What is the story about?
Some homes are built for comfort. Others are built to project power, permanence and prestige. These are not houses that change hands with market cycles
or appear on real estate portals. They exist in a rarified world where architecture becomes a declaration of wealth and history turns bricks into legacy. From royal palaces that shaped empires to billionaire mansions that redefined urban skylines, these homes sit beyond aspiration. They belong to a class of addresses where ownership itself is extraordinary. What makes these houses truly exceptional is not only their eye-watering valuations, but their stories. Some were designed to impress visiting monarchs, others to rival palaces of old, and a few to quietly rewrite the rules of private luxury. Together, they form a global atlas of homes so expensive that only royalty or billionaires have ever lived there.
Buckingham Palace, London
Estimated value around 4.9 billion dollars
Buckingham Palace is the undisputed heavyweight of luxury real estate. Located in Westminster, it serves as the official London residence of the British monarch and the administrative centre of the monarchy. Originally built in the early 1700s, the palace has grown over centuries into a vast complex of 775 rooms, including 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 92 offices, 78 bathrooms and 19 staterooms.
The palace garden alone spans 40 acres, making it the largest private garden in London. Beneath the structure lies a network of tunnels, some dating back to wartime operations. During the Second World War, the palace survived nine German bomb attacks. Its value lies not just in land or architecture, but in its symbolic role as a living institution of the British Crown.
Antilia, Mumbai
Estimated value around 2 billion dollars
Antilia stands as the most expensive private home in the world. Owned by Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, this 27-storey residential tower rises above Altamount Road, one of Mumbai’s most elite addresses. Designed by Perkins and Will with interiors by Hirsch Bedner Associates, Antilia spans roughly 400,000 square feet. Six floors are dedicated to parking alone. Inside, the home features a private temple, a ballroom, a spa, a salon, a 50-seat private cinema, multiple helipads and a snow room that creates artificial flakes to cool the interiors. The building is engineered to withstand earthquakes of up to magnitude eight and employs over 600 staff members to run its daily operations.
Palace of Versailles, France
Valuation runs into several billions
The Palace of Versailles remains one of the most opulent residences ever created. Transformed by Louis XIV, the palace was designed to display absolute power. Today a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Versailles no longer functions as a home, but its worth as real estate would comfortably place it among the most expensive properties in the world. It remains a reminder of how architecture was once used as a political statement.
Villa Leopolda, French Riviera
Estimated value around 750 million dollars
Villa Leopolda is one of Europe’s most legendary private estates. Originally built for King Leopold II of Belgium, the property stretches across nearly 50 acres overlooking the Mediterranean. The villa includes 11 bedrooms, multiple swimming pools, greenhouses, a helipad and extensive landscaped gardens. The estate gained cinematic fame after featuring in Alfred Hitchcock’s film To Catch a Thief. Over the decades, it has remained a symbol of Riviera wealth and exclusivity, rarely changing hands and always commanding staggering valuations.
The One, Bel Air
Estimated value around 500 million dollars
The One was conceived as America’s most ambitious private residence. Located in Bel Air, Los Angeles, the mansion spans approximately 105,000 square feet. It houses 21 bedrooms, 42 bathrooms, five swimming pools, a private nightclub, a wellness spa, a 30-car garage and a wine cellar designed to store 10,000 bottles. Designed by Nile Niami, the house became famous for both the financial drama surrounding it and the scale. Even when the ownership changed, the property remained one of the most extravagant homes ever built.
Villa Les Cèdres, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Estimated value around 450 million dollars
Dating back to 1830, Villa Les Cèdres once belonged to King Leopold II. Spread across 35 acres, the estate is known for its botanical gardens, which have over 14,000 varieties of plants. The villa spans around 18,000 square feet. It features grand salons, 14 bedrooms, and historic libraries.
Its rarity, land value and heritage make it one of the most expensive homes in Europe.
Witanhurst, London
Estimated value around 450 million dollars
Witanhurst is London’s second-largest private residence after Buckingham Palace. Built between 1913 and 1920 for soap magnate Arthur Crosfield, the Edwardian mansion sits on 11 acres in Highgate and offers close to 90,000 square feet of interior space. After years of extensive renovations, Witanhurst stands as one of the capital’s most valuable private homes, prized for both its scale and its location.
Les Palais Bulles, France
Estimated value around 390 million dollars
Les Palais Bulles, popularly known as the Bubble Palace, is one of the most unconventional luxury homes in the world. Designed by architect Antti Lovag, the property is composed entirely of spherical rooms cascading down a hillside overlooking the Mediterranean. The residence was once owned by fashion designer Pierre Cardin. It includes landscaped gardens, three swimming pools, and a 500-seat amphitheatre.
Odeon Tower Penthouse, Monaco
Estimated value around 330 million dollars
Odeon Tower Penthouse crowns Monaco’s tallest residential tower. Spread across 31,500 square feet and in five floors, the penthouse offers panoramic Mediterranean views and features a private infinity pool complete with a waterslide.
JK House, Mumbai
Estimated value around Rs 6,000 crore
JK House is owned by Gautam Singhania, chairman of the Raymond Group. Located on Altamount Road, the same stretch as Antilia, JK House rises 30 storeys and stands approximately 145 metres tall.
The residence features multiple swimming pools, five floors of parking, a spa, a gym, and a dedicated helipad. The upper levels are divided into private residential units for family members, each with access to terraces and panoramic views of South Mumbai.
Abode, Mumbai
Estimated value around Rs 5,000 crore
Abode Mumbai is the sea-facing residence of Anil Ambani in Pali Hill. Standing 17 storeys high, the home spans around 16,000 square feet and includes a helipad, gym, spa and swimming pool.
Before Antilia was completed, Abode was home to Mukesh Ambani and his family. It features minimalist white interiors, and the glass façade allows natural light to flood the living spaces.
Lincoln House, Mumbai
Estimated value around Rs 750 crore
Situated near Breach Candy in Mumbai, Lincoln House is a Grade III heritage property. Owned by Cyrus Poonawalla, chairman of Serum Institute of India, the property was previously used as a US Consulate residence.
The property is spread across two acres and has a built-up area of around 50,000 square feet.
Lincoln House blends modern luxury with colonial-era architecture.
Gulita, Mumbai
Estimated value around Rs 450 crore
Gulita is the sea-facing mansion owned by Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal. Located in Worli, the five-storey residence overlooks the Arabian Sea and was gifted to the couple by Ajay and Swati Piramal. Designed by London-based engineering firm Eckersley O’Callaghan, Gulita features expansive terraces, open-plan interiors and high-end security systems. The home received its occupancy certificate in 2018 after extensive renovations.
