Elon Musk
A photo shared by author Walter Isaacson offers rare glimpse into the unexpectedly simple living space of Elon Musk. Wikimedia Commons

Author and journalist Walter Isaacson shared a fascinating photo in 2023. Showcasing Elon Musk's modest kitchen and living room, the photo gave us a glimpse into the billionaire's minimalist lifestyle.

Isaacson took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share the photo with the caption: "In 2020, Musk decided to sell his five grand houses and to have as his primary residence this spartan two-bedroom house in Boca Chica, TX, where we would meet and he would sit at this wood table and make phone calls."

Based on an open concept, the house did not have any barrier to separate the living room and the kitchen. On the living room table lie a sword, books, a cool rocket model and what appear to be board games.

A poster for a science fiction pulp magazine called "Amazing Stories" hangs by the wall near the kitchen. Also, a Tesla Plaid Mode jacket is seen resting on a chair. To those unaware, Plaid versions of various Tesla models are known for their extra power.

There were mixed reactions from people who saw the pic, with one person noting, "Richest man in the world lives here. Really shows how much he cares more about others than himself and his lifestyle".

"I somehow find it disturbing when the richest man in the world does not have a bigger kitchen than me," another X user said, "Literally all you need," another stated.

Living simply is second nature to Elon Musk

In 2020, Musk announced he would be selling almost all physical possessions and will own no house. Living up to that announcement, Musk sold his houses in the Los Angeles area fairly quickly. Aside from this, he reportedly sold his big San Francisco mansion for nearly $30 million (£23.53 million) in late 2021.

Grimes, Musk's former partner, and mother of 3 of his children, noted that the Tesla CEO lives a simple lifestyle. In 2022, the Canadian musician said that Musk led a minimalistic life and at times "lived below the poverty line," according to a report by Sky News.

As a college student, Musk embraced frugality and lived on a shoestring budget of just $1 (£0.78) a day for food and focused only on the essentials and sustainable consumption.

Despite his frugal past, Musk wasn't afraid to make big investments when it came to his ambitions. As biographer Isaacson noted, Musk spent a staggering $44 billion (£34.51 billion) to acquire Twitter in 2022 in a bid to reach the next level in life.

Making another wild revelation about Musk, Isaacson claimed that the SpaceX founder has multiple personalities and could be demon-like when dealing with people.