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 30, 2018

AIA Consensus Forecast: 4.0% growth for nonresidential construction spending in 2018

The commercial office and retail sectors will lead the way in 2018, with a strong bounce back for education and healthcare.

Market Data | Jan 29, 2018

Year-end data show economy expanded in 2017; Fixed investment surged in fourth quarter

The economy expanded at an annual rate of 2.6% during the fourth quarter of 2017.

Market Data | Jan 25, 2018

Renters are the majority in 42 U.S. cities

Over the past 10 years, the number of renters has increased by 23 million.

Market Data | Jan 12, 2018

Construction input prices inch down in December, Up YOY despite low inflation

Energy prices have been more volatile lately.

Market Data | Jan 4, 2018

Nonresidential construction spending ticks higher in November, down year-over-year

Despite the month-over-month expansion, nonresidential spending fell 1.3 percent from November 2016.

Market Data | Dec 14, 2017

ABC chief economist predicts stable 2018 construction economy

There are risks to the 2018 outlook as a number of potential cost increases could come into play.

Market Data | Dec 11, 2017

Global hotel construction pipeline is growing

The Total Pipeline stands at 12,427 Projects/2,084,940 Rooms.

Market Data | Dec 11, 2017

Construction backlog surges, sets record in third quarter

CBI is a leading economic indicator that reflects the amount of construction work under contract, but not yet completed.

Market Data | Dec 7, 2017

Buoyed by healthy economy, ABC Index finds contractors upbeat

Despite rising construction labor and materials costs, 55% of contractors expect their profit margins to expand in the first half of 2018.

Industry Research | Nov 28, 2017

2018 outlook: Economists point to slowdown, AEC professionals say ‘no way’

Multifamily housing and senior living developments head the list of the hottest sectors heading into 2018, according a survey of 356 AEC professionals.

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