Living (Too) Large
Luxury, like real luxury, will be nothing more than an unrealistic fantasy for most of us, but for some folks it’s a reality. Corporate tycoons, CEOs, dignitaries, and all-around self-made millionaires have put their life’s work towards building, buying, or otherwise obtaining some of the most expensive homes worldwide, with amounts of money that the rest of us wouldn’t make in 10 lifetimes. Take a look at this list and see how the ultra-rich really live it up.
1. Waterfront Estate
Located in the popular West Bay neighborhood of Vancouver, British Columbia, this Canadian waterfront contains over 200 feet of shoreline, 10,000 square feet of space, floor-to-ceiling windows, a movie theatre, a wine cellar, and a tasting room. This property is considered one of the most expensive homes in Canada, as its price tag was $42.7 million USD.
2. Antilia
Located in Mumbai, India, this 27-floor high residence encompasses a total of 400,000 square feet. The building contains six levels of below-ground parking, three helipads, a spa, a salon, a ballroom, a movie theatre, swimming pools, yoga and dance studios, and an ice cream room. The building cost over $1 billion to make.
3. Villa Versailles
Located in Ticino, Switzerland, this 16,000 square foot home sits nestled on the slopes of Monte Bré. The house has an unobstructed view of Lake Lugano, and contains 6 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, guest suites, a swimming pool, a sauna, a hammam, a gym, and a massage room. It cost around $2 billion to build.
4. Fair Field
Located in Sagaponac, Long Island, this 64,000 square foot mansion sits on 63 acres of land with direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. The home is valued between $267 and $500 million , and directly caused a resolution for homes in the Town of Southampton to have a maximum floor area of 20,000 square feet.
5. Villa Del Amor
This gorgeous 15,000 square foot property is also located in Bel Air, Los Angeles. The property is situated on 1.65 acres of land, with 9 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms. The home was built in a Moroccan-style with a Mediterranean-inspired exterior. The going sale price for this home is $120 million , or a lease price of a measly $230,000 per month.
6. Villa La Léopolda
Located at Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French Riviera, this historic home has regal origins. While the house itself was built between 1929 and 1931, the land was once owned by King Leopold II of Belgium and his nephew, King Albert I. It was also used as a military hospital during World War I. The home is estimated to be worth $750 million.
7. Equestrian Estate
Located in Perl-Borg, Germany, this 19,000 square foot home sits on 30 acres of land near the Upper Moselle River. The property contains 14 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, and has been home to several International Equestrian Federation tournaments, as well as the Olympic qualifiers for the 2016 Summer Games. The home is valued at $72.7 million.
8. Middle Gap Road
This beautiful villa is located in the lush greenery of Hong Kong. It has 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms spread across 6,200 square feet, and offers beautiful views of the Aberdeen reservoir. The home is listed for approximately $180 million.
9. Palais Vénitien
This 27,000 square foot property sits on over 6 acres of land and contains 9 bedrooms and 12 full bathrooms. It’s located in Cannes, France, in the well-loved neighborhood of La Croix des Gardes. The property backs onto the Mediterranean Sea and is surrounded by forests on all other sides. The property is valued at almost $142 million .
Marco Montero Pisani on Unsplash
10. Palazatte
This gorgeous villa in Little Battaleys, Barbados, is a 75,000 luxury beachfront mansion. The home sits on over 2 acres of land, and is actually made up of four residences, three guest residences, and the primary mansion. Sellers of the home are asking for $125 million .
Freysteinn G. Jonsson on Unsplash
11. Villa Les Cèdres
Located in Petit Cap Ferrat in France’s Villefranche-sur-Mer, this property was also owned by King Leopold II. The property was built in 1830 and was turned into a vineyard in 1924. Most recently, the property was sold to Ukrainian oligarch Rinat Akhmetov for 200 million euros, or almost $235 million .
12. Wingadal
Located in Point Piper, Sydney, Australia, this “mega-mansion” encompasses almost 29,000 square feet, directly on the Sydney Harbor waterfront. The home has an elevator, an eight-car garage, a 22-seat movie theatre, four bedrooms, a wine cellar, and two commercial kitchens. The property is valued at around $132 million.
13. 18-19 Kensington Palace Gardens
The Palace Gardens are part of “Billionaires Row” in west-central London. 18 and 19 were combined during a £90 million restoration project that took 5 years and over 400 workers to complete. Today, the property is valued at $222 million USD.
14. Deep Water Bay
Possibly the most expensive home purchased in the last 10 years, this 14,000 square foot mansion is situated in one of the wealthiest Hong Kong neighborhoods. This particular home was purchased for $322 million by Pan Sutong, chairman of Goldin Group, in 2017.
15. Lonsdaleite Estate
Located in St. Moritz, Switzerland, this gorgeous luxury property contains 35-foot floor-to-ceiling windows that look out to the Swiss Alps, five en suite bathrooms, an entertainment lounge, and a main suite situated on its own private level. The home is valued at $185 million.
16. Gordon Pointe
Located in Naples, Florida, this gorgeous 60-acre waterfront property contains a three-home compound, a 231-foot yacht basin, and a private dock for 6 boats. The owners of the home paid $1 million for the land in 1985, and ended up with a $295 million property 40 years later.
17. Ellison Estate
Located in Woodside, California, this Japanese-style home is situated on 23 acres of land. The property took 9 years to build and stretches over 8,000 square feet, complete with a boat dock and two guest cottages. One of the many properties owned by former CEO Larry Ellison, this particular home is valued at $70 million.
18. Mayfair Penthouses
Mayfair is a well-known luxury neighborhood in London and home to many expensive residences. This particular three-level penthouse was completed in 2017. The interior is 8,600 square feet, with an additional 2,800 square feet of private terraces. The home has six ensuite bedrooms, a heated indoor pool, a private spa, and a fitness centre, and is valued at around $235 million.
19. 220 Central Park South
Ken Griffin, founder of Citadel Group, purchased four floors of this Big Apple property for almost $240 million in 2019. The building itself is 950 feet tall, with 70 stories and an 18-story penhouse “villa” on Billionaires’ Row. The property was so tall that Vornado Realty Trust had to buy air rights to complete the build.
20. The One
Located in California’s neighborhood of Bel Air, The One is a 105,000 square foot property that sits on a 2.8-acre hilltop. The land alone costs $28 million, and the property sold at auction for $126 million, although the developer originally wanted to sell it for $5 million.
