ADVERTISEMENT

The 16 most expensive skyscrapers built in the last 30 years

These are the world's most costly towers built in the past three decades.

The Antilia in South Mumbai.

Over the last few decades, skyscrapers' heights — and thus their costs — have continued to climb.

ADVERTISEMENT

Business Insider rounded up the most expensive towers built in the last 30 years, defining a skyscraper as a building that measures at least 500 feet tall. As you will see, not all skyscrapers feature a slender design.

Check them out below, in order from lowest to highest construction cost.

In Hong Kong, the Bank of China completed its 1,204-foot-tall headquarters in 1990.

ADVERTISEMENT

The $1 billion building thins toward the peak and features sharp edges.

The Petronas Twin Towers, located in Malaysia, was constructed in 1999.

The 1,483-foot-tall skyscrapers reportedly cost approximately $1 billion total and contain 88 floors each, made up of offices and retail stores.

Source:

In 2006, Indian business magnate Mukesh D. Ambani built the 27-floor Antilia skyscraper, which serves as his private residence.

ADVERTISEMENT

At $1 billion, Antilia is the world's most expensive residential property behind Buckingham Palace. It's also designed to survive a magnitude 8 earthquake.

Source:

Located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom Centre cost approximately $1 billion to build. Construction of the 990-foot skyscraper wrapped up in 2002.

The second floor features a shopping mall, bank, and mosque, designated only for women. Designed by Minnesota-based firm Ellerbe Necket, the Kingdom Centre also includes a hotel, offices, apartments, and a 184-foot skybridge.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai cost approximately $1.5 billion to build. Construction lasted from 2004 to 2009.

Source:

Including the antennae, the tower stands 2,717 feet tall, making it the tallest building in the world. Inside, there are residential apartments, eight hotels, shops, restaurants, and offices. Here's the view from the observation deck (also the world's tallest):

The Seat of the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, Germany cost $1.25 billion to construct in 2013.

Source:

ADVERTISEMENT

The twin skyscraper houses the headquarters of the ECB, the central bank for the euro.

London's glass Shard, completed in 2012 for $1.5 billion, is a 95-story skyscraper.

Source:

The tallest building in the UK, it features residences, a hotel, restaurants, offices, a business school, shops, a clinic, and an observatory.

Source:

ADVERTISEMENT

Stretching 101 stories, the aptly named Taipei 101 was built in 2004. It hovers over Taiwan and cost $1.8 billion.

Source:

The skyscraper features a giant sphere painted gold, which spans its 87th through 92nd floors. The other levels contain offices, shops, and a restaurant.

Built in 2007, the $2.05 billion Palazzo Casino is on the Las Vegas Strip.

Source:

ADVERTISEMENT

Italian Renaissance architecture influenced the hotel and casino's design.

Constructed in Dubai in 2012, the $2.17 billion Princess Tower houses shops and 763 luxury condos.

Source:

The view from the higher floors is stunning.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Venetian is a luxury hotel, mall, and casino in Macau. Built in 2005, the 738-foot resort cost $2.4 billion.

Source:

In the center of the mall, there's a manmade "river" (modeled after the famous one in Venice), where shoppers can take gondola rides.

With a price tag of $3.8 billion, One World Trade Center opened in 2012. Located in New York City, it's next to the site of the original WTC, which is now a memorial for the victims of the September 11 attacks.

Source:

ADVERTISEMENT

In the elevator going up to the observation deck, there's a timelapse projection that shows what Manhattan has looked like every year since 1500.

In 2010, a set of Las Vegas high-rises called the Cosmopolitan was built for $3.9 billion.

Source:

One of the Cosmopolitan's main attractions is its giant glowing chandelier. There's also a casino, shops, restaurants, a theater, a gym and spa, and a convention space.

ADVERTISEMENT

With a price tag of $4.1 billion to construct in 2005, the 614-foot-tall Wynn resort and casino sits on the Las Vegas Strip.

Source:

Here's what it looks like inside. In 2016, it started a $1.6 billion expansion, set to be finished in 2020.

Source:

Three towers make up the Marina Bay Sands Resort, which opened in 2010 in Singapore.

ADVERTISEMENT

With a cost of $5.7 billion, it's billed as one of the world's most expensive casino properties, though it also includes a hotel, a convention center, a mall, a museum, two theaters, seven restaurants, and a skating rink.

Source:

At a whopping $15 billion, the Abraj Al Bait features seven towers completed from 2007 to 2012. Located in Mecca, the Saudi Arabian government owns the complex.

Source:

The tallest tower (at 120 stories) features the world's largest clock face.

ADVERTISEMENT

Source:

At the peak, there's a massive gold-painted crescent, which appears in white on Mecca's flag.

Inside, there are restaurants, a five-story shopping mall, luxury hotels and condos, and a parking garage.

ADVERTISEMENT

The towers can be seen from inside the holy mosque of Mecca, where crowds flock to pray.

FOLLOW BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Recommended articles

Coinremitter claims to be a leading crypto payment gateway in the market

Coinremitter claims to be a leading crypto payment gateway in the market

African countries projected to gain the most rich people

African countries projected to gain the most rich people

Nigeria claims $600m Maersk deal sealed but the company seems unaware of such deal

Nigeria claims $600m Maersk deal sealed but the company seems unaware of such deal

5 African countries Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex have visited

5 African countries Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex have visited

African countries are asserting their sovereignty amidst a global race for resource acquisition: The elite in the diaspora should be ready to facilitate.

African countries are asserting their sovereignty amidst a global race for resource acquisition: The elite in the diaspora should be ready to facilitate.

Top 10 African countries that have the most smokers

Top 10 African countries that have the most smokers

Top 5 cheapest countries to buy beer in Africa

Top 5 cheapest countries to buy beer in Africa

Africa’s path to transforming its finances - IMF

Africa’s path to transforming its finances - IMF

Demand for used and refurbished phones in Africa rose in 2023 — Report

Demand for used and refurbished phones in Africa rose in 2023 — Report

ADVERTISEMENT