1DK apartments typically range from 20 m² of space to as much as 30 or 40 m² of space on the more expensive end. On average, a 1DK unit in Tokyo and Yokohama is about 20 m² to 26 m², has a separate toilet and bath, and a small kitchen. Older 1DK units may have a kitchen large enough for a small dining table, but newly built units will be smaller with no dining space in the kitchen and a larger closet in the living space.

A typical tenant is a student or young professional who has just graduated from school and wants to minimize housing costs to focus on other priorities whether that be a new car, saving for a new home upon marriage, etc.

Buyers of this type of property may be a parent looking to provide housing for an adult child going to school are just starting out in a new career. After the child has moved out, the owner will either become a landlord and rent the property out for generating passive income or sell the property outright. Some buyers may appreciate the location of such a small apartment so much if located near work or a major station that this could become their home for many years before upgrading to a 1LDK or larger unit, often after marriage.