flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

San Francisco overtakes Tokyo as the world’s most expensive city for construction

Building Team

San Francisco overtakes Tokyo as the world’s most expensive city for construction

Inflation, supply chain woes, and demand from tech companies drive costs.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | July 20, 2022
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco is the most expensive city for construction. Courtesy Pixabay.

San Francisco has overtaken Tokyo as the world’s most expensive city for construction, according to a new report from Turner & Townsend.

The cost for construction in San Francisco is $439.29 per square foot. North America had four markets in the top 10. New York City ranked fourth, Boston ranked eighth, and Los Angeles ranked ninth.

Cost increases in North America were due to the strengthening of the U.S. dollar, higher building material costs driven by supply chain disruptions, and high labor costs. The report found that 38.6% of markets surveyed were classified as “hot” (28.4%) or “overheating” (10.2%). These markets have conditions that risk acting as a brake on development. This is an increase of 10% over 2021, while the number of “cold” markets fell from six to one.

The rankings with the price per square foot, according to the report, are:

  1. San Francisco  $439.29
  2. Tokyo              $433.37
  3. Osaka, Japan   $423.49
  4. New York City $419.67
  5. Geneva           $402.47
  6. Zurich              $398.16
  7. Hong Kong      $393.58
  8. Boston             $371.46
  9. Los Angeles     $369.92
  10. London           $363.23

Related Stories

Energy-Efficient Design | May 19, 2022

Shipping containers used to build Research Triangle Park’s first community gathering space

Shipping containers were the prominent building material used to construct Boxyard RTP, the first public community and gathering place in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park (RTP). 

Mixed-Use | May 19, 2022

Seattle-area project will turn mall into residential neighborhood

A recently unveiled plan will transform a 463,000 sf mall into a mixed-use destination site in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue, Wash.

Codes and Standards | May 19, 2022

JLL launches non-profit aiming to mitigate climate change

Real estate and investment management firm JLL recently launched JLL Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to making a long-term impact on environmental sustainability.

Office Buildings | May 19, 2022

JLL releases its 2022 Office Fit Out Guide

JLL’s 2022 Office Fit Out Guide report provides benchmark costs to build out a range of office types across major markets in the United States and Canada.

Biophilic Design | May 18, 2022

Horticulturalists conduct research study to understand the value of biophilic design

Benholm Group, horticulturalists that have pioneered the use of plants for interiors over the past 27 years, are collaborating on a research study to understand the value of biophilic design, according to a news release.

Market Data | May 18, 2022

Architecture Billings Index moderates slightly, remains strong

For the fifteenth consecutive month architecture firms reported increasing demand for design services in April, according to a new report today from The American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Building Team | May 18, 2022

Bjarke Ingels-designed KING Toronto releases its final set of luxury penthouses

In April 2020, a penthouse at KING Toronto sold for $16 million, the highest condo sale in Toronto that year or the year after.

Building Team | May 17, 2022

MKA’s Embodied Carbon Action Plan will include reporting on carbon reductions for selected projects

Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA) recently released its SE 2050 Embodied Carbon Action Plan (ECAP) for 2022.

University Buildings | May 16, 2022

Yale’s newly renovated Schwarzman Center enriches student campus social life

Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA) recently unveiled the design of their restoration of the Schwarzman Center at Yale University, which includes dining spaces, a bar, and a food shop.

K-12 Schools | May 16, 2022

Private faculty offices are becoming a thing of the past at all levels of education

Perkins & Will’s recent design projects are using the area to encourage collaboration.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category



Giants 400

Top 75 Engineering Firms for 2023

Kimley-Horn, WSP, Tetra Tech, Langan, and IMEG head the rankings of the nation's largest engineering firms for nonresidential buildings and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.


halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021