Elon Musk Said 'In America, It's Pretty Easy To Keep Yourself Alive' — So He Challenged Himself To Live On $1 A Day, Eating Hot Dogs And Oranges

Before he became the richest man in the world, Elon Musk set out to prove something to himself—that if all his bold ideas failed, he could still survive in America. Literally.

In a 2015 interview with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson on StarTalk Radio, Musk reflected on his early mindset, revealing just how far he went to test his personal threshold for survival. At the time, he had already founded Tesla and SpaceX, but the conversation turned to a much earlier phase in his life—just after college, when he first arrived in the U.S.

"In America, it's pretty easy to keep yourself alive," Musk told Tyson. "So my threshold for existing is pretty low. I figure I could be in some dingy apartment with my computer and be okay and not starve."

Don't Miss:

• Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — this is your last chance to become an investor for $0.80 per share.
• Peter Thiel turned $1,700 into $5 billion—now accredited investors are eyeing this software company with similar breakout potential. Learn how you can invest with $1,000 at just $0.30/share.

So that's exactly what he tested. Musk challenged himself to live on just $1 a day for food. His grocery list? Hot dogs, oranges, pasta, and bulk green peppers with a big jar of sauce.

"You get really tired of hot dogs and oranges after a while," he admitted, laughing. "And of course pasta and a green pepper and a big thing of sauce. That can go pretty far, too."

He wasn't trying to impress anyone—he just wanted to prove that even if every business venture failed, he wouldn't. "If I can live for a dollar a day, then at least from a food cost standpoint, well it's pretty easy to earn like $30 in a month anyway, so I'll probably be okay."

Musk immigrated to the U.S. from South Africa in the mid-1990s, during his early twenties. By 1995, after earning degrees in physics and economics from the University of Pennsylvania, he co-founded his first startup, Zip2. Back then, money was so tight that he and his brother Kimbal slept in the office and showered at the local YMCA.

Trending: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: Schedule your free call with a financial advisor to start your financial journey – no cost, no obligation. 

Today's Best Finance Deals

At the time, a dollar stretched further. In the mid-90s, the average cost of a loaf of bread was under $1, and hot dogs ran about $1.29 per pound. By comparison, the average cost of hot dogs today has soared to over $5.22 per pound. Inflation has made Musk's once-thrifty diet virtually impossible to replicate. Even pasta—once a budget staple—is now often $1.50 to $2 a box, and fresh produce prices have more than doubled since his college days.

Now, decades later, he controls some of the most valuable companies in the world and has an estimated net worth topping $340 billion, according to Forbes and Bloomberg. But that extreme frugality never really left him. 

Musk has said he doesn't own a yacht or even a home, doesn't take vacations, and considers his private jet—used for work—his largest personal expense. "It would be very problematic if I was spending billions of dollars a year in personal consumption," he said in a 2022 TED interview with Chris Anderson. He added, "but that is not the case."

See Also: Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. Back a bold new approach to cancer treatment with high-growth potential.

Today, spending just $1 a day on food in America seems laughable, especially with inflation and rising grocery prices. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average cost of food per person per month in 2024 was over $300—even on a thrifty plan.

And for context: a $1 daily food budget in today's economy breaks down to 33 cents per meal—less than a single egg, a slice of bread, or even half a banana in most U.S. cities. For millions of Americans now facing food insecurity, that number isn't just unrealistic—it's unthinkable.

Still, Musk's point wasn't about inflation or cuisine—it was about fear. Or rather, the absence of it. He believed that if he could handle having nothing, he could risk everything. That mindset helped him bet big on rockets, electric cars, solar panels—and win.

So yes, Musk once lived off hot dogs and oranges. Not because he had to. Because he needed to know he could.

Read Next: Are you rich? Here’s what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy.

Image: Shutterstock