flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

These are the 10 most expensive cities in the world to build in

Industry Research

These are the 10 most expensive cities in the world to build in

Paris, Frankfurt, and Macau are all on the list, but none of them are more expensive than the city in the number one spot.


By David Malone, Associate Editor | March 7, 2017

Pixabay Public Domain

The recently released International Construction Costs report, published by Arcadis, details the relative cost of building in 44 of the world’s major cities across 13 building types.

As part of the report, the top 10 most expensive cities in the world to build in are outlined, and a U.S. city is at the top of the list. New York led the way among all cities for construction costs, according to the report.

“New York rises to the top globally once again due to a lack of real estate availability, accessibility issues, and high real estate prices,” says David Hudd, Arcadis Cost and Commercial Director, in a release. ‘To build in such a dense urban environment like New York City, you must find solutions to control costs, such as expertly handling storage, transport and staging of building materials, identifying skilled construction firms and labor far in advance, and implementing modularized construction.”

New York isn’t showing any signs of slowing down either in terms of construction costs. The city is expected to remain the most expensive to build in into 2017 and beyond as large-scale construction projects and international investors drive development. The Big Apple is almost 50% more expensive to build in than the national average and is even 20% higher than other major and expensive cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Boston.

For the U.S., San Francisco is the second most expensive city to build in because of its cramped environment, rigorous seismic requirements, and competition for contractors.

In terms of worldwide construction costs, Hong Kong is in second place, followed by Geneva, London, and Macau. The entire top 10 list is as follows:

 

  1. New York
  2. Hong Kong
  3. Geneva
  4. London
  5. Macau
  6. Copenhagen
  7. Stockholm
  8. Frankfurt
  9. Paris
  10. Vienna

 

For the full report, click here.

Related Stories

Market Data | Jan 19, 2021

2021 construction forecast: Nonresidential building spending will drop 5.7%, bounce back in 2022

Healthcare and public safety are the only nonresidential construction sectors that will see growth in spending in 2021, according to AIA's 2021 Consensus Construction Forecast.

AEC Tech | Feb 13, 2020

Exclusive research: Download the final report for BD+C's Giants 300 Technology and Innovation Study

This survey of 130 of the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms tracks the state of AEC technology adoption and innovation initiatives at the AEC Giants.

Office Buildings | Feb 11, 2020

Forget Class A: The opportunity is with Class B and C office properties

There’s money to be made in rehabbing Class B and Class C office buildings, according to a new ULI report.

Industry Research | Dec 13, 2019

Attention building design experts: BD+C editors need your input for our 2020 Color Trends Survey

The 2020 Color Trends research project will assess leading and emerging trends and drivers related to the use of color on commercial, institutional, and multifamily building projects.

Architects | Sep 11, 2019

Buoyed by construction activity, architect compensation continues to see healthy gains

The latest AIA report breaks down its survey data by 44 positions and 28 metros.

Industry Research | Aug 29, 2019

Construction firms expect labor shortages to worsen over the next year

A new AGC-Autodesk survey finds more companies turning to technology to support their jobsites.

Codes and Standards | Aug 29, 2019

Industry leaders ask for government help as trades shortage worsens

AGC asks for more funding for education and increased immigration to fill gaps.

Multifamily Housing | Aug 19, 2019

Top 10 outdoor amenities in multifamily housing for 2019

Top 10 results in the “Outdoor Amenities” category in our Multifamily Design+Construction Amenities Survey 2019.

Multifamily Housing | Aug 12, 2019

Multifamily Amenities 2019: Rethinking the $30,000 cup of coffee

What amenities are “must-have” rather than “nice to have” for the local market? Which amenities will attract the renters or buyers you’re targeting? The 2019 Multifamily Amenities Survey measured 113 amenity choices.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




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