The most expensive food sold in the world as of October 2026 is a bluefin tuna that went for 510 million yen, about $3.2 million, at Tokyo’s New Year auction. This list ranks 15 foods by the highest price documented for a single item or a standard weight, from record-setting fish and fruit to stunt desserts and restaurant dishes.
| Rank | Food | Highest documented price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bluefin tuna (Oma, Tokyo auction) | $3.2 million |
| 2 | Italian white Alba truffle | $417,200 |
| 3 | Yubari King melons | About $40,000 a pair |
| 4 | Almas caviar | About $34,500 a kilogram |
| 5 | The Frrrozen Haute Chocolate | $25,000 |
| 6 | Louis XIII Pizza | $12,000 |
| 7 | Ruby Roman grapes | About $10,000 a bunch |
| 8 | Densuke black watermelon | About $6,100 |
| 9 | FleurBurger 5000 | $5,000 |
| 10 | Saffron | Up to about $5,000 a pound |
| 11 | The Golden Opulence Sundae | $1,000 |
| 12 | Matsutake mushrooms | Up to about $1,000 a pound |
| 13 | Le Burger Brasserie’s $777 burger | $777 |
| 14 | Kopi luwak coffee | About $600 a kilogram |
| 15 | Moose cheese | About $500 a pound |
1. Bluefin tuna (Oma, Tokyo auction): $3.2 million
On January 5, 2026 a 243-kilogram bluefin from Oma sold for 510 million yen at the year-opening auction at Toyosu fish market in Tokyo. Kiyomura Corp., the company of sushi chain owner Kiyoshi Kimura, won it, beating the 334 million yen record that Kimura had set himself in 2019.
That works out to about 2.1 million yen a kilogram. We priced it at the winning hammer price, not at what the fish will earn in sushi.
2. Italian white Alba truffle: $417,200
A 3.3-pound (1.5 kilogram) white truffle fetched $417,200 in 2010, a price still quoted as a benchmark. In 2014 a 4.16-pound specimen went for $61,250 at Sotheby’s in New York, which shows how much the market swings with the harvest.
We used the 2010 hammer price as the ceiling. Everyday white truffle trades for far less per ounce.
3. Yubari King melons: About $40,000 a pair
At the first auction of the season in Sapporo on May 22, 2026, a box of two Yubari King melons sold for 5.8 million yen, a record. The previous record was 5 million yen, set in 2019.
First-auction bids are promotional stunts. Ordinary pairs sell for a tiny fraction of that. The dollar figure here is a conversion we rounded.
4. Almas caviar: About $34,500 a kilogram
Almas comes from rare albino sturgeon in the Caspian Sea and is packed in a 24-karat gold tin. Prices quoted in the trade range from about $25,000 to $34,500 for a kilogram, depending on the seller and the year.
We took the top of that range as our figure, since it is the one most often reported.
5. The Frrrozen Haute Chocolate: $25,000
Serendipity 3 in New York built a dessert out of many premium cocoas, edible gold and a jeweled goblet that the guest keeps. Guinness recognized it in 2007. The ordinary frozen hot chocolate on the same menu costs about $20.
Whether the $25,000 version is currently available is unclear, so treat it as a famous stunt with a real price tag.
6. Louis XIII Pizza: $12,000
Chef Renato Viola in Italy will cook this pizza at your home. Preparation takes 72 hours.
The $12,000 price is the one reportedly quoted for the dish, so treat it as approximate.
7. Ruby Roman grapes: About $10,000 a bunch
The red grape from Ishikawa Prefecture debuted at auction in 2008, when a 700-gram bunch went for 100,000 yen. In July 2016 a bunch of 26 grapes reportedly fetched 1.1 million yen at Kanazawa’s first auction of the season.
That bid translates to roughly $10,000 at the time of the sale, and it is the peak we used, as our own conversion.
8. Densuke black watermelon: About $6,100
A 17-pound Densuke sold for 650,000 yen in 2008, a record. Bids have fallen since, with the top price at 350,000 yen in 2014 and 220,000 yen in 2020.
We kept the 2008 record, the highest figure we could document.
9. FleurBurger 5000: $5,000
This Las Vegas burger from Fleur in Mandalay Bay was served with a bottle of Château Pétrus. Most of the bill is the wine.
We priced it at its reported menu price of $5,000, bottle included, and menus change.
10. Saffron: Up to about $5,000 a pound
Saffron is hand-picked from crocus flowers, and a pound needs tens of thousands of blooms. Retail prices range widely, from a few hundred dollars per kilogram for bulk spice to several thousand per pound for the top grades.
We used the upper end of reported retail pricing, and it carries a wide margin of error.
11. The Golden Opulence Sundae: $1,000
Serendipity 3 unveiled this sundae in 2004, served with 23-karat edible gold leaf. Guinness named it the world’s most expensive dessert at the time.
We have not confirmed that it is still on the menu, so the price reflects the original listing.
12. Matsutake mushrooms: Up to about $1,000 a pound
Prized in Japanese cooking for their smell, matsutake are wild and refuse to be farmed. Top-grade Japanese mushrooms have sold for hundreds of dollars a pound, and reports cite up to $1,000.
Our figure follows the high end of reported retail pricing.
13. Le Burger Brasserie’s $777 burger: $777
Paris Las Vegas serves a burger priced at $777 that is built to feed one person. It is a luxury burger, not a record, but it is real and priced publicly.
This is the menu price we found in coverage, and we kept it.
14. Kopi luwak coffee: About $600 a kilogram
The beans are collected from the droppings of civets that eat coffee cherries, a process that gives the coffee its reputation and its price. Retail prices of about $600 per kilogram appear in comparison lists.
Animal welfare concerns surround the trade. We treat the price as an approximation.
15. Moose cheese: About $500 a pound
Made from the milk of a small herd in Sweden, moose cheese is rare because moose give milk only for part of the year. Reports put the price near $500 a pound, and we treat that as approximate.
That sits at the bottom of the list, and the figure rests on a single reported price.
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What is the most expensive food in the world?
A 243-kilogram bluefin tuna sold for 510 million yen, about $3.2 million, in Tokyo in January 2026. By weight, caviar and white truffles rank highest.
How much do Yubari King melons cost?
A pair sold for a record 5.8 million yen at the first auction of 2026. Normal retail prices are far lower.
Which food has the highest price per kilogram?
Almas caviar, at roughly $25,000 to $34,500 a kilogram in reported trade pricing.
What changed from the previous list?
Bluefin tuna, Yubari melons, Ruby Roman grapes, saffron, matsutake, kopi luwak and moose cheese are new. The old Diamond Christmas Cake and several restaurant gimmicks dropped out.
Are these prices for real meals?
Some are, such as the burger and the sundae. Others are one-off auction bids that are partly marketing.
Why did the Diamond Christmas Cake drop out?
We could not verify its price from a documented source, so we removed it rather than repeat an unchecked number.
How we estimate net worth
Our estimates are based on public reporting, company valuations, and deal and earnings figures all compiled in an internal valuation model. They are approximate, and figures change over time as new information emerges.
For this list we used auction results, restaurant menu prices and reported trade pricing, each converted to dollars at recent rates. Where only a single report exists, we mark the figure as reported.
Last updated: October 2026.
