He has left Mimí because he knows she is incurably ill, and he is too poor to look after her properly. Rodolfo, however, tells his friend the real reason for what he did. She asks Marcello to help her, because Rodolfo has walked out on her, claiming jealousy. She is tortured by a terrible fit of coughing. On a cold winter morning, Mimí comes to an inn on the edge of Paris to talk to Marcello, who is painting there. When Alcindoro returns he has no alternative but to pick up the bill for everybody. The friends take advantage of the confusion to disappear with the girl. The arrival of guard draws a huge crowd to the square. Claiming to need a new pair of shoes that very minute, Musetta gets rid of her companion. When Musetta and Marcello lay eyes on one another again, their former love reawakens. Musetta, Marcello's former lover, show up with an elderly new admirer by the name of Alcindoro. In the Quartier Latin, outside the Café 'Momus', colorful activity dominates the scene. They tell one another the story of their lives and confess their love for one another.

Rodolfo, who has fallen in love with her, finds the key but doesn't tell Mimí. As Mimí is about to go, she loses the key to her room. At this point Mimí, their neighbor, appears and asks if she might relight her candle, which the wind had blown out. Only Rodolfo remains behind to complete a magazine article he is writing. Now they decide to continue partying at the Café 'Momus'.

In a spasm of feigned outrage over the old man's 'immorality' the four friends throw him out. The friends give him some wine, causing the old man to forget the rent in his alcoholic haze and begin recounting tales of his romantic adventures. This, however, is rapidly interrupted by the arrival of the landlord Benoit, who demands his back rent. The initially glum mood rapidly turns into one of great exuberance. He brings along food, wine and some money. Musician Schaunard, the final member of this quartet of friends, has been a bit more successful.

Downtrodden, Colline the philosopher returns home after finding the pawnshop closed for the holidays. To warm up the room just a little, Rodolfo burns a play script he had been working on. Poet Rodolfo and painter Marcello are sitting in their cold garret on Christmas Eve, freezing, hungry and flat broke as usual.

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