Tiny 53-sq-ft Shanghai flat with bed behind toilet for US$40 a month snapped up quickly after video advert in China

The male agent said that US$40 a month for a “whole unit rental” that included “a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room” was a great deal.

The flat was snapped up by a driver from Didi, an Uber-like ridesharing platform, the same day the listing agency published the advertisement.

In a video tour, the door opens to a “living room” with space for only one person to stand, and a plank of wood acting as a wall, separating this flat from the neighbour’s.

“The flat is even a small duplex!” said the agent, pointing at the steps, adding: “But let’s be careful when we get home, this staircase is a bit steep.”

The kitchen, with a stove, is to the left of the living room. “There’s even a real window. It’s perfectly airy,” boasts the agent.

“If friends come over, you can cook and sit on steps to enjoy the meal together.”

The bedroom-bathroom is on the right, with no windows. The tenants must sleep on the floor, facing the toilet and the water heater hangs next to the bed.

“Be careful when taking a shower, or it will get your bed wet,” the agent says.

“If you want to add air conditioning, the rent will be increased by 100 yuan (US$14),” the agent joked, adding: “This is completely unnecessary since living in a room like this already makes your heart cold.”

The advert has resonated online with young working people struggling to make a living in China’s first-tier cities.

According to Baisen Appraisal, a local property valuation agency, the average rent for a one-bedroom flat in Shanghai is more than 5,134 yuan (US$710) per month.

Half of Shanghai’s population earns less than 6,000 yuan (US$830) a month. The average monthly salary in the service sector, such as waiters, security guards and cashiers, is only 3,500-5,000 yuan (US$480-$690).

Usually, listings with monthly rents of less than 1,000 yuan (US$140) are snapped up almost as soon as they are made public, the agent revealed in an interview with Xinmin Evening Post, a local newspaper.

Such units are very popular among delivery people and Didi drivers.

“I can’t imagine how hard it is for people who live here and how strong their hearts are,” said one online observer.

“Clearly, the ‘flat’ is just a toilet with a cooker,” said another.

“It’s not bad, actually. As long as I can earn money, I think it’s still acceptable to suffer this much,” another person said.