Can a 55 m² Apartment Be Better Than a 75 m² Apartment?
When searching for real estate, square footage is one of the first figures buyers look at. A larger apartment automatically seems like a better apartment, and an additional 15 or 20 square metres can feel like an advantage that requires little explanation.
In reality, more square metres do not necessarily mean more usable space.
A well-designed 55 m² apartment can feel more spacious, functional and comfortable than a 75 m² property where a significant amount of space is lost to corridors, poor room proportions or awkward corners.
That is why Eurovilla encourages buyers to look beyond the number of square metres and consider how effectively each one is actually used.
Square footage does not tell you how the space is arranged
Two apartments can have almost identical floor areas and provide completely different living experiences.
A property may measure 75 m², but if 12 or 15 m² is taken up by long corridors, entrance areas and circulation space, the actual living area can feel surprisingly limited.
A compact 55 m² apartment, on the other hand, may still include:
- two well-proportioned bedrooms
- a comfortable living room
- a functional kitchen
- a bathroom without unnecessary wasted space
- built-in storage
- a logical connection between rooms.
The more useful question is therefore not simply how many square metres the apartment has, but what you are actually getting within them.
Corridors can consume a surprising amount of space
Every apartment needs some circulation space, but corridors are rarely places where we actually live.
Older apartments in particular often have long hallways connecting several separate rooms. The floor plan may look generous on paper, while a significant proportion of the total area is used purely for moving from one room to another. A good layout minimises unnecessary circulation space and turns as much of the property's floor area as possible into usable living space.
A difference of only a few square metres could mean a larger kitchen, additional storage or enough room for a proper dining table.
Room proportions often matter more than room size
A 25 m² living room is not automatically better than one measuring 20 m².
If the room is extremely narrow, has several doorways or windows positioned awkwardly, arranging a sofa, television, dining table and other furniture may be surprisingly difficult.
A well-proportioned room can offer much greater functionality within a smaller area.
During a viewing, try to imagine the actual furniture layout.
- Where will the bed go?
- Can the wardrobe doors open properly?
- Is there enough room for a table for four or six people?
- Will you still have comfortable circulation space once the furniture is in place?
An empty room almost always looks larger than it will after you move in.
Open-plan living can make a smaller apartment feel significantly larger
Combining the kitchen, dining area and living room can create a much stronger sense of space.
Instead of three smaller rooms separated by walls and doors, you get one larger area where most everyday life naturally takes place.
However, open-plan design is not automatically the perfect solution.
You still need to consider:
- kitchen storage
- overall storage space
- television positioning
- the dining area
- ventilation
- natural light.
A well-designed open-plan space feels generous.
A poorly designed one can simply feel like the kitchen, dining room and living room have all been squeezed into the same space.
Good storage can be worth more than a few additional square metres
One reason a smaller apartment can work better than a larger one is well-designed storage.
When everything has its place, a property feels both tidier and more spacious.
Built-in wardrobes, a walk-in closet, a pantry beside the kitchen or a separate storage room can dramatically improve everyday living.
- A 75 m² apartment without sufficient storage can quickly become cluttered.
- A 55 m² apartment with carefully planned storage can remain visually clean and highly functional.
During a viewing, do not look only at the main rooms.
Ask yourself where you would keep the vacuum cleaner, suitcases, winter clothing, sports equipment, shoes and all the other items that rarely appear in professional property photographs.
Natural light changes the perception of space
Two rooms of exactly the same size can feel completely different depending on how much natural light they receive.
Large windows, good orientation and an open outlook can make a smaller apartment feel considerably more spacious.
A dark property with large rooms may feel more enclosed than a smaller home filled with natural light.
Pay particular attention to the living room and the spaces where you expect to spend most of your time.
Square metres are easy to measure.
The feeling of space is far more complex.
Ceiling height matters too
Apartments with higher ceilings often feel more spacious than their floor area suggests.
This is particularly noticeable in high-quality period properties.
A 22 m² living room with a high ceiling and large windows can feel completely different from another room of exactly the same size with a low ceiling and limited natural light.
Higher ceilings can, of course, also raise practical questions relating to heating and maintenance.
But when assessing the overall quality of a space, ceiling height is definitely worth considering.
A balcony or terrace can change the entire equation
A 55 m² apartment with a well-connected terrace may offer a better lifestyle for much of the year than a larger apartment with no outdoor space at all.
This is particularly relevant on the Croatian coast, but increasingly in urban properties as well.
What matters, however, is how usable the outdoor space really is.
A narrow balcony that can barely fit one chair does not offer the same value as a terrace with enough room for a table, several chairs and comfortable circulation.
The same rule therefore applies outdoors as it does inside: size matters, but functionality matters more.
The number of rooms does not tell the whole story
A listing may advertise two bedrooms. But are both bedrooms genuinely functional?
One may comfortably accommodate a double bed and wardrobe, while the other may barely have space for a bed at all.
For buyers looking for a family home, a few extra centimetres of room width may have a greater effect on everyday life than five additional square metres of hallway.
This is why buyers should consider not only the number of rooms, but also their dimensions, proportions and furnishing potential.
Put the furniture on the floor plan
One of the simplest ways to assess an apartment is to take the floor plan and place the basic furniture on it at approximately the correct scale.
- A bed.
- A wardrobe.
- A sofa.
- A television.
- A dining table.
- A desk.
You will quickly gain a much clearer understanding of how the apartment actually functions.
Sometimes you will discover that 55 m² meets every one of your needs.
At other times, even 75 m² may turn out to be poorly arranged.
A larger apartment can also mean higher costs
Additional square footage does not affect only the purchase price.
A larger property may mean:
- higher heating and cooling costs
- more furniture
- more space to maintain
- potentially higher building-related costs.
Of course, if you genuinely need the additional space, these expenses may be entirely justified.
But buying an extra 20 m² simply because it looks better on paper makes little sense if you are not actually going to use it.
Of course, square footage is not the only factor that determines property value. Two apartments of the same size can have completely different prices depending on their location and micro-location. Read more here.
The best apartment is not necessarily the largest
When buying real estate, it is easy to fall into the assumption that more is always better.
- More square metres.
- More rooms.
- A larger terrace.
But a good home is not simply a collection of the biggest possible numbers.
A well-designed property uses its available space in a way that reflects how people actually live.
That is why a 55 m² apartment can genuinely be better than a 75 m² apartment if it offers a stronger layout, more natural light, better proportions and less wasted space.
Square footage should always be part of the comparison, but it should not make the decision for you.
Eurovilla helps buyers compare properties according to location, layout, quality and true market value rather than square footage alone.
If you are looking for a new home or investment, contact us and let us help you find a property where the space genuinely works for you.