Kathmandu. Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla, has been one of the richest people in the world for many years. Recently, he became the first person to reach half a trillion dollars. Despite this, Musk claims to live a simple life. In 2021, he revealed that he lives in a Texas home worth about $50,000.
Grimes, a mother of two and a former friend of Musk’s, told Vanity Fair magazine in 2022, “Musk doesn’t live the lavish lifestyle that people can imagine.” “He doesn’t live the life of a billionaire. Sometimes he lives below the poverty line.
According to Grimes, once one of Musk’s mattresses was torn, he refused to buy a new one. Musk’s daily life and lifestyle are generally considered unaffordable, but he has a passion for unique cars. One of these cars could turn into a submarine. He also has a collection of private jets worth millions of dollars.
Musk once owned a number of impressive real estate properties. According to the Wall Street Journal, as of 2019, he had bought seven homes for about $100 million. Most of them were in close proximity to each other in the Bel-Air area of California. The property had amenities such as a swimming pool, tennis courts, wine cellar, private library and ballroom. One of these houses was the old farm house of the famous actor Gene Wilder. But in 2020, Musk changed his mind. “I am selling almost all of my property and will no longer own the house,” he tweeted. ’
Musk wrote, “I don’t need money. I’m dedicating myself to Mars and Earth. Assets only become a burden. He also said that demolishing Gene Wilder’s house is like destroying his soul. Musk sold the three-bedroom house to Wilder’s nephew, Jordan Walker-Perlman. For this, Musk personally loaned millions of dollars to Walker. In June 2025, Musk took it back home from Warak after he failed to pay off his loan payments.
In 2021, Musk revealed that his “main home” was a small prefabricated house on the South End of Texas. The price of which is about 50 thousand dollars. This is where his company, SpaceX, operates. This place is now called Starbase. He wrote, “This is absolutely amazing. ’
The next year, Musk said he didn’t have a home. This shows how little he uses it despite his vast wealth and stays at friends’ houses wherever he goes.
“Wherever I go, I actually stay at my friends’ houses,” Musk told Chris Anderson, head of media organization TED. If I go to the Bay Area, where most of Tesla’s is produced. I’m going to hang out in the empty room of my friends. “This is nothing new. In 2015, then-Google CEO Larry Page said, “Musk is a bit like a homeless. ’
“Musk e-mails me and asks, ‘I don’t know where I’m going to be today?’ Can I come here?”
For years, rumors have circulated that Musk is buying new properties in the United States. But, for now, his Texas home is considered his official residence.
Musk may not spend much on homes but he is a car enthusiast. As the owner of Tesla, he has many unique and historic cars. This includes the Ford Model-T. This affordable car was made for the common man in the 20th century. It was a revolution in the automotive industry at the time.
In this regard, Musk has another car: the 1967 Jaguar E-Type Roadster. It is said that Musk liked this car since childhood. 1997 McLaren F1. Musk once caused this car to crash. He spent a lot of money to repair it and then sold it. In addition, Musk has a Tesla Roadster. It was Tesla’s first model and which Musk launched into space in 2018.
Musk’s strangest car is the 1976 Lotus Esprit. This is the same car used in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). In the film, this car is known as ‘Wet Nile’. Which turns into a submarine. Musk bought it at auction in 2013 for about $1 million. Musk has said he wants to restore its submarine capabilities.
Musk has admitted that he spends on airplanes. But the reason behind this is his work. In a 2022 TED interview, Musk said, “If I don’t use the plane, I lose working time.” ’
Musk owns several Gulfstream model private jets worth millions of dollars. He uses them to travel between the SpaceX and Tesla sites in the US. He also uses these planes to travel to other countries.
According to documents from US regulators, Musk has donated billions of dollars worth of shares and millions of dollars to various other causes. However, his philanthropic approach has also drawn criticism. The New York Times wrote, “Musk’s donation was excellent. Their operations are driven by personal and individual profits, which gives them significant tax breaks and supports their businesses. ’
Musk’s philanthropy, the Musk Foundation, said in a statement that it is dedicated to promoting scientific research, technological discovery, and ambitious efforts for the betterment of humanity. ’
However, according to the New York Times, the foundation failed to make its mandatory donations for three years, and most of its donations went to organizations with direct ties to Musk. –translated from BBC
