The streets might not be paved in gold, but the world's most expensive residential roads are brimming with ultra-high-end homes boasting some of the most eye-watering price tags we've ever seen. These prestigious postcodes are steeped in fascinating stories, celebrity neighbours, billionaire buyers and unbelievable amenities.

Click or scroll on to stroll down the planet's most expensive thoroughfares and see for yourself...

Spain's most expensive street as of 2024 is located in La Zagaleta, a luxury residential estate in the province of Málaga. The enclave is situated on a prestigious stretch of the Costa del Sol, just under 14 miles (22km) from Marbella, the glamorous playground of the rich and famous. 

Also known as Cota Zagaleta, the estate's meandering main road is lined with sprawling mansions with hefty price tags. The average asking price for homes here is €12.3 million (£10.2m$12.9m) according to Spanish newspaper SUR.

While some areas of the Costa del Sol have long attracted wealthy buyers, La Zagaleta is a relatively new hotspot for the upper echelons. The land the estate was built on was formerly owned by Saudi billionaire Adnan Khashoggi. The La Zagaleta Clubhouse is said to have originally been used as the businessman's house, while the rolling acreage was home to Arabian horses and an extensive art collection.

In 1990, the 2,224-acre (900ha) property was sold off to investors, who transformed the rural lot into a mega-mansion haven.

The enclave's residents benefit from round-the-clock security – the perimeter of the estate is fenced and monitored by 24-hour surveillance systems. Meanwhile, guards are stationed at the north and south entrances, where any guests must show identification.

Homeowners at the complex gain access to a range of exclusive amenities, including two private golf courses, an equestrian club with stables, paddocks and grooming services, a tennis club, hiking and horseback riding trails, a concierge service and a calendar of glittering social events.

La Zagaleta is made up of around 230 luxurious homes, however, with more building plots still available, the enclave is projected to grow to some 420 homes in the future. 

Pictured here is just one of the mega-mansions that form part of the exclusive estate. On the market with Monarch Estates as of December 2024, this impressive property features more than 21,528 square feet (2,000sqm) of living space across a beautifully landscaped 2.3-acre (0.9ha) plot.

Content creator Viktoria Gorska, who specialises in sharing luxury homes with her followers, took a tour of the mansion back in May 2024. 

Inside, the new-build home offers eight bedrooms and eight bathrooms, along with architecturally designed reception rooms and entertaining spaces. Special focus has been given to indoor-outdoor living – bifolding doors blur the divide between exterior and interior, while the infinity-edge swimming pool benefits from breathtaking views towards the sea and mountains.

The dazzling shoreline of the French Riviera has been the choice destination of the rich and famous for centuries. One location in particular has a reputation for unparalleled exclusivity: the seaside resort of Antibes. The town's peninsula, Cap d'Antibes, has been nicknamed the 'Bay of Billionaires' after the luxurious mansions that pepper its coast.

According to 2024 data gathered by French real estate company Meilleurs Agents, the most expensive street in the area – and one of the most costly in France – is Boulevard John-Fitzgerald-Kennedy. 

Boulevard John-Fitzgerald-Kennedy is lined with some of the area's most historic villas. Among the finest is Les Chênes Verts, a white stately home overlooking the ocean that dates back to the mid-19th century. 

A hub for creatives over the centuries, the villa was designed by architect Auguste Abeille for eminent French playwright and novelist Adolphe d’Ennery. His friend and fellow French writer Jules Verne is said to have spent numerous winters at the home with d'Ennery, working on the stage adaptation of one of his most famous works, Around the World in 80 Days.

The street is steeped in these kinds of rich stories of yesteryear. John F. Kennedy, the boulevard's namesake, often vacationed on the French Riviera as a child and it remained a favourite destination of the 35th US president throughout his life. JFK regularly stayed at one of the street's most iconic buildings, the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, pictured here.

Originally called Villa Soleil, the hotel was built for newspaper magnate Auguste de Villemessant, founder of French newspaper La Figaro. The 19th-century structure was used as a writer's retreat from 1870, before opening its doors to holidaymakers in 1887.

The building's architecture is just as impressive today as it was when it was first constructed, from the classic chequerboard floors and tall arched windows to the glistening chandeliers.

Still at the centre of the region's high-society calendar, the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc is often a key venue for the Cannes Film Festival. In May 2024, the hotel rolled out the red carpet for a charity gala hosted by Demi Moore during the prestigious two-week showcase, attended by a slew of stars including Heidi Klum, Kelly Rowland and the Duchess of York.

Given the street's illustrious history, it's no surprise that according to figures released in March 2024 by Meilleurs Agents, property here costs around €1,017 (£842/$1.1k) per square foot, the equivalent of €10,948 per square metre (£9.1k/$11.5k).

Along with the numerous historic villas, there's a slew of new constructions too, built by fresh waves of millionaires and billionaires in the region. For example, this intriguing modern masterpiece on the boulevard features a white, perforated metal exterior.

Renowned for having one of the highest prices per square foot for property in Latin America, Avenida Vieira Souto is among the most exclusive streets in the Brazilian capital of Rio de Janeiro.

Located in the sought-after Ipanema neighbourhood, which hugs the city's southern coastline, the road is lined with high-rises that house some of Brazil's finest apartments and penthouses, each featuring breathtaking views of the water.

The reason the street is quite so desirable becomes abundantly clear in this image: it faces directly onto the beautiful white sands of Ipanema Beach and the tranquil waters of the South Atlantic Ocean. The stretch of coast is flanked by rocky outcrops at one end and mountains and the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue at the other. Talk about a priceless outlook! 

While Avenida Vieira Souto is mainly residential, the surrounding streets feature some of the best restaurants and hotels in the Brazilian capital. 

It's hard to discern much from the exteriors of the stacked high-rises that frame the street, but nestled behind their façades lie some of Latin America's most luxurious homes. 

This spectacular duplex penthouse was on the market with Vizu Real Estate Boutique in August 2024. Spanning an enormous 20,160 square feet (1,873sqm), the home offers six private suites, four large reception rooms, a state-of-the-art gym, two swimming pools and a spa. 

Avenida Vieira Souto is also home to the most expensive residential building in the entire capital. Pictured here, the Cap Ferrat building houses some of Brazil's costliest properties. The complex comprises 17 floors and 16 units, with each apartment encompassing a whole floor. 

According to data from luxury property management company Mbras, collected on behalf of Latin American business publication Bloomberg Línea, the average price for a home in the Cap Ferrat is R$9,290 (£1.2k/$1.5k) per square foot or R$100,000 (£12.8k/$16.3k) per square metre. 

Pictured here is the interior of an apartment for sale in the exclusive complex back in 2022 with Stella Maris Real Estate. Featuring four bedroom suites and no end of beautiful, high-end living areas across 5,920 square feet (550sqm) of space, it was listed for R$60 million ($9.8m/£7.7m).

Just like the other apartments in the Cap Ferrat, the unit comes with armed security and a 24-hour doorman, as well as access to a gym, spa, sauna, playground and football pitch. But exclusivity comes at a cost, with service fees amounting to more than R$20,000 (£2.6k/$3.3k) per month.

Known for its tropical climate and stunning beaches, the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico has long drawn sun-seekers in search of luxury island living. Dorado, a town on the northern coast of the US overseas territory, is home to a particularly exclusive residential street that's a favourite among the world's millionaires and billionaires. 

Dorado Beach Drive is the main artery of the East Beach Residences – an enclave that sits within the Dorado Beach Ritz-Carlton Reserve, a luxury holiday resort. The exclusive development is a Ritz-Carlton real estate venture and encompasses 20 ultra-high-end homes. 

Some of the impressive homes that line Dorado Beach Drive are pictured here in a video tour of the private road by local realtor Island & Key. Residents of the street benefit from access to the hotel's state-of-the-art amenities, which range from numerous swimming pools, a spa, a waterpark and a gym to tennis courts, restaurants and two professional golf courses. 

According to US property site Realtor, the median listing price for homes in Dorado was $2.4 million (£1.9m) as of November 2024. However, within the Ritz Carlton Reserve, this figure is likely to be significantly higher.

This magnificent home on the coveted Dorado Beach Drive was on the market as of December 2024 with Sotheby's International Realty for an undisclosed price. Known as Villa La Joya, the house occupies a 1.1-acre (0.4ha) corner lot a stone's throw from the ocean.

The compound's living spaces measure 17,920 square feet (1,665sqm) and include nine bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. Defined by sleek, modernist architecture, the interior features floor-to-ceiling glass, towering ceilings and floating staircases. Meanwhile, high-end amenities include a large gym and a private movie theatre. 

The surrounding tropical landscapes have been incorporated into the interior with a flowing, indoor-outdoor floor plan. In this space, entire walls recess into a hidden cavity, uniting the dining area with the covered terrace beyond. There's also an outdoor kitchen alongside the 120-foot-long (36m) swimming pool and spa. 

Homeowners on the exclusive road have access to the complex's Residences Concierge, who can arrange an in-house chef, make dinner reservations and even book spa treatments for residents. 

Other high-end homes on Dorado Beach Drive have also garnered global attention over the years. Pictured here is the living room of a palatial mansion on the exclusive street, which hit headlines in 2023 when it was listed for sale for $45 million (£35m) with Puerto Rico Sotheby's International Realty. At the time, it was the most expensive listing ever in the overseas territory's history. 

Encircled by tropical landscaping, the home offers 5,611 square feet (521sqm) of living space, five bedrooms and six bathrooms, along with an infinity pool and hot tub.

Overlooking the tranquil waters of Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva in Switzerland, the exclusive community of Cologny is a haven for business tycoons, heirs, diplomats and celebrities looking for a peaceful spot to unwind. Its tiered streets are staggered across the hillside, offering picturesque plots with unbeatable views.

Of the enclave's tree-lined streets, Chemin de Ruth is considered the most prestigious. The thoroughfare is flanked on both sides by a mixture of historic estates and newly built mega-mansions.

The median asking price for homes in Cologny is just under CHF 5.6 million (£4.9m/$6.3m) according to Swiss property valuation platform RealAdvisor.

However, property on Chemin de Ruth, pictured here, often changes hands for much steeper figures. Global estate agents Engel & Völkers report that homes on the road can sell for more than CHF 2,787 (£2.5k/$3.1k) per square foot, the equivalent of CHF 30,000 (£26.4k/$33.5k) per square metre. 

The rich and famous have called Chemin de Ruth home for decades. According to Vanity Fair, French-Israeli telecoms billionaire Patrick Drahi and his wife have owned a villa on the road, while Swedish billionaire Torbjörn Törnqvist constructed a contemporary glass palace here too.

Meanwhile, the wider Cologny area, thought to have a population of around 5,000, has reportedly been home to the heirs of the Chanel and Peugeot fortunes, the late banking mogul Benjamin de Rothschild and French former tennis player Henri Leconte.

More than just a stretch of mega-mansions, this prominent road also has a storied past that goes back centuries. In particular, Villa Diodati, pictured here, has become something of a pilgrimage site for literary fans. The events that unfolded within the stately home in 1816 made history, when Romantic poet Lord Byron rented out the estate for the summer and invited a group of his contemporaries.

Their stay was plagued by rain and to pass the time, Bryon and his friends, including fellow writers Percy Bysshe Shelley and Mary Shelley, held a competition to see who could write the scariest story. The bones of Mary Shelley's iconic novel Frankenstein were born and the rest, as they say, is history.

A Lake Geneva beauty spot, development on Chemin de Ruth and in the Cologny region is limited by strict regulations intended to protect the neighbourhood's heritage character. For example, there a restrictions on the height of new homes in order to preserve the outlook for existing homes on the hillside. The architecture of new homes must also be sensitive to the area.

However, more architectural diversity has been creeping in over the years, as you can see from this sleek, glass-lined house, a newer addition to Chemin de Ruth. 

London is the world's fourth-most expensive city according to the World Economic Forum, so it's no surprise that real estate here can come with a staggering price tag.

While the most expensive street in the UK capital is a hotly contested title that's frequently changing, Phillimore Gardens (pictured), is usually among the cream of the crop. Tucked away in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, average house prices on the leafy residential road spiked in 2022, when the sale of a mansion pushed the figure up to £23.8 million ($18.7m), according to data from UK bank Halifax.

Phillimore Gardens and its surrounding streets were built by William Phillimore in the 1770s and many of the grand houses are still owned and rented out by the Phillimore Estate today. 

Thanks to its enviable position running alongside Holland Park, notable residents have long flocked to the street. After American shipbroker Ernest Simpson (pictured here in October 1936) divorced his wife, Wallis Simpson, he lived just around the corner on Upper Phillimore Gardens in a home "stuffed" with servants, according to The Times. Wallis infamously went on to marry King Edward VIII, sparking the abdication crisis.

Former British Prime Minister David Cameron also called Phillimore Gardens home, residing in the exclusive enclave as a young boy before his family moved to Berkshire.

Notable musical names including rock star Freddy Mercury lived in the area too, and former Rolling Stones guitarist Bill Wyman opened his restaurant Sticky Fingers on the corner of Phillimore Gardens in May 1989. Wyman is pictured at the opening with his then-girlfriend Mandy Smith. The eatery eventually closed due to the pandemic in 2021.

In 2019, Phillimore Gardens hit the headlines when the owner of a £2.5 million ($3.2m) apartment in this end-of-terrace building rented out her luxury home with disastrous consequences. Elizabeth Stirling let out her immaculate five-bedroom apartment for what was described as a surprise baby shower. However, her property was overrun with hundreds of revellers. The party was eventually shut down by police, according to an interview Stirling gave to The Daily Mail.

While the home's resin floor was scratched and rugs were burned – reportedly amounting to thousands of pounds worth of damage – Stirling's art collection, which included original works by Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Joan Miro and Picasso, survived the ordeal.

The occasional police incident certainly hasn't hurt house prices. In the space of six years, three homes on the road have sold for £37 million ($47m) and above, one of which was a two-bedroom semi-detached home.

Pictured here, this magnificent five-bedroom home in Phillimore Gardens was on the market as of December 2024 with Sotheby's International Realty for just over £21.9 million ($27.4m). A rare find in the space-starved UK capital, the home spans 5,098 square feet (474sqm) and includes beautifully designed living spaces, period features, state-of-the-art kitchen appliances, an elevator and a stylish terrace garden. 

One of the priciest places to live in the whole of the US is Indian Creek Island Road in Florida. The expensive street is the only one on the island, stretching almost the whole way around the exclusive enclave. Known as 'billionaire bunker' island, the upscale community consists of just 41 homes and a highly selective golf club.

Thanks to its tight security, privacy and high-profile neighbours, homes on the island are extremely desirable and regularly sell for eight-figure price tags. 

Totally manmade, the pristine island hideaway was dredged from Biscayne Bay in the early 1900s. During the late 1920s, it was developed into an exclusive country club with an 18-hole championship golf course at its heart. It fast became a winter retreat for tycoons of industry – and has been ever since.

These days, the island's seclusion and top-notch security are a major draw for the moneyed inhabitants. A veritable fortress, Indian Creek has its very own police force that scrupulously vets visitors. The community is only accessible by bridge via a heavily guarded gatepost, while armed officers patrol the island on land and by boat 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

While you don't have to be a billionaire to live on 'bunker' island, it certainly helps. Second-richest man in the world Jeff Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sanchez purchased this home in October 2023 for $79 million (£62m). The mansion features seven bedrooms and 14 bathrooms. But it wasn't their only purchase on the island.

Just four months earlier, Bezos had snapped up the three-bedroom house next door for $68 million (£54m). Then in early 2024, he added a third property on the island to his collection – a six-bedroom home for $90 million (£71m). According to US news outlet Bloomberg, Bezos intends to live in his newest home while he carries out work on the other two properties.

Bezos will be one of many billionaires living on the exclusive road. His new high-net-worth neighbours include hedgefund tycoon and former Sears CEO Edward Lampert, art collector and former Philadelphia Eagles proprietor Norman Braman and Hotels.com co-founder Bob Diener.

Other celebrities who call Indian Creek Island Road home include Spanish singer Julio Iglesias and American football star Tom Brady, who built a luxurious mega-mansion on the isle. 

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner also have two properties on the island. Back in 2020, Ivanka and Jared parted with $32.2 million (£25m) to purchase a coveted empty lot. Then in April 2021, the pair also picked up a $24 million (£18.9m) fixer-upper mansion nearby.

After a two-year renovation, the luxurious home was finally habitable and Ivanka celebrated her 42nd birthday there (pictured) on 30 October 2023. 

You might be wondering why this rather ordinary-looking street features in a gallery filled with incredible locations. Well, that's because this is Hallstrom Close, which is regularly ranked among the most expensive residential streets in Australia. The prestigious road sits on Hallstrom Point, a rocky promontory that juts into Long Bay, a prime position in Northbridge, an upmarket suburb on Sydney's Lower North Shore. 

Let's find out why people pay a premium to live on such an unassuming street...

Hallstrom Close was named after Sir Edward Hallstrom (pictured here with George the gorilla in 1967), one of Australia's most well-known philanthropists and businessmen, and a past resident of the area. He was also passionate about animal conservation and poured much of his money into Toronga Zoo, which is still open today.

Hallstrom, who invented the highly successful 'Silent Knight' refrigerator range, once owned a home complete with a private zoo on the land that would become Hallstrom Point. Following the home's demolition in 1971, the acreage was subdivided into eight housing plots and was named Hallstrom Close. 

Homes on the close typically cover 3,455 square feet (321sqm) and have five bedrooms according to Australian real estate news outlet The Property Tribune.

In the wider Northbridge area, the median house price recorded in November 2024 was AU$5.3 million (£2.6m/$3.3m), that's just over 660% more than the national average of AU$802,357 (£396k/$500k). 

This incredible house on Hallstrom Close was on the market in early 2024 with Stone Mosman Real Estate. Featuring five bedrooms, four bathrooms and a lot size of 9,472 square feet (880sqm), the home sold for AU$14.2 million (£7m/$8.9m). 

The incredible view is why everyone is clamouring for one of Hallstrom Close's homes. Each waterfront mansion enjoys outlooks over the calm waters of Long Bay, taking in Bay Point and several waterfront reserves to the south.

The homes are built in levels that descend the rocky shoreline, making them much larger than they appear from the street. Each has its own jetty and deep-water dock and most have a private swimming pool.

Northbridge Golf and Cricket Clubs are just a few streets away, while the famous Sydney Opera House is a quick 15-minute drive south.

Homes on Hallstrom Close rarely come up for sale. However, take a few steps around the corner on Coolawin Road and you'll find this incredible modern mansion, which was on the market in December 2024 with Sotheby's International Realty for an undisclosed price.

The extraordinary estate spans three levels of living space and a 10,764-square-foot (1,000sqm) interior with stunning bay views. The five-bedroom, seven-bathroom home features breathtaking grounds that include a swimming pool, manicured gardens and a private jetty and boatshed. Impressively, the house is set on the single largest landholding in Northbridge.

It's easy to see why Vancouver's 'golden mile' is one of the priciest places to live in Canada. Otherwise known as Point Grey Road, the upscale street skirts the waterfront to the west of the city overlooking English Bay.

The road stretches along a long oceanfront portion of Kitsilano, one of Vancouver's most coveted neighbourhoods. Known for its beautiful beach, public saltwater pool, seawall walking trail and 17 parks, Kitsilano attracts young professionals, tourists and high-profile Canadians alike. Point Grey Road continues west into the next neighbourhood, Point Grey, which has three beaches, a yacht club, a tennis club and an abundance of luxury properties.

Stars such as Ryan Reynolds and Joshua Jackson have lived in Kitsilano, but Point Grey Road's most high-profile house is known as the Chip Wilson mansion, named after its owner, the founder of athleisure brand Lululemon.

Built in 2008, the seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom mega-mansion (pictured) has over 15,000 square feet (1,393sqm) of living space and sits on a 0.7-acre (0.3ha) plot. It also boasts a pool, a hot tub and a tennis court.

With an estimated net worth of CA$8.5 billion (£4.7bn/$5.9bn), the businessman certainly has plenty of money to splash on the lavish home.

Wilson isn't the only high-profile Canadian with links to this moneyed street. Before he became Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau was a French and maths teacher at West Point Grey Academy (pictured), a private school just around the corner from the westernmost end of Point Grey Road. Trudeau taught at the school for almost three years.

The future leader called Vancouver home for a time while he was studying for his Bachelor of Education degree at the University of British Columbia. He then spent his early teaching career learning the ropes in classrooms across Vancouver. 

According to December 2024 data from real estate listing site Zolo, the average house price in Kitsilano is CA$1.5 million (£825k/$1m), while prices in Point Grey come in at around CA$3.7 million (£2m/$2.6m). 

A diverse array of properties line Point Grey Road, from historic homes to modern mansions. Pictured on the right here, this architectural property was on the market back in the spring of 2023 and sold for a reported CA$16 million (£8.8m/$11.1m).

If modern masterpieces are more your thing, then take a look at this masterpiece-in-the-making on Point Grey Road, which was for sale in December 2024 for CA$14.9 million (£8.2m/$10.4m). Plans and permits are already in place to build the impressive four-bedroom, six-bathroom home, which will cover 4,400 square feet (409sqm) and offer sea views from each of its three floors. 

Current plans include a rooftop deck with a hot tub, a 28-foot (8.5m) pool and a four-car garage with a car elevator and turntable.

Think of Germany's most expensive street and a sophisticated boulevard in Berlin, Munich or Hamburg may spring to mind. However, one of the country's priciest thoroughfare is Hobokenweg, located in the village of Kampen on the picturesque island of Sylt.

Homes on the extraordinary street are typically 3,200 square feet (300sqm) to 5,400 square feet (500sqm) – something not typically found elsewhere on the island – and they rarely come onto the market. When they do, their scarcity means they regularly fetch double-digit millions.

The most expensive thatched roof villa in the area reportedly cost over €30 million (£25m/$31.2m) and is said to be owned by a German IT entrepreneur.

So why does the road command such staggering prices? Well, it's largely down to the popularity of the area. Drawn to the charming cottages, rolling dunes and white sand beaches, artists, writers and society's movers and makers – including Nobel laureate Thomas Man – have flocked to the village since the 1920s.

It was around this time that a local statue was declared, requiring all houses in Kampen to be traditionally built from brick with a thatched roof. The statue is still in effect today – even the bus stops in Kampen are thatched.

To this day, Kampen – and the wider island of Sylt – is the premier weekend getaway destination for the country's elite and it's easy to see why.

High-profile parties and society weddings are regular occurrences, while the Beach Polo World Cup is held yearly on Sylt's white sands and the Windsurf World Cup takes place in the island's azure waters.

So wealthy are the residents and holidaymakers of Kampen that the local vending machine supplies freshly baked bread, Dolce & Gabbana perfume, upmarket dog treats and luxury drinks.

10 minutes from Kampen lies one of the island's most popular locales – the famous beach of Westerland. A huge draw for tourists and residents alike, it's pictured here with its iconic hooded wicker beach chairs, called Strandkorb, which literally translates to beach basket. 

Overflowing with natural beauty spots, it's easy to see why the rich and famous still gravitate to Sylt. American actor Kevin Costner is said to own a holiday house on the island, while German tennis player Boris Becker reportedly used to vacation on Sylt's sunny shores. 

Given its famous visitors, it's no surprise that property on Sylt sells for millions of euros. 

While homes on the highly desirable Hobokenweg rarely come onto the market, this delightful semi-detached cottage nearby was on sale in 2024 with Ralph Justus Maus Real Estate. The three-storey home has four bedrooms and three bathrooms and is built in the traditional Kampen style in red brick with a neatly thatched roof, frieze gable, stable windows and wooden lattice windows.

Set away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Nassim Road is unarguably the most exclusive road in Singapore. Once a sprawling nutmeg plantation, it's now a mix of embassies, up-market condo buildings and the most sought-after residential building of all: the Good Class Bungalow, or GCB.

To understand the allure of Nassim Road, you first have to understand the Good Class Bungalow. Something of a status symbol, a home can only be classed as a GCB if it's in a particular neighbourhood and has at least 15,000 square feet (1,394sqm) of land. It also can't be more than two storeys high or take up more than 35% of the plot. 

Situated on a hill on Nassim Road is Eden Hall, the official residence of the British High Commissioner to the Republic of Singapore. Known as 'The Wedding Cake' or 'Wedgwood House' due to the exterior's delicate white plasterwork, it was built in 1904 for an Iraqi-Jewish businessman.

When Singapore fell to Japan during the Second World War, Eden Hall became home to a Japanese admiral. After liberation, British Forces took up residence before it was finally sold to the British Government in 1955 for just £56,000, which would be about £1.2 million ($1.5m) today. For perspective, the British sold off half the land at Eden Hall in 2001 and one of those lots was resold in 2012 for £37.4 million ($47m).

In 2019 the most expensive single home ever to sell on Nassim Road changed hands for S$230 million (£134m/$169m). The massive plot came with a pool and tennis court and covered 84,543 square feet (7,854sqm) of land, big enough to encompass five whole bungalows.

That same year, British inventor James Dyson bought a GCB just around the corner for S$45 million (£26m/$33m). The modern home, which includes an indoor waterfall and a cantilevered spiral stairway, was the vacuum mogul's second in the country. Earlier in the year, he bought Singapore's largest and most expensive apartment at the time, a three-story super penthouse, which he purchased for S$73.8 million (£43m/$54m).

In 2023, a number of high-value homes on Nassim Road changed hands too. According to MSNews, three mansions – highly desirable GCB properties – were bought up for just over S$206 million (£120m/$152m) by an Indonesian family.

The two-storey homes are said to have been extensively renovated in 2015. Each property reportedly offers five bedrooms and a swimming pool. 

GCBs on Nassim Road come on the market extremely rarely, which only elevates their value. The sought-after property type is usually only available to Singaporean citizens to purchase, however, exceptions are reportedly made for super-rich buyers who make a significant investment in Singapore's economy.

Meanwhile, condos on the street are more readily available. Pictured here is a grand building on the road known as the Sinaga Palace, which is a high-end housing complex. Featuring gilded gates and exquisite, Grecian-style architecture, it's definitely not your typical apartment building.

The Cape Town suburb of Clifton has long been South Africa's most expensive neighbourhood. Curling around a peaceful bay on the southern Atlantic seaboard, Clifton attracts the South African elite thanks to its white sand beaches, easy commute into Cape Town and exclusive residential streets.

Historically, Nettleton Road is among the priciest of them all. Perched high up in the hills above the bay, it offers homeowners incredible views of the mountains to the south, as well as the pristine beaches and glittering sea below. According to South African news outlet BusinessTech, houses in the area sell for upwards of R100 million (£4.3m/$5.5m).

You can see Nettleton Road here, home to the distinctive glass-fronted black house at the top of the photo. As you can see, it has the most enviable position, rising above the hotels and apartment blocks below.

“It’s the most sought-after road on the African continent,” said Annette Hepburn, a Pam Golding estate agent in Clifton who spoke with South African news site Independent Online – and that was back in 2016 when Nettleton Road first topped the list of South Africa's most expensive streets. Asking prices have only gone up since.

As of 2024, Cape Town is reportedly home to 7,400 millionaires, 28 centi-millionaires and one billionaire, many of them no doubt settling in Clifton.

Just down the coast from Clifton, Llandudno is another highly desirable Cape Town location for the super-rich, with residences there commanding an average price tag of R25 million (£1.1m/$1.4m), according to 2023 data from real estate aggregate Property24. 

Home to one of the area's most scenic beaches, the enclave attracts wealthy nature lovers and those looking for a quieter pace of life. 

Yet Llandudno can't eclipse the staggering house prices found throughout Clifton, which has seen figures soar some 800% since 2000.

Exemplifying the local property market, one of Nettleton Road's most iconic homes was for sale in December 2024 for R160 million (£6.9m/$8.7m) with Lance Real Estate.

A local landmark designed by architect Stefan Antoni, the cliff-hanging home enjoys a front-row seat to the best views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Twelve Apostles mountain range. 

The minimalist, state-of-the-art home features a spectacular open-plan living space with a wood-lined mezzanine and floor-to-ceiling glass walls, which open up to reveal a terrace and a heated infinity pool. 

The five-bedroom, seven-bathroom home is packed with luxurious amenities, including a cinema room, staff accommodation, a gym and an elevator. How's that for a modern masterpiece?

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