The Most Expensive Home on Earth Is Not Where You Might Expect

If you’re surprised that the world’s most expensive residence is located in the dense urban thrum of Mumbai, India, you’re not alone.

Indeed, looking at the 27-story, rectilinear tower, you’d just imagine it to be a modern apartment building, not one enormous home. Welcome to Antilia.

The extent of the home’s scale and opulence has been explored over the last ten years, and we’ll share some of the stats of this monstrosity below. The owners are Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani.

The 27-story building, named after a mythical island in the Atlantic Ocean, was built by Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries and one of the richest men in India.

Some stats about this enormous, one-of-a-kind residence:

Located in South Mumbai, on ‘Billionaires Row’

Finished in 2012

27 stories, or 568 feet tall

Cost between $1 and $2 billion US dollars to build

400,000 square feet

168-car garage

9 high-speed elevators

50-seat theater

Terrace gardens

Spa

‘Snow room’ that produces snowflakes

A staff of 600

The building, which was completed in 2010, stands at over 600 feet tall and covers an area of over 400,000 square feet. It features a six-story parking garage, a spa, a gym, a ballroom, and multiple lounges and terraces. The house also includes a cinema, an ice room, and a 50-seat theater. It is also equipped with three helipads, a spa, and a yoga studio.

We can only imagine the kinds of lavish parties and events the home has. And while the scale and sheer wow factor is impressive, we’re struck by how over-the-top the whole thing is. Not to mention the enormous cost to the planet, for one family’s home.

Despite its grandeur and opulence, Antilia has been the subject of controversy and criticism, with some people arguing that the building is a symbol of India’s growing wealth gap and the unequal distribution of wealth in the country.

A home of this size is sure to bring controversy and detractors, like another billionaire in India, Ratan Tata:

“The person who lives in there should be concerned about what he sees around him and asking can he make a difference. If he can not, then it’s sad because this country needs people to allocate some of their enormous wealth to finding ways of mitigating the hardship that people have. It makes me wonder why someone would do that. That’s what revolutions are made of.” – Ratan Tata

Nonetheless, the home’s extreme size, cost and laundry list of features make it pretty unforgettable. While traveling in Mumbai a few years back, we keep our eye out for the home, which stands out amongst the smaller apartment towers around it.

Amazingly, this enormous residence is built on a mere 1 acre plot, showcasing just how tight land is in this megacity of 12 million people.