The author wrote clearly that $700 is for a room, not for a whole apartment.

Still too low in general.

Yes, I meant a room, _starting_ at $700. It is definitely not that hard to find. But ofc it won't come with all the luxuries that one might want.

I lived in SF from May last year to marry this year for $500/month in chinatown. Horrible building but great location and very affordable.

Opening sentence of TFA:

"This guide is targeted to “hackers” who wish to move to the San Francisco Bay Area, specifically San Francisco or Silicon Valley. This guide reflects my lifestyle - male, single, focused on work (in tech) and saving money, but keeping an eye on my health."

Absolutely. Good luck finding a place that cheap in SF.

Pardon my ignorance, but is it $700 a month or a week? I'm used to Sydney prices where a 1-bedroom apartment could easily cost around $500 a week.

$700 a month for a room in a shared apartment. In San Francisco, the median rent price for a 1-bedroom apartment is $2800 a month, and in some neighborhoods (SoMa) the median is almost $3500 a month: http://priceonomics.com/the-san-francisco-rent-explosion/