The priciest buildings on the planet
buildings cost the most money to construct, look no further. We’ve rounded up the most expensive buildings on the planet, from dizzyingly-high skyscrapers to lavish casino resorts. Read on to see the top 50, with all pre-2010 figures adjusted in line with inflation. All dollar values in US dollars unless otherwise stated
Mercury City, Moscow: $1 billion (£723m)
In September 2012 Moscow's 1,112-feet (339m) Mercury City hit the headlines when it became the tallest skyscraper in Europe, overtaking the Shard in London. This unusual bronze-coloured tower, located in the heart of Moscow's financial district, is also one of the most expensive buildings in the world, coming in at $1 billion (£772m).
United States Embassy, London: $1 billion (£723m)
Completed in 2018 for a price tag of $1 billion (£723m), the unusual US Embassy building in London resembles a glass cube wrapped in plastic sails, partially surrounded by a moat-like pond. The modern structure was designed by Philadelphia-based firm Kieran Timberlake after the company won a 2010 competition to design an embassy that would embody the "ideals of the American government." President Trump famously hated it...
Trump International Hotel & Tower, Chicago: $1 billion (£723m)
Trump Tower in New York is arguably the most famous building emblazoned with the name of the former US president, but Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago is the most expensive, costing $847 million (£635.5m) when it was built in 2009. That's the equivalent of $1 billion (£723m) today. It's also one of the tallest buildings in the US at 1,388 feet (423m) high.
St. Regis, Chicago: $1 billion (£723m)
At 1,198 feet (365m) tall, St. Regis Chicago is the tallest building in the world designed by a female architect: Jeanne Gang, head of architecture firm Studio Gang. Finished in 2020 for a price tag of $1 billion (£723m), the building comprises luxury penthouses, some of which offer 360-degree views of the city. Unsurprisingly these high-end apartments don't come cheap: penthouses sold in 2021 went for $6-$8 million (£4.5-£6m).
Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg: $1 billion (£723m)
Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie concert hall opened in 2017. Despite being seven years behind schedule and nearly 10 times over budget at $1 billion ($726m), the striking structure has earned an important place in the city's ever-changing waterfront area. Rising 354 feet (108m) above the harbour, this unusual building is a fusion of old and new, combining a 1960s brick lower section and modern glass upper section. It was designed by the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron.