California Bunker Life: 1,200 Sq Ft Rental, 18 Bunk Beds, $500 Moonlight

California bunker rental, 1,200 sq ft, 18 bunk beds—entertainment worker Caitlin Johnson ditched New York rent for a Bakersfield subterranean shelter at $500 per month. How much does it cost to live in a bunker in California? Can you rent underground homes? “I rent part of the yard and the bunker for $500 a month—I also don't pay utilities,” Caitlin says, sipping coffee under a hydraulic hatch.
Passing through a 15-step descent and a blast-proof door, Caitlin’s daily commute includes checking for sunlight with industrial precision. What is it like to live underground? Why do people live in bunkers? Her master bedroom boasts artificial daylight, 18 bunk beds, and a lounge—picture a sleepover for 18 ghosts while saving $1,500 every month. “There are two 10-foot by 4-foot hydraulic doors into the bunker, so during the day when I'm home, I'll have them open to let light in.”
Caitlin’s winter routine: return from work, descend 15 steps, and enter 1,200 sq ft of perpetual night, where rent is four times cheaper than a California studio and sun is strictly by appointment.