What $1 Million Buys You Around The World

Size: 4,400 sq. ft
Real Estate: 3-bedroom beachfront villa
Cost of Living: $2,143/month (family of 4)

A popular destination for affluent East Asians who are looking to get out of the city as well as wealthy retirees, Phuket offers magnificent real estate on the beachfront. With international schools, world-class hospitals, and perfect views, it’s no wonder this is an extremely popular destination. 

Phuket, Thailand @marymarcusau / Pinterest.com

For $1900 per square meter in the center of Phuket, you will find beautiful villas on the beachfront, offering Instagram worthy pictures that will make anyone green with envy. Despite the fact that Phuket is one of the more expensive places to live in Thailand, it is still 48.70% less expensive than New York.

Size: 190 sq. ft
Real Estate: 1-bedroom apartment
Cost of Living: $10,044/month (family of 4) 

Monaco is the epitome of luxury and wealth attracting the young, rich and famous from across the globe. $1 million will not get you very far in this small city, which is in fact even smaller than Central Park. Though the city is growing, there are plans to add up to 15 acres of land onto the coastline which will be a $2.3 billion feat. 

Monaco @karamysh / Shutterstock.com

At a whopping $45,360 per square meter, you won’t find anything larger than approximately 190 square feet for $1 million. The average property price in Monaco is $4.7 million, making it the most expensive real estate in the world, followed by Hong Kong and Tokyo.

Size: 3,100 sq. ft
Real Estate: 3-bedroom villa in the city
Cost of Living: $2,443/month (family of 4)*

Mexico is a popular destination, but this is a somewhat unknown gem. Located in the Colonial Highlands, San Miguel de Allende offers perfect temperatures, affordable prices and a large international community. The locals are known to be open and friendly and vibrant with culture and the arts. 

San Miguel de Allende, México @cntraveler / Pinterest.com

With a budget of $1 million, you can snag yourself a 3,100 foot, 3 bedroom villa with a heated pool, fireplaces, and panoramic views of the historic city. The price per square meter is approximately $2624 in the city of San Miguel, and with the vibrant culture and warm atmosphere, it sounds very inviting. 

Size: 236 sq. ft
Real Estate: 1-bedroom urban city apartment
Cost of Living: $4,145/month (family of 4)*

London is a vibrant city, rich with culture, theater, and arts. The nightlife is second to none and the city is speckled with historic landmarks, film locations, and royalty. A major tourist destination, people flock to the city from all over the world to enjoy the spoilings of the city. It is however a very expensive city to live in.

London, England @miriamlebon / Pinterest.com

The third most expensive city in the world, $1 million you will be able to afford approximately 236 square feet. While there are free-standing houses in the city center, they are few and far between with the majority of people living in apartments or split-level houses. If you move just slightly out of the center you will find larger houses at much lower costs.

Size: 3,400 sq. ft
Real Estate: 8-bedroom villa
Cost of Living: $2,171/month (family of 4) 

Phnom Penh is the vibrant, bustling capital city of Cambodia. The streets boast markets and food stalls and the landscape is vast and flat, not yet overtaken by high rises as many of its neighbors have. The riverfront is thriving with vibrant restaurants and bars, galleries, and shopping. 

Phnom Penh, Cambodia @vonduk / Pinterest.com

For $1 million you can purchase an impressive 8 bedroom villa in the capital city. With prices of around $2245 per square meter and a fairly low cost of living one could afford a fair amount of luxury in Phnom Penh. 

Size: 1,800 sq. ft
Real Estate: 4-bedroom house or apartment in the city center
Cost of Living: $2,080/month (family of 4) 

In Moscow, you can live as extravagantly or as frugally as you choose. If you are conscious of your spending, it doesn’t have to be an expensive place to live at all. However, you can of course end up spending excessive amounts of money on living costs and the average cost per square foot is quite high at $5617.20.

Moscow, Russia @PR_Stalker / Pinterest.com

The city is a vibrant cultural hub, with rich nightlife, theatres and art galleries, museums, and restaurants. In Moscow, for $1 million you can purchase a large, 1,800 square foot apartment villa featuring 4 bedrooms, high ceilings, and an Art Deco design.

Size: 1,506 sq. ft
Real Estate: 2-bedroom coastal house with sea view
Cost of Living: $3,078/month (family of 4) 

Sardinia has more people over the age of 100 than anywhere else in the world. It is known to be the best place to retire, with its perfect weather, beaches, active lifestyle and Mediterranean diet it’s no wonder people live longer here. People keep fit with activities such as sailing, golf, or truffle hunting, enjoying a very high quality of life. 

Ollolai, Sardinia, Italy @charitybuzz / Twitter.com

For $1 million you can get a spacious 2 bedroom 2 bathroom house with gorgeous views of the Italian beaches. In true Italian style, the houses are quaint and elegant, with large windows and the luxury of keeping all the doors and windows open due to the perfect climate. Fresh beach air flowing through the house all day, sounds like perfection.

Size: 450 sq. ft
Real Estate: 1-2  bedroom city apartment
Cost of Living: $3,200/month (family of 4) 

Singapore is a small island with a relatively large population. Being that it is such a small island, most goods are imported, making the living costs high. CNN rated it the most expensive city in the world in 2020, along with Hong Kong and Osaka. 

Singapore @misc3000 / Pinterest.com

The cost of a square meter in Singapore is $14,373 making it second only to Hong Kong when compared to prices in Asia. For $1 million you could get a 1-2 bedroom apartment in Singapore, averaging around 400/500 square feet. 

Size: 1,076 sq. ft
Real Estate: 1-2  bedroom city apartment
Cost of Living: $620/month (family of 4) 

Mumbai, previously Bombay, is the capital city of Maharashtra. It is the second most populated city with about 18 million people, just second to Delhi. The city attracts many ex-pats and is the financial center of India. It also offers a wide cultural diversity as well as being an entertainment hub. 

Mumbai, India ©Matyas Rehak / Shutterstock.com

With a cost of $930 per square foot in Mumbai, $1 million can buy you an apartment of approximately 1076 feet. The real estate market in Mumbai is very sought after and expensive due to the supply and demand nature of the market. 

Size: 2,206 sq. ft
Real Estate: 4-bedroom beachfront house
Cost of Living: $2,649/month (family of 4) 

Thessaloniki is the second-largest city in Greece. Located 580km north of Athens, the city is an important cultural hub and is known to be safe and peaceful. New York Times named the city one of the top cities to visit in 2016, partly due to the incredible food, bustling bar, and cafe scene. 

Thessaloniki, Greece ©suprimmo.net

There is more that this city has to offer, for $1 million you can buy a four-bedroom house in Thessaloniki with a mountain and sea view. With reasonable housing pricing, high quality of life, and beautiful views, Thessaloniki ranks quite high when it comes to places to live.

Size: 1528 sq. ft
Real Estate: 1-bedroom city apartment
Cost of Living: $4,330/month (family of 4)  

Tokyo, Japan is known to be one of the most expensive cities in Asia and also the world. It is highly populated, with 37 million inhabitants over 1363 square miles making it the most densely populated area in the world. It is no surprise then that the property prices are high.

Tokyo, Japan @luxuryestatecom / Pinterest.com

At $8091 per square meter, for $1 million you can purchase a fairly small apartment in the city center. The average price for two theater tickets is $196 while a cocktail will set you back $16. Living in vibrant, colorful, and unique Tokyo certainly has its costs, but also its benefits. 

Size: 21,500 sq. ft
Real Estate: 6-bedroom beachfront estate
Cost of Living: $2,264/month (family of 4) 

Ecuador is one of the least expensive cities in the world to live in. The cost of property, food, transport, and entertainment is very low, over %40 cheaper than the US. A world-class city with all the amenities, good restaurants, culture, and technology, you will not have to compromise on quality for a low price.

Salinas, Ecuador @xclusivevillas / Pinterest.com

For $1 million you can buy an entire estate in Ecuador. Including things like a pool, a hot tub, a pizza oven, and even sports fields. Designed to entertain, these large properties have between 4-7 bedrooms and are often over 21,500 feet large. 

Size: 904 sq. ft
Real Estate: 1-2 bedroom beachfront city apartment
Cost of Living: $4,215/month (family of 4) 

Tel Aviv is an expensive tourist destination, with hotels like the Hilton charging $580 per night in May. High import costs, high demand, and low supply have caused the prices in this city to skyrocket. With an average price of $839,924 for a property in the city, 1 million won’t go too far. 

Tel Aviv, Israel ©luxuryestate.com

You can expect to purchase a 1-2 bedroom apartment in Tel Aviv for the price of $1 million. If you are lucky you will have a view of the Mediterranean Sea, or you could overlook the city’s urban landscape. Tel Aviv is a high-energy city with a lot to offer, for a high price. 

Size: 6,458 sq. ft
Real Estate: 4-bedroom mountain villa
Cost of Living: $2,329/month (family of 4) 

Tirana is the capital city of Albania. A country with a tumultuous history, today it is vibrant and welcoming to tourists and ex-pats alike. It is a small city, boasting historical sights and colorful buildings. With rental prices up to %78 lower than the US and cost of living %44 lower, it is an inexpensive place to live and visit.

Tirana, Albania ©holprop.com

For $1 million you can purchase a 6,000 sq. foot villa with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The villa includes a game room, a clubhouse, large terraces with views of the town as well as a butler.