From living out of a hotel room to a houseboat in a marina, some people are turning to “non-traditional” methods of housing to put a roof over their heads.
These types of living arrangements often represent a shift in lifestyle choices.
But for some in major cities around the world, it’s a forced decision due to limited options amid rising cost-of-living pressures.
Tiffany rented a hotel long-term
While studying in Hong Kong over the past year, Tiffany Lu chose to rent a hotel long-term instead of an apartment.
“Hong Kong is a place where each inch of land is expensive, and paying rent is a big expense for any average [income] family,” Ms Lu told the ABC.
The 24-year-old and her friend paid $HK15,000 ($2,850) per month for a double-bed hotel room.
Ms Lu says it was the “most economical choice” for her.
“It costs around the same if you rent an apartment, for which you need to pay additional costs such as furniture, electricity and water bills,” she says.
“Hotels also have extra amenities, such as a gym and cleaning services.”
Hotels also offer more “flexible” terms for tenants compared with conventional apartments, she says.
“Most apartments require a one-year minimum contract, whereas hotels can offer short-term contracts.
“The price is also relatively stable. Rent can become more expensive during public holiday days, but the contract will clearly outline the prices on those days in advance.”
Renting hotels long-term has become “a first choice” for many international students in Hong Kong today, Ms Lu says.
“Hong Kong also has more and more hotels offering long-stay as an option to people.”
But Ms Lu says one of the biggest disadvantages is how difficult it is to cook in hotel rooms.
“So it increases your cost of buying [prepared and take away] food,” she says.
This couple house-sits around the world
For online language teachers Jordi Sanchez and Hyekyong Park, house-sitting has turned their dream of travelling the world into a reality.
House-sitting involves taking care of the homes and pets while the owners are away.
In return, house-sitters live in the property for free.
“It really helps us save on accommodation fees,” says Ms Park.
One of the best house-sitting experiences the couple had was in Switzerland.
“We stayed there for one month, house-sitting with one cat,” Ms Park says.
“The location of the house was perfect. It was in a town near many hiking routes and a train station.
“We could travel to different places, go on hikes and work at home.”
The couple says they never believed they would be able to live for a while in Switzerland.
“We never thought it could happen because everyone knows that it is very expensive,” Ms Park says.
But what happens when they return home, to Barcelona and Seoul?
They continue to house-sit.
“In our home towns, the housing expenses have skyrocketed in the past few years,” Mr Sanchez says.
“Every time we go there, it’s hard for us to find a place to stay unless we stay with our parents.
“The more we house-sit, the more we realise it just doesn’t make sense paying a lot of rent in our own countries.”
However, house-sitting may not be a “100 per cent” alternative to renting due to instability, Ms Park says.
“Sometimes you can find a house-sitting back-to-back, but it’s not always like that,” she says.
“Other times, you might have to find an Airbnb — so it’s not always certain.”
Mr Sanchez says they are also “scouting the market” through house-sitting around the world, searching for an ideal city to live in amid the global cost-of-living crisis.
“We are checking what countries are easy for expats to buy property or to rent,” he says.
Joe lives on a houseboat after drastic rent increase
Joe Avery and his partner were given notice that their rent in Georgia, United States would more than double from $US1,200 to $US2,600 a month.
The couple had lived in the house for more than seven years.
But after the stark increase in their rent, Mr Avery and his partner looked to their houseboat for a new way of living.
“We had originally planned to move on the boat in late 2024 after our son graduated from high school,” Mr Avery told the ABC.
“But after our rent went up, we decided to make the jump.”
Mr Avery says the transition from house to boat wasn’t smooth.
“Living on a boat is not easier, although it can be less expensive if you already own the boat, which we do,” he said.
“Boats are far harder to maintain, far more complex and harder to keep comfortable.”
Their decision to live on their houseboat is all part of a broader long-term goal — to live on a sailing catamaran.
“We planned to live on the boat for two full years in order to learn and prepare for life at sea,” Mr Avery says.
“It’s a vastly different life when you have to carry every single thing you need half a mile or more from your vehicle to your vessel.
“Living this way teaches you respect for nature, conservation, minimalism and most of all — what it’s like to live untethered.”
Owning or renting unachievable for many
Alternative housing is becoming a “more common” choice amid the rise of cost of living globally, according to Heather Shearer, a research fellow in urban sustainability at Griffith University.
Dr Shearer says it’s important to recognise the “equity issues” behind people’s choices of living in alternative housing.
“We need to bear in mind that maybe [the choices are] because of the government is not building enough social housing or investing enough in homelessness services,” she says.
“Maybe people would prefer to live in a nicely built affordable house in the middle of a city [but cannot afford it].”
In Australia, the rental affordability crisis has driven people to alternative housing options such as living in tiny houses, granny flats, vans and converted garages.
“It’s a trend that isn’t going to go away until we can do something about house prices,” Dr Shearer says.
However, the trend may indeed reflect a lifestyle shift for those who “don’t want to be constrained by the [housing] choices of the past”, she says.
“Young people like the opportunities and freedom to try out other types of living arrangements.”
What are the most expensive cities to live in?
This year, cost-of-living pressures have stung Australians, with inflation continuing to soar on top of rising interest rates.
But overseas, many countries are also facing a similar crisis.
Singapore and Zurich, Switzerland tied as the most expensive cities in the world to live, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Worldwide Cost of Living survey.
This marks Singapore’s ninth time in 11 years at the top of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) list as the world’s most expensive city, while Zurich climbed from sixth place in 2022.
Singapore’s ranking was a result of high costs in groceries, alcohol, clothing and private car ownership.
Zurich’s ascent was fuelled by elevated prices for household items and recreational activities.
The survey, conducted from August to September, covered 173 cities and compared more than 400 prices for more than 200 products and services.