- Absolute world record: an apartment in Monaco sold for €471 million ($554m) in April 2026, the largest residential transaction in history.
- The buyer: Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine’s richest man, for a 2,500 m² duplex over five floors in the Mareterra district.
- Behind it, London and the Côte d’Azur boast residences worth several hundred million.
- Ultra-prime real estate is breaking record after record, driven by scarcity and safe-haven assets.
Global ranking 2026
The most expensive residential properties
Record sale prices, in euros · property transactions
Sources: Bloomberg, Euronews, 2026 property transactions.
Monaco, €471 million: the absolute world record
In April 2026, Ukraine’s richest man, Rinat Akhmetov, acquired an apartment in Monaco for €471 million, shattering all residential real estate records. Located in the new Mareterra district reclaimed from the sea, this 2,500 m² duplex over five floors features 21 rooms, a swimming pool, a jacuzzi and breathtaking views of the Mediterranean.
London and the Côte d’Azur, safe havens for the ultra-high-end
Before Monaco, the unofficial record belonged to a mansion in Chelsea, London, sold for around €317 million. France is not far behind: Château Louis XIV, near Louveciennes, sold for around €275 million, and Villa Les Cèdres, in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, had been listed for €200 million. The Riviera remains one of the most expensive markets on the planet.
These extraordinary residences that money cannot buy
Some residences defy belief without ever changing hands. In Mumbai, the Ambani family’s Antilia tower is estimated to be worth over a billion dollars, making it the most highly valued private residence in the world. These properties do not appear in sales rankings, but serve as a reminder that the pinnacle of real estate is now measured in billions.
Why ultra-prime is breaking records
In an uncertain world, exceptional real estate acts as a safe haven for the world’s greatest fortunes. Scarcity of supply, advantageous tax systems in places like Monaco and Dubai, and the prestige of the address: all the ingredients are there for records to fall one after another. Wherever billionaires settle, real estate reaches new heights.
