Woman lives in a 1,200-square-foot bunker for $500 a month: “It’s worth it”

In a time marked by inflation and rising rent prices in major cities, a 44-year-old American woman named Caitlin Johnson has found a solution that’s both unconventional and effective: living in an underground bunker measuring about 1,200 square feet for just $500 a month.

According to the New York Post, the bunker, located in the backyard of a home in Bakersfield, was built by the property’s former owner and sat empty for years. Caitlin’s friend, who bought the home in 2022, casually mentioned the underground space—and Caitlin, who works in the entertainment industry and leads a nomadic lifestyle, saw a unique opportunity. She offered to maintain the bunker and tend to the yard in exchange for a symbolic rent.

“I don’t pay utilities”

“I rent part of the yard and the bunker for $500 a month – I also don’t pay utilities,“ Caitlin said, The trade-off is that I take care of the bunker and yard so she doesn’t have to take care of it. It’s worth it.” She’s now been living in the unusual space for over a year.

The 1,200-square-foot bunker includes a main bedroom with an en suite bathroom, a full kitchen, a living room, 18 bunk beds, an additional bathroom, two half-baths, and a second shower. To enter, you open a hydraulic door, walk down 15 steps, and go through a blast-proof door. “It’s bigger than a lot of studios I lived in back in New York,” she said.

Her move to California wasn’t random. After spending nine months in New York, Caitlin returned to the West Coast for work. Around the same time, her friend had just bought the house with the bunker in the backyard.

Winter and the sunlight problem

While the idea of living underground might seem extreme, Caitlin says she’s adapted just fine. She’s decorated the space with furniture that fits through the narrow entrance and installed artificial lighting that mimics sunlight. “It’s harder in the winter for sure, but I work outdoors a lot of the time. I’m gone most of the day working, I come home when it’s night time, I go down to the bunker and it doesn’t feel weird as it is night time,” she explained.

During the day, when she’s home, she usually opens the two hydraulic doors—each about 10 feet by 4 feet—to let in a bit of light. But most of the time, she’s out working and doesn’t return until after dark.

The financial savings are substantial. Caitlin estimates she’s saving between $1,500 and $2,000 a month, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in California. “I could easily buy somewhere, but my job is constantly moving, and I don’t know how long I will live in one location,” she said.

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