Do you dream of living in one of the most expensive homes in the world?
From sprawling mansions to luxurious penthouses, there are a number of homes around the globe that are priced out of reach for most people. But who owns these homes and what are they like inside? In this article, we take a look at some of the most expensive homes in the world, including their price tags, owners, and features. So if you’re ever feeling curious about what it would be like to live like a billionaire, read on!
Most Expensive Homes in the World
#1. Buckingham Palace, United Kingdom
Buckingham Palace is unlikely to be put up for sale anytime soon, but if it is, it is estimated to be worth $4.9 billion, making it the most expensive house in the world. It’s a place called home by the British Royal Family, with 240 bedrooms—188 staff rooms and 52 royal and guest bedrooms—as well as a swimming pool and doctor’s surgery, and it’s also open to the public for guided tours.
This rich house—if you can call this Crown property a house at all—has 775 rooms in total, including 19 staterooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms. It also has a large staff as well as beautiful gardens. Rumor has it that there are a few more secret rooms hidden throughout this massive luxury mansion. Buckingham Palace is also one of the world’s largest houses, spanning approximately 77,000 square meters.
The estimated value is $4.9 billion.
London, United Kingdom
Owner: King Charles III, rightful heir to the British Crown
#2. Antilia, India
Antilia, the world’s most expensive private home, is owned by Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest person, and is named after a mythical Atlantic island. This 400,000-square-foot structure is located in India’s most prestigious postcode and has 27 floors, with each double-height ceiling counting as two floors. Despite its enormous height, it is designed to withstand massive earthquakes.
This stunning Mumbai home was designed with traditional, natural elements, but it also has an entire six-story parking garage to accommodate the wealthy Indian family’s large fleet of expensive cars. It also has a large temple, several luxurious guest suites, three helipads, a health spa with indoor pools, a ballroom and yoga studio, an ice cream parlor, and a private movie theater for everyone’s enjoyment. It even has a snow room that spits out snowflakes when the high temperatures in India become too much.
The estimated value is $2 billion.
Mumbai, India.
Owner: Mukesh Ambani.
#3. Villa Leopolda, France
Villa Leopolda, Europe’s most expensive private home, is located between two of the world’s most prestigious locations: Monaco and Nice. It’s a sumptuous and stylish luxury property on the French Riviera that once belonged to King Leopold II of Belgium (hence the name). It has since passed through the hands of many affluent owners and served as a film set for Alfred Hitchcock’s “La Main Au Collet” (To Catch a Thief).
When its previous owner, Lebanese-Brazilian banker Edward Safra, died in 1999, he left the villa to his wife, Lily Safra (nicknamed ‘The Gilded Lily’).
The lavish house’s massive swimming pool and extensive gardens are said to require more than 50 gardeners on a daily basis. There are 80,000 square feet of space available throughout the luxury property.
The estimated value is $750 million.
The French Riviera, France
Owners: Lily Safra's descendants (the philanthropist and socialite died in July 2022).
#4. Villa Les Cèdres, France
The 18,000-square-foot Villa Les Cèdres (named after the many surrounding Cedar trees) was built around 1830 and is more of a luxury palace than a simple home. This historic luxury mansion in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, in the south of France, is fit for a king—and was once owned by one, King Leopold II of Belgium.
The century-old luxury mansion was purchased in 2016 by Italy’s Campari Group (via its acquisition of the liqueur Grand Marnier) and sold in 2019 to Ukrainian billionaire and businessman Rinat Akhmetov.
This European luxury mansion has an Olympic-size swimming pool, a stunning ballroom, and even a stable with room for up to 30 horses, in addition to endless bedrooms and communal spaces. Outside, there are 15,000 plants and 20 greenhouses filled with tropical flowers from around the world. It has multiple balconies with palm trees that overlook the Mediterranean Sea.
The estimated value is $450 million.
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France.
Owner: Rinat Akhmetov.
#5. Les Palais Bulles, France
The Palais Bulles or Bubble Palace, possibly the most extravagant home on the French Riviera, is not your typical million-dollar home. This luxury property in Théoule-sur-Mer, near Cannes, is shaped like a huge terracotta-colored bubble, as the name suggests. A bird’s-eye view of the Palais Bulles reveals a cluster of circular structures. Inside, the circle motif continues.
A stroll through The Bubble Palace will reveal cylindrical beds, swimming pools, and artwork. Antti Lovag, a Hungarian architect, designed the luxury villa, which includes ten suites decorated by various contemporary artists. This luxury mansion, in addition to the series of round rooms, has a sprawling, open-air 500-seat amphitheater on the hillside grounds with views of the Mediterranean Sea.
The late French fashion designer Pierre Cardin purchased the historic mansion in 1992 as a luxury vacation home, and it has served as the setting for numerous fashion and celebrity events. Since Cardin’s death in 2020, the entire estate has been available for rent but not (yet) to the public.
The estimated value is $420 million.
Cannes, France.
Owner: Société de Gestion Pierre Cardin.
#6. The Odeon Tower Penthouse, Monaco
The Odeon Tower Penthouse does not have a garden, but it does have stunning views of Monaco. The world’s most expensive flat is located at the top of a 560ft skyscraper. The Odeon Tower Penthouse has its own 360-degree infinity pool overlooking the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, complete with a private water slide for those who prefer a salt-free swim.
The luxury penthouse has 38,000 square feet of space spread across five floors, with five kitchens on each floor. It has a dance floor, a lavish bathroom, and even a few staff bedrooms. A parking space for the property is estimated to cost $330,000.
The estimated value is $330 million.
Location: Monaco
Owner: Unknown
#7. Four Fairfield Pond, United States
The Hamptons are well-known for their high prices, but American Billionaire businessman Ira Rennert’s magnificent Italian Renaissance-style home, Four Fairfield Pond (named after the adjacent body of water on the luxury property), takes it to the next level. This is a luxury mansion designed for anyone who gets bored easily, thanks to its sweeping grounds and an endless array of facilities. It is one of the most expensive houses in the United States.
A stay here includes access to three swimming pools, a private basketball court, a two-lane bowling alley, and a 164-seat theater, in addition to the 18 bathrooms and 21 bedrooms. The 63-acre beachfront property, known as one of the largest in the United States, also has 12 chimneys, a private cinema, a 91-foot-long dining room, and a billiards room, two tennis and squash courts, and its own power plant.
The Four Fairfield Pond also has a massive garage that can fit up to 100 cars, ideal for a collection of the world’s most expensive cars.
The estimated value is $250 million. New York, United States of America Owner: Ira Rennert
#8. 18-19 Kensington Gardens, United Kingdom
The entire Kensington Gardens neighborhood is known for being full of millionaire properties, but 18-19 Kensington Gardens takes things a step further. This neo-Georgian mansion, known as Nour Palace, was purchased for $5 million in the 1990s.
Years of restoration and a $90 million investment transformed it from a derelict, half-assembled house into a millionaire’s dream with an exponentially increasing value. Beautiful rooms with traditional charm, as well as manicured gardens around the entire property to enjoy on warm spring days. A large portion of the luxury property owned by Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal was renovated with the same marble used to construct the Taj Mahal (hence the mansion’s nickname Taj Mittal). There’s a hair salon, an indoor pool, a spa, steam showers, and saunas, as well as parking for 20 cars.
The estimated value is $222 million.
London, England.
#9. Ellison Estate, United States
Billionaire Larry Ellison does not own just one home, but his Japanese-style Ellison Estate may be the most impressive. This incredible waterfront property, located in Woodside, California, is deserving of its constant attention. It’s actually a collection of houses within one large property, complete with a man-made lake, tea house, and bathhouse.
With a lodge-style design throughout and all of the comfy, cozy velvet sofas and fireplaces you could ever need, it’s designed to blend in. It’s arguably the world’s coolest lake house, set within a gated community, and sets the scene for a relaxing vacation.
The estimated value is $200 million. California, United States of America Owner: Larry Ellison.
#10. Palazzo di Amore, Beverly Hills, United States
This Mediterranean-style estate, located in a prestigious neighborhood with spectacular views of Los Angeles and the surrounding canyons, was built in 2014 and was regarded as the most expensive residential complex in the United States at the time.
It was then renovated both inside and out by its owner, Jeff Greene, who more than doubled the property’s value after a few years of work.
The luxury mansion has 12 bedrooms and 25 bathrooms, as well as a Turkish spa; it also has a 15,000-square-foot entertainment center, a bowling alley, a 50-seat movie theater, a disco, and its own hillside vineyard.
The estimated value is $195 million.
California, United States of America
Owner: Jeff Greene.
#11. Gemini, United States
This is the most expensive house sold in Florida to date. The ocean-to-lake estate at 2000 S. Ocean Blvd. in Manalapan was purchased from a trust controlled by Netscape co-founder Jim Clark by a company controlled by software billionaire and Oracle founder Larry Ellison.
Jim Clark purchased the estate and parts of nearby Bird Island only two years ago for a total of $94.37 million. Adding an additional $100 million in only two years is a wise investment.
Because of its unique location, Gemini has access to both the beach and the ocean. South Ocean Boulevard divides the 15.65-acre property, which has 1,200 feet of beach along the Atlantic and 1,300 feet of frontage on the Lake Worth Lagoon. The estate includes several houses, totaling nearly 85,000 square feet of living space, inside and out, with 33 bedrooms, 34 bathrooms, and 13 powder rooms.
The estimated value is $173 million.
Florida, United States of America
Owner: Larry Ellison.
#12. Seven The Pinnacle, United States
This stunning property sits on the slopes of Montana, a Christmas-card-worthy luxury home that begs for cozy evenings by the fire while it snows outside. Seven The Pinnacle at Yellowstone Club, surrounded by tall trees, is the world’s largest property with a private golf and ski community.
With 123 rooms, the interior is even more impressive than the exterior. There are 10 bedrooms, a large and well-equipped spa with a massage area, a gym, an outdoor and indoor pool, and fireplaces throughout the property. It has a total area of 57,000 square feet.
The estimated value is $155 million.
Montana is in the United States.
Owmer: Tim Blixseth
#13. The One, United States
Few modern luxury homes have the same storied history or as lofty an asking price (originally marketed for US$500 million) as Nile Niami’s The One. The Los Angeles mega mansion was once thought to be not only the most expensive home in California, but also the most expensive home in the United States. But it was also The One beset by debt and legal problems.
The One was auctioned off for $295 million in January 2022, making it the most expensive home for sale in the United States at the time, but it was eventually sold for US$141 million to Richard Saghian, CEO of fast fashion company Fashion Nova, in March 2022. Despite its flaws, this is a lovely luxury property with stunning views in a stunning setting. The 105,000 sq ft luxury mansion is said to be America’s largest private residence, sitting on nearly four acres of land in the exclusive neighborhood of Bel Air.
The One has 21 bedrooms, 42 bathrooms, and multiple kitchens, as well as a nightclub, a four-lane bowling alley, a 10,000-bottle wine cellar, a salon and wellness spa, a juice bar, a home gym, a 50-seat theater, and a running track. It not only has an infinity pool, but also six other water features such as a jacuzzi and a moat that surrounds the luxury home.
The estimated value is $141 million. California, United States of America Owner: Richard Saghian.
#14. Xanadu 2.0, United States
Bill and Melinda Gates’ impressive luxury mansion in Medina, Washington, overlooks Lake Washington and took seven years to build from the ground up. Bill Gates, the world’s richest man, went above and beyond when it came to designing his waterfront villa. The estate is 66,000 square feet in size and contains 500 Douglas fir trees.
It’s packed with cutting-edge technology, such as tiny pins attached to each guest’s lapel that allow them to control lighting, music, and temperature. It has six kitchens, seven bedrooms, a trampoline room, a library, and a computer-controlled maple tree for when the 50 gardeners don’t have time to look after it themselves.
The estimated value is $130 million. Washington, DC, United States Owner: Bill Gates.
Who Owns the Most Expensive Homes in the World?
Buckingham Palace, owned by King Charles III, in right of the British Crown, is the most expensive and largest house in the world, with an estimated value of $4.9 billion. Other fancy houses and luxury mansions can be found in our guide to the world’s most expensive houses.
Who Owns the Most Expensive Homes in the United States?
The One in California is the most expensive house in the United States. The Bel Air mega mansion was originally marketed for $500 million, but was listed for auction in January 2022 for $295 million and sold for $141 million in March 2022. Richard Saghian, CEO of fast fashion company Fashion Nova, now owns it.
What Are the Top Ten Most Expensive Homes in the World?
Buckingham Palace, Antilia, Villa Leopolda, and The One are among the top ten most expensive houses in the world.
Who owns the $500 million mansion?
The One is a $500 million dollar mansion in California, United States. The scandal-plagued Bel Air mansion was listed for $295 million in auction in January 2022, but sold for only $141 million in March 2022 to Richard Saghian, CEO of fast fashion company Fashion Nova.
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Most Expensive Homes in the World: References
