as a subway car and as claustrophobic as a jail cell. But to the Prokops, it’s a castle.

“When you first see it, the first thing you say is, ‘Holy crap, this place is small,’ ” said Zaarath, 37, an accountant for liquor company Remy Martin. “But when I saw it, all I could think of is, I can do something with this. This is perfect for us. We love it.”

That’s $857 per square foot. A “typical” house in suburban America is more in the $100 to $200 per square foot range.

That article shook loose a number of even smaller apartments:

Small price to pay

The article includes a 55 square foot apartment for $800 per month:

Rabon said the longest wall in his apartment is 121/2 feet, and that includes the apartment door. At its narrowest spot, he can spread his arms and almost touch both opposing walls. He said he has trouble turning around in his little shower, and said taller friends have been unable to close the bathroom door if they need to sit.

“The bathroom has an airplane sink turned lengthwise,” he said. “So I can’t actually fit in over the sink

Here is a video tour of the 55 square foot apartment:

In this video, Oprah examines a relatively spacious 265 square foot apartment:

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