This statistic shows the price per square foot in selected prime residential markets worldwide in 2018. Hong Kong was the most expensive residential market globally with average prime residential values of 4,670 U.S. dollars per square foot.

In 2022, the average price of permanent housing in Hong Kong Island dropped to around 173 thousand Hong Kong dollars per square meter on average. The city had the highest property prices in the region.

In 2019, Hong Kong had the most expensive residential property market worldwide, with an average price per square foot of 1,987 U.S. dollars.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong, an autonomous special administrative region of China, has one of the least affordable housing markets in the world. A region with an estimated 7.49 million people, it has become increasingly difficult to purchase a home in Hong Kong. The spoken languages in Hong Kong are Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.

Hong Kong housing market

The housing market in Hong Kong has seen an increase in prices in the past couple years. There are two types of housing unit offers in Hong Kong, private and public. The number of public rental housing units has been consistently rising since 2008. Nearly half of the public rental apartments in Hong Kong as of March 2018 were between 30 and 39.9 square meters. Not only has the number of public rental housing units increased since 2008, so have the private ones. However, there are more private housing units than public ones in Hong Kong. Additionally, the Home Ownership Scheme exists in Hong Kong. It is a government sponsored program that subsidizes public housing in Hong Kong. First created in the late 1970s, it was instituted with two targets in mind. The first was to persuade the richer tenants of these apartments to leave so families in greater need could live there. The second was to allow these families to become home owners, since they did not have enough money to buy in the private sector. Under this program, the government sells apartments to qualified low-income tenants at prices below the market value.

In the first quarter of 2024, the average monthly rent of private apartments in the Hong Kong Island region, the heart of Hong Kong, was between 386 and 457 Hong Kong dollars per square meter. Meanwhile, the median income for an individual was 18 thousand Hong Kong dollars per month.

In the third quarter of 2024, London (West End) was the market with the most expensive prime office space worldwide.The net effective cost for a prime office in London cost close to 287 U.S. dollars annually. In second and third market in the ranking, Hong Kong and Midtown New York, prices also exceeded 200 U.S. dollars per square foot. The global office real estate sector was severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the political and economic uncertainty that followed. With many companies placing expansion plans on hold and transitioning to hybrid working models, vacancies across many markets spiked and leasing activity slowed down.

As of 2019, Hong Kong was the most unaffordable city in the world to buy a home, as it would take the average skilled service worker 21 years to be able to purchase a 650-square foot apartment in the city. In 2018, the average price for a home in the city was 1.24 million U.S. dollars.

In 2018, Hong Kong was the most expensive residential market globally with average ultra-prime residential values of 8,370 U.S. dollars per square foot. Ultra prime residential properties are defined as the top five percent of the market by price.

In the first half of 2020, the monthly rental price of a square foot of data center space in the four leading markets in the Asia Pacific region was between 1.1 U.S. dollar per square foot in Tokyo and 3.2 U.S. dollars in Hong Kong.

San Francisco's office rental market showcases significant variation across its submarkets, with Mission Bay commanding the highest rates at 138 U.S. dollars per square foot in the third quarter of 2024. This premium location demanded nearly double the city's average rate, highlighting the stark differences in desirability and demand within the city's commercial real estate landscape. Economic powerhouse The San Francisco Bay Area's economic prowess is evident in its impressive economic growth over the past 20 years. The city's strength is fueled by the presence of major technology companies and a thriving startup ecosystem. The region's economic significance extends beyond local boundaries, contributing substantially to California's position as the state with the highest GDP in the country. This economic vitality helps explain the sustained demand for office space across various San Francisco submarkets. Offices: global context and market trends In a global context, San Francisco's office rental rates are relatively high but not the most expensive worldwide. In 2024, London, Hong Kong, and New York emerged as the top three most expensive office rental markets globally. Over the past five years, San Francisco has experienced a decline in office rents. This trend aligns with broader shifts in the office real estate sector, influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of hybrid work. Despite these challenges, certain San Francisco submarkets like Mission Bay and The Presidio continue to command premium rates, reflecting their enduring appeal to commercial tenants.

After five years of growth, the Hong Kong salt market decreased by -10.7% to $8.6M in 2024. Over the period under review, the total consumption indicated a notable increase from 2012 to 2024: its value increased at an average annual rate of +3.6% over the last twelve years. The trend pattern, however, indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded throughout the analyzed period. Over the period under review, the market hit record highs at $9.7M in 2023, and then dropped in the following year.