Behind the scenes of the broken budget process
Skyscrapers stand out in any skyline. Indeed, some cities, such as New York City, are known for having a number of very tall buildings, some of which were very expensive to build. But there are many other examples of expensive tall structures around the world.
From corporate headquarters to luxurious residential buildings, in this gallery you'll find a list of the world's most expensive skyscrapers. Click on to get to know them.
It's not every day that you see a bronze-colored skyscraper. Mercury City certainly is unique in its design and color. It opened in 2013 and cost an estimated US$1 billion (equivalent to US$1.35 billion in today's money).
With its distinctive curved shape and triangular pattern, The Bow cost US$1.37 billion to complete, back in 2012.
One of the most sustainable skyscrapers in the world, the Bank of America Towers, was completed in 2009. It cost a total of US$1 billion, which is about US$1.47 billion today.
Merdeka 118 is the world's second-tallest building. Completed in 2023, the 2,233 feet (609 m) skyscraper cost US$1.5 billion to build.
Completed in 1992, the fourth-tallest building in Sydney, for a cost of AU$1 billion (US$634 million), which is the equivalent of AU$1.56 billion (US$990 million) in today's money.
Several wealthy people own apartments in this exclusive building. The skyscraper cost US$1.25 billion (US$1.66 billion today) to complete back in 2015.
Standing 950 feet (289m) tall, 220 Central Park South features some of the most luxurious apartments in the Big Apple. The skyscraper opened in 2019 and it cost US$1.4 billion to build (US$1.7 billion today).
Shaped like a bottle opener, this exquisite skyscraper is 1,614 feet (492m) tall. The Shanghai World Financial Center was completed in 2008 and cost US$1.2 billion, which is the equivalent to US$1.75 billion in today's money.
The second-tallest building in the capital at 912 feet (278m) was completed in 2020. It cost a total of US$1.86 billion.
The American telecommunication company's headquarters opened in 2018. In addition to TV studios and offices, the Center also features bars, shops, and a hotel. The 1,121-foot (342 m) tall skyscraper cost US$1.4 billion (US$1.88 billion today).
The Wilshire Grand Center is the tallest building in Los Angeles, with a height of 1,099 feet (335m). It was completed in 2017 and it cost US$1.5 billion (US$1.93 billion today).
Designed by architect Norman Foster, the 44 story building was completed in 1985. The cost came in at US$668 million, which is the equivalent of US$1.95 billion in today's money.
The Seat of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt is as energy efficient as it gets. The heat from its computer center is used to heat up offices. The skyscraper complex was completed in 2014 and cost €1.4 billion, which is about US$1.98 billion in today's money.
This tower in Midtown Manhattan by Central Park is one of the most expensive in the city. One57 was completed in 2014 and the total cost was US$1.5 billion (around US$2 billion today).
New York's Steinway Tower is a residential skyscraper. The 1,428-foot (435m) skinny skyscraper overlooks Central Park and cost US$2 billion to complete in 2022.
The Dubai tower is the world's tallest structure at 2,722 feet (830m) high. The Burj Khalifa was completed in 2010 and cost US$1.5 billion, which is about US$2.17 billion in today's money.
The Lakhta Center stands by the Baltic Sea at 1,516-foot (462m) tall. The tower was completed in 2019, and its cost was reported to be US$1.8 billion (around US$2.22 billion today).
One Canada Square was the country's tallest building when it opened in Canary Wharf in 1991. The total cost came in at £624 million, the equivalent of US$2.23 billion in today's money.
Home to Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, the 27-storey Antilia is the world's most expensive private residence. Completed in 2010, it cost a whopping US$2 billion (about US$2.89 billion today).
The tallest building in the British capital was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano and completed in 2012. The Shard stands at 1,016-foot (310m) and it cost £1.5 billion, which is the equivalent of US$2.96 billion in today's money.
When it opened in 2004, the Tapei 101 was considered the tallest building in the world, at 1,667 feet (508.0 m). The tower design mixes modern and traditional features and it cost US$1.8 billion (US$3 billion today) to complete.
Central Park Tower is the world's tallest residential building. The luxury tower was completed in 2020 at a cost of US$3 billion.
The iconic Malaysian twin towers were designed by Argentine architect Cesar Pelli. At 1,483 feet (451.9 m) tall, the towers held the title of the tallest buildings in the world from 1996 to 2004. The total cost came in at around US$1.6 billion (US$3.1 billion today).
This New York skyscraper is the headquarters of investment bank Goldman Sachs. It opened in 2009 and the total cost came in at US$2.1 billion, which is around US$3.1 billion in today's money.
The towers previously known as the Time Warner Center are among the most expensive ones ever built at US$1.8 billion (around US$3.1 billion today). It was first used as the CNN headquarters and is currently occupied by the Deutsche Bank.
Shanghai Tower has a unique twisted design. It stands at 2,073 feet (632 m) tall and it opened in 2015 after US$2.4 billion was spent in its construction. The amount corresponds to about US$3.19 billion in current money.
The imposing Lotte World Tower, with 1,820 feet (555m), is the tallest in the country. It features a hotel, offices, private residences, and a sky bar, among others. It opened in 2017 and it cost US$2.5 billion, which is the equivalent of about US$3.21 billion currently.
The iconic (and tallest) tower of Beijing's skyline stands at 1,731 feet (523m) tall. The skyscraper opened in 2019 and US$3.4 billion were spent in total, which comes in at around US$4.2 billion in today's money.
Wuhan Greenland Center is one of tallest skyscrapers in China at 1,560 feet (475 m). The original tower was redesigned and eventually completed in 2023 at a cost of US$4.5 billion.
One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the rebuilt World Trade complex at 1,776 feet (541 m). It was finished in 2014 and it cost US$3.9 billion, which is the equivalent of US$5.2 billion in today's money.
Sources: (Love Money)
The most expensive skyscrapers ever built
From corporate headquarters to residential buildings
LIFESTYLE Architecture
Skyscrapers stand out in any skyline. Indeed, some cities, such as New York City, are known for having a number of very tall buildings, some of which were very expensive to build. But there are many other examples of expensive tall structures around the world.
From corporate headquarters to luxurious residential buildings, in this gallery you'll find a list of the world's most expensive skyscrapers. Click on to get to know them.