Global construction cost index · 2026
What does it cost to build, anywhere in the world?
Construction cost benchmarks for 200 countries and 20 building types — from a granny flat to a hotel — with an elemental breakdown showing where the money goes on each. Every figure is a planning benchmark; for a real number, measure your own drawings.
The global construction cost league table
Most expensive countries to build in
| Country | Index (US=100) | Per m² (USD) | 150 m² house |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇭Switzerland | 150 | $2,100–$3,900 | $315,000–$585,000 |
| 🇲🇨Monaco | 145 | $2,030–$3,770 | $304,500–$565,500 |
| 🇱🇮Liechtenstein | 140 | $1,960–$3,640 | $294,000–$546,000 |
| 🇳🇴Norway | 130 | $1,820–$3,380 | $273,000–$507,000 |
| 🇮🇸Iceland | 125 | $1,750–$3,250 | $262,500–$487,500 |
| 🇩🇰Denmark | 122 | $1,708–$3,172 | $256,200–$475,800 |
| 🇱🇺Luxembourg | 122 | $1,708–$3,172 | $256,200–$475,800 |
| 🇭🇰Hong Kong | 118 | $1,652–$3,068 | $247,800–$460,200 |
| 🇮🇪Ireland | 115 | $1,610–$2,990 | $241,500–$448,500 |
| 🇩🇪Germany | 112 | $1,568–$2,912 | $235,200–$436,800 |
| 🇸🇪Sweden | 112 | $1,568–$2,912 | $235,200–$436,800 |
| 🇳🇱Netherlands | 110 | $1,540–$2,860 | $231,000–$429,000 |
| 🇦🇹Austria | 108 | $1,512–$2,808 | $226,800–$421,200 |
| 🇫🇮Finland | 108 | $1,512–$2,808 | $226,800–$421,200 |
| 🇬🇧United Kingdom | 108 | $1,512–$2,808 | $226,800–$421,200 |
Least expensive countries to build in
| Country | Index (US=100) | Per m² (USD) | 150 m² house |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇵🇰Pakistan | 20 | $280–$520 | $42,000–$78,000 |
| 🇰🇵North Korea | 20 | $280–$520 | $42,000–$78,000 |
| 🇳🇵Nepal | 22 | $308–$572 | $46,200–$85,800 |
| 🇧🇩Bangladesh | 22 | $308–$572 | $46,200–$85,800 |
| 🇦🇫Afghanistan | 22 | $308–$572 | $46,200–$85,800 |
| 🇪🇹Ethiopia | 22 | $308–$572 | $46,200–$85,800 |
| 🇧🇮Burundi | 22 | $308–$572 | $46,200–$85,800 |
| 🇲🇼Malawi | 23 | $322–$598 | $48,300–$89,700 |
| 🇾🇪Yemen | 24 | $336–$624 | $50,400–$93,600 |
| 🇹🇯Tajikistan | 24 | $336–$624 | $50,400–$93,600 |
| 🇸🇾Syria | 24 | $336–$624 | $50,400–$93,600 |
| 🇲🇲Myanmar | 24 | $336–$624 | $50,400–$93,600 |
| 🇮🇳India | 24 | $336–$624 | $50,400–$93,600 |
| 🇸🇩Sudan | 24 | $336–$624 | $50,400–$93,600 |
| 🇲🇬Madagascar | 24 | $336–$624 | $50,400–$93,600 |
Cost by what you are building
Pick a country below to see all 20 building types priced for that market.
Build costs by country
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
- 🇰🇳Saint Kitts and Nevis
- 🇱🇨Saint Lucia
- 🇻🇨Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- 🇼🇸Samoa
- 🇸🇲San Marino
- 🇸🇹São Tomé and Príncipe
- 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia
- 🇸🇳Senegal
- 🇷🇸Serbia
- 🇸🇨Seychelles
- 🇸🇱Sierra Leone
- 🇸🇬Singapore
- 🇸🇰Slovakia
- 🇸🇮Slovenia
- 🇸🇧Solomon Islands
- 🇸🇴Somalia
- 🇿🇦South Africa
- 🇰🇷South Korea
- 🇸🇸South Sudan
- 🇪🇸Spain
- 🇱🇰Sri Lanka
- 🇸🇩Sudan
- 🇸🇷Suriname
- 🇸🇪Sweden
- 🇨🇭Switzerland
- 🇸🇾Syria
T
U
V
Y
Z
Global build costs — frequently asked
Which country is the most expensive to build in?
+
Switzerland, Monaco, Liechtenstein and the Nordic countries top the index — a combination of very high labour costs, demanding energy codes and expensive land logistics. Building the same house there can cost five to seven times what it costs in South or Southeast Asia.
Which countries are cheapest to build in?
+
Low-labour-cost economies with locally produced cement and blocks — much of South Asia, the Sahel and East Africa — sit at the bottom of the index. Note that small island states are an exception: low incomes but very high build costs, because almost every material is imported.
How is the construction cost index calculated?
+
It expresses typical all-in residential construction cost as a percentage of the United States level (US = 100), then applies building-type and storey-height factors. It is an order-of-magnitude planning benchmark for comparing markets, not a quotation for any particular project.
How do I get an accurate cost for my own project?
+
Benchmarks tell you the ballpark. A bill of quantities measured from your own dimensioned drawings, priced in your own currency to your country's measurement standard, tells you the number. That is what Enormous Buildings generates — free to preview.