5 Most Expensive Buildings in the World 2019

Below is a list of five most expensive buildings in the world.
This list doesn't include building complexes, which are composed of several separated and different buildings, gardens, squares, etc. However, building complex that architecturally appears like a single building is also included in the list, like Abraj Al Bait, because the buildings of the complex are built closely adjacent to each other and form a symmetrical unified whole, or like Marina Bay Sands, the three similar towers of the complex is connected together by a skybridge, forming a unified whole. All buildings listed here are habitable, buildings used for other purposes like power generation are not listed.

1. Abraj Al Bait

Location: Mecca, Saudi Arabia Cost: $15 billion (in 2011)

Abraj Al Bait, with Great Mosque in the foreground

Abraj Al Bait is the world's third tallest building, it's located in the central place of Islamic holy city Mecca, the building is situated very close to Grand Mosque and mainly serves as hotel, it's operated by Fairmont. The clock on the tower is inspired by Big Ben and is the highest and largest clock in the world.

2. Marina Bay Sands

Location: Singapore Cost: $5.5 billion (in 2010)

Marina Bay Sands is a hotel with casino in Marina Bay, Singapore, the hotel is built on a reclaimed land on Marina Bay. The design of Marina Bay Sands was inspired by card decks in casinos, three hotel towers are connected by a sky bridge on top. The sky bridge is used as a park, named SkyPark, it contains swimming pools, gardens, rooftop bars, and an observation deck on the cantilever at its north side.

3. Apple Park

Location: Cupertino, United States Cost: $5 billion (in 2017)

Built in 2017, Apple Park is the new headquarters of Apple Inc., the building is a gigantic ring-shaped structure that appears like a space ship.
The ring is 1,522 feet (464 meters) in diameter, larger than the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.. It has 4 stories, containing around 2,800,000 square feet (260,000 square meters) of floor area and can accommodate more than 12,000 people. In the middle of the ring is a large courtyard, in which trees and other plants are planted, and an artificial pond is built within the courtyard.
The idea for Apple Park was conceived by Apple's co-founder Steve Jobs, and was designed by Apple's chief designer Jony Ive in joint with British architect Norman Foster. This new campus of Apple is not far from its original campus, only one mile east of it.

4. Emirates Palace

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Cost: $3.9 billion (in 2005)

Emirates Palace is a luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The hotel is owned by the government of Abu Dhabi, and operated by Kempinski.
The hotel has 394 residences, spreading over the primary central building and its two wings, the whole building stretches over a kilometer from wing to wing. The tops of the building feature 114 domes gilded in marble and gold, the central dome is 72 meters high above ground.

5. One World Trade Center

Location: New York City, United States Cost: $3.9 billion (in 2014)

One World Trade Center seen from Jersey City

One World Trade Center is built as one of the new towers to replace the destroyed World Trade Center twin towers in Downtown New York. The tower is located adjacent to the former site of the twin towers. Since built in 2014, it has been the tallest building in America, and may continue to keep this honor for a long time in the future, because there's still no a developer daring to propose a skyscraper higher than its representative height, which is 1776 feet, representing the year 1776 when America becomes a independent country.