This just in: New York's apartments not the tiniest and priciest in the world

By Lucy Cohen Blatter | June 3, 2015 - 2:30PM

Fellow New Yorkers, here's reason to rejoice: There are apartments elsewhere that are smaller than yours. In fact, the Wall Street Journal reports, Hong Kong has seen a spike in so-called "mosquito-sized" apartments, so named because they often measure less than 200 square feet. They're so small that furniture often has to be made to order. Sound familiar?

Because of an insanely pricey real estate market—Hong Kong is smaller than New York, measuring just 426 square miles to our city's 469 square miles, and land is more limited there and comes at an even higher premium—and its popularity among overseas investors, these tiny pads don't come cheap, either: Many are priced around $500,000.

These places make our upcoming pre-fab My Micro NY apartments, which will start at 250 square feet, seem downright spacious. Here are some teeny NYC apartments currently available, that seem like a relative bargain compared to Hong Kong:

This 250-square-foot West Village studio (see below) is a bonafide mansion compared to those Hong Kong apartments (more than 50 square feet extra!), and it's on par with those prices, too, at $499,000.
Tudor City is known for its tiny (but charming!) apartments, and this $260,000 studio — clocking in at around 200 square feet — is both.
If you're in the market for a rental, this just-about 200-square-foot Upper West Side studio is available for $2,350 a month, and no broker's fee. Everything's brand new, but there's no real oven.

How do I find a studio that doesn't feel like a jail cell?

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