The most expensive man-made attraction in the world as of October 2026 is the Abraj Al Bait complex in Mecca, built for about $15 billion. This list ranks 15 visitor attractions, from clock towers and casino resorts to theme parks and an artificial island, by what they cost to build. Figures are nominal, meaning not adjusted for inflation.
| Rank | Attraction | Cost to build |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abraj Al Bait | $15 billion |
| 2 | Palm Jumeirah | About $12 billion |
| 3 | Epic Universe | About $7 billion |
| 4 | Marina Bay Sands | About $6 billion |
| 5 | Shanghai Disney Resort | $5.5 billion |
| 6 | Resorts World Sentosa | $5 billion |
| 7 | Resorts World Las Vegas | $4.3 billion |
| 8 | Wynn Palace | $4.1 billion |
| 9 | The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas | $3.9 billion |
| 10 | Fontainebleau Las Vegas | $3.7 billion |
| 11 | Universal Beijing Resort | About $3.3 billion |
| 12 | Disneyland Paris (expansion) | About $2.5 billion |
| 13 | The Venetian Macao | $2.4 billion |
| 14 | Sphere | $2.3 billion |
| 15 | Burj Khalifa | $1.5 billion |
1. Abraj Al Bait (Makkah Royal Clock Tower), Saudi Arabia: Cost $15 billion
Seven towers around the Great Mosque in Mecca, topped by a clock tower of roughly 600 meters, make this the priciest building project on the planet. Construction began in 2002, finished in 2011, and the complex opened in 2012.
The Saudi Ministry of Religious Endowments supplied the $15 billion figure, so we used it as given.
2. Palm Jumeirah, Dubai: Cost about $12 billion
Nakheel started work on the artificial island in June 2001, and the Dutch dredging firm Van Oord built it out of sand and rock pushed into the Gulf. Tens of thousands of residents and dozens of hotels now line the trunk and the outer crescent.
No audited bill exists. Published figures vary widely, and we estimate the island at roughly $12 billion, the top of the range most often quoted. Treat it as an Alux estimate.
3. Epic Universe, Orlando: Cost about $7 billion (estimate)
Universal opened its fourth Orlando park on May 22, 2025. A hub called Celestial Park feeds four themed lands on a 750-acre site, with the park itself covering about 110 acres. It is among the largest investments Comcast has made in its theme park business.
Universal never published a budget. Outside estimates cluster near $7 billion, and we use that as our own estimate.
4. Marina Bay Sands, Singapore: Cost about $6 billion
Three 55-storey towers carry a rooftop SkyPark with an infinity pool, and the 1,850 rooms share the site with a casino, an arts museum and a convention center. The resort opened in 2010 at a reported S$8 billion.
The conversion of S$8 billion to roughly $6 billion rests on the exchange rate around opening, so treat it as an estimate. A large expansion has also been announced since.
5. Shanghai Disney Resort, China: Cost $5.5 billion
The resort opened on June 16, 2016 on about 390 hectares in Pudong, roughly three times the size of Hong Kong Disneyland. Toy Story Land arrived in 2018 and a Zootopia land followed in December 2023.
CN¥34 billion is the reported build cost, of which about $3.7 billion went into the park itself. We converted it at about $5.5 billion.
6. Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore: Cost $5 billion
Universal Studios Singapore, an aquarium, a water park and six hotels sit on this island resort, which opened in 2010 and held its full grand opening in December 2012. At completion it ranked as the third most expensive building ever constructed.
The reported bill of S$6.59 billion converts to roughly $5.03 billion, and that is the number we kept.
7. Resorts World Las Vegas: Cost $4.3 billion
Three Hilton-affiliated hotels with 3,506 rooms between them opened on the Strip on June 24, 2021. The budget started at $4 billion and rose to the announced $4.3 billion in November 2019.
We took the developer’s own announced figure, since no later number has been published.
8. Wynn Palace, Macau: Cost $4.1 billion
Wynn Palace opened on August 22, 2016 with 1,706 rooms and a casino floor on the Cotai Strip. Early budgets of $2.5 billion in 2011 grew steadily as the design expanded.
The $4.1 billion total comes from the April 2015 projection, which folds in construction, land, financing fees and pre-opening costs.
9. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas: Cost $3.9 billion
When it opened on December 15, 2010 with 3,033 rooms in two towers, it was the most expensive resort Las Vegas had seen. In 2022 Blackstone, Stonepeak and the Cherng Family Trust took ownership, with MGM Resorts running it.
The reported final cost of $3.9 billion is the figure in our model.
10. Fontainebleau Las Vegas: Cost $3.7 billion
This one took the long road. Announced in 2005 at $1.5 billion, it started building in 2007 at $2.8 billion, stalled, was revived in 2021 and finally opened on December 13, 2023 with 3,644 rooms.
We priced it at the $3.7 billion reported for the finished project.
11. Universal Beijing Resort, China: Cost about $3.3 billion
The theme park opened on September 20, 2021 on 54 hectares, inside a 400-hectare resort. Seven themed areas surround a central lagoon, including Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Minion Land and Jurassic World Isla Nublar.
The planned investment was CN¥20 billion, about $3.3 billion, and we use that in the absence of a final tally.
12. Disneyland Paris, France: Cost about $2.5 billion (expansion)
Disneyland Paris opened on April 12, 1992. For this entry we count the EUR 2 billion expansion program announced in 2018 and planned for 2021 to 2025, because no opening-day cost is published.
EUR 2 billion is about $2.47 billion at current rates. It is a program budget rather than the price of a single ride, so treat it as a floor.
13. The Venetian Macao, China: Cost $2.4 billion
Roughly 3,000 suites and a casino of around 550,000 square feet sit on reclaimed land supported by 1,530 concrete pilings. The resort opened on August 28, 2007.
Costs climbed from $1.8 billion to $2.4 billion during construction, and the final number is the one we kept.
14. Sphere, Las Vegas: Cost $2.3 billion
The 17,600-seat venue opened on September 29, 2023 with a U2 residency. Its interior screen covers 160,000 square feet, and the exterior display is bigger still at 580,000.
The budget began at $1.2 billion and nearly doubled to the $2.3 billion reported in May 2023, which we use.
15. Burj Khalifa, Dubai: Cost $1.5 billion
At 829.8 meters it is the tallest building ever built. It opened on January 4, 2010, and the main observation deck sits on the 124th floor at 452 meters.
The AED 5.5 billion cost converts to about $1.5 billion, and that closes out the list.
FAQ
What is the most expensive man-made attraction in the world?
The Abraj Al Bait complex in Mecca, at about $15 billion. The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai follows at roughly $12 billion.
What is the most expensive theme park ever built?
Universal’s Epic Universe in Orlando, which opened in May 2025, at an estimated $7 billion. Shanghai Disney Resort is next at $5.5 billion.
Which Las Vegas resort cost the most to build?
Resorts World Las Vegas at $4.3 billion, ahead of The Cosmopolitan at $3.9 billion and Fontainebleau at $3.7 billion.
Why are the Great Wall, the Pyramids and the Taj Mahal no longer on the list?
Their old figures were inflation-adjusted guesses that nobody can document. This version ranks only attractions with a reported build cost.
What changed from the previous version of the list?
Epic Universe, Resorts World Las Vegas, Fontainebleau, Universal Beijing, Sphere, Burj Khalifa and Abraj Al Bait are new. Several Disney parks, Wynn Resort, St. Peter’s Basilica and the ancient monuments dropped out.
How are these costs measured?
We use reported construction budgets in the currency of the time, converted to dollars, without adjusting for inflation. Estimates are marked as such.
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 leaned on developer announcements, government statements, company filings and reported construction budgets. Where only a range exists we say so and pick a value inside it.
Last updated: October 2026.
