Where The World’s Richest Man Really Lives: Elon Musk’s $100 Million Property Sell-Off, His $50,000 Boxabl Home, And The Rumoured $35 Million Austi...

For a man who has spent the better part of a decade ricocheting between the top spots on the global rich list, you would imagine Elon Musk waking up in a marble-clad mansion perched on a cliff, the sort

of place where the ceilings are painted by artists flown in from Florence and the garage looks like a car museum curated by Bond himself. Yet if there is one thing Musk enjoys more than confounding traditional industries, it is confounding public expectations. Over the years, the billionaire has insisted—sometimes gleefully, sometimes defensively—that he does not live like the tycoon people assume him to be. And while this claim has appeared unbelievable to many, the evidence suggests he is half right, half paradox, and entirely unpredictable. Musk is that rare billionaire who once owned a mini-empire of mansions, sold nearly all of them in a self-imposed “freedom” crusade, moved into a tiny prefabricated home, complained about mattresses, erected a controversial fence, and—depending on the week—either owns no house or is planning an entire city. It is a living arrangement as eccentric as the man himself. And yes, there are private jets, submarine-cars and rumours of secret Texas compounds along the way. Here is a closer look at how the world’s wealthiest man (with a net worth surpassing $400 billion) actually lives.

The Mansion Years: A Brief, Lavish Interlude

Before the era of downsizing and minimalist declarations, Musk quietly amassed a real-estate portfolio worth talking about. At one point he owned seven homes, most of them in the elite Bel-Air neighbourhood of Los Angeles. Reports from The Wall Street Journal noted he had spent about $100 million over seven years—a personal constellation of swimming pools, libraries, ballrooms, tennis courts, wine cellars and carefully manicured lawns.

Elon Musk: A Curious Connection to Willy Wonka

Among his properties was a ranch-style house once owned by Gene Wilder, the beloved actor who played Willy Wonka. Musk insisted that whoever bought it “must preserve its soul”, a phrase that immediately sparked both admiration and head‐scratching. He later sold the home to Wilder’s nephew with a loan so the family could keep it—only to repossess it in 2025 after the repayments reportedly stalled. In classic Musk fashion, sentimentalism met spreadsheets.

The Great Sell-Off: Why Elon Musk Ditched His Mansions

In 2020, Musk declared to the world: “I am selling almost all physical possessions. Will own no house.” He said it was about freedom, a word he used with the earnestness of someone unshackling themselves from gold-plated doorknobs. The properties began disappearing from his portfolio one by one: grand estates in Bel-Air, a sprawling Hillsborough mansion known as Guignécourt, and a cluster of adjacent homes sold in a large deal to developer Ardie Tavangarian. Trivia lovers will enjoy this: Guignécourt came with a ballroom featuring 20-foot ceilings and gold-leaf detailing—precisely the kind of room most billionaires dream of, and Musk walked away from.

The Tiny Home in Texas: Elon Musk Downsizing, Literally

Once the dust settled, reports emerged that Musk had moved into a 20x20-foot prefab home in Boca Chica, Texas—close enough to SpaceX’s Starbase facility that he could practically supervise rocket launches from his kitchen sink.

Elon Musk: What the Tiny House Looked Like

Built by Boxabl, a modular housing startup Designed like a compact studio apartment Contained a small living area, a kitchenette, and a bathroom Valued at roughly $50,000 Walter Isaacson, Musk’s biographer, later posted images from inside the minimalist structure and described their meetings at a simple wooden table. It was worlds away from Bel-Air, and Musk seemed perfectly content.

The Humble Ranch: A Modest Upgrade

In 2021, Musk announced he was living in a three-bedroom ranch also in Boca Chica, which he claimed to rent from SpaceX for around $50,000. It was modest by billionaire standards but strategically located close to Starbase. The setup suited him, he said, because his work often demanded late nights, irregular hours, and proximity to rocket engines.

The Rumoured Family Compound (Which He Says Doesn’t Exist)

In 2024, The New York Times reported that Musk had purchased several Austin properties worth $35 million, allegedly to create a giant family compound for his 11 children and their mothers. The newspaper described villas, mansions, and walking paths suggesting a Muskian micro-neighbourhood. Musk denied it all, saying, “I don’t own nor am I building a compound in Austin,” proving that in his universe, clarity is optional.

Starbase: From Homes to Whole Cities

If Musk is uninterested in owning another mansion, he appears very much interested in owning something larger—a city. Reports suggest he has been backing efforts to formalise Starbase, Texas, as an independent municipality.

What Starbase Would Look Like

Approximately 1.5 square miles in size Around 500 residents, including children Built around SpaceX’s operations A company town in the traditional American sense It’s not officially a city yet, but petitions and paperwork are already moving.

Elon Musk: The Mansion With the Infamous Fence

In 2022, Musk quietly bought a 6,900-square-foot mansion in West Lake Hills, Texas. It wasn’t the home that drew headlines—it was the 16-foot chain-link fence he installed without a permit. Neighbours complained. The city objected. Committees debated. Musk appealed and—after months of back-and-forth—narrowly won approval to keep the fence. It became a local saga, partly due to zoning rules, partly due to curiosity, and partly because Musk’s presence tends to have a gravitational pull on controversy.

Elon Musk Cars: Where Musk Actually Splurges

If he skimps on homes, he certainly does not on cars. Musk’s collection has included: A Ford Model T A 1967 Jaguar E-Type Roadster A 1997 McLaren F1, which he famously crashed A Tesla Roadster launched into space in 2018 And the pièce de résistance: the 1976 Lotus Esprit submarine car from the Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me He reportedly planned to restore the submarine capabilities. Of course he did.

Elon Musk Private Jets: Time Above All Else

Musk argues that his private jets are tools, not luxuries. “If I don’t use the plane, I have fewer hours to work,” he once said. His fleet contains multiple Gulfstream aircraft used to zigzag between SpaceX sites, Tesla engineering hubs and international engagements.

A Look at Elon Musk’s Philanthropy—Unconventional, to Say the Least

Musk has donated billions in Tesla shares, though critics describe his giving as sporadic and tax-efficient rather than transformative. His foundation claims to support scientific and technological advancement, but multiple reports have questioned its scale and transparency. Musk himself maintains that Tesla, SpaceX and Neuralink are philanthropic ventures because they serve humanity.

Where Does Elon Musk Live Now?

Despite years of speculation and shifting narratives, the simplest answer appears to be: Boca Chica, Texas, in either: The $50,000 tiny home The modest three-bedroom ranch Or occasionally friends’ spare bedrooms, which he has been known to rotate through Whether a future Starbase home awaits him is yet to be seen.

FAQ

Is Elon Musk the richest person in the world? As of January 2025, yes—his net worth exceeded $421 billion following a surge in SpaceX’s valuation. Where is he from? Pretoria, South Africa. He later studied in the US and became a citizen in 2002. Why does he live in such a small home? He says the answer is simple: freedom. Does he have children? Yes—12, including twins and triplets. What car does he drive? He mostly uses a Tesla Model S Performance prototype fitted with a developmental FSD computer.