How London Property Prices Compare to the World
Key Takeaways:
- The price of 1 m² in central London buys 10.9 m² in Bangalore and 10.3 m² in Chiang Mai.
- Among the 60 cities analyzed, only Tel Aviv, Singapore, Zurich, and Hong Kong offer less space for the same money than London.
- London’s premium is particularly striking against many European cities, with the same amount buying 5.1 m² in Bucharest and 5.0 m² in Athens.
How far does the value of one square meter of London property stretch elsewhere? This visualization by Valerii Emelianov compares central-city property prices using August 2026 data from Numbeo Property Prices.
Numbeo compiles residential property prices, rents, incomes, and related indicators across cities worldwide. Here, London’s property market is viewed through a simple measure: how many square meters the value of 1 m² in London could purchase elsewhere.
London’s Square-Meter Buying Power
The following table shows how much space the value of 1 m² in central London buys in each city.
| City | Square Metres Bought vs 1 m² in London |
|---|---|
| Bangalore | 10.9 |
| Chiang Mai | 10.3 |
| Cape Town | 8.4 |
| Almaty | 8.3 |
| Minsk | 8.0 |
| Buenos Aires | 7.6 |
| Kyiv | 7.6 |
| Istanbul | 6.8 |
| Yerevan | 6.6 |
| Riga | 6.2 |
| Phuket | 5.7 |
| Rio de Janeiro | 5.5 |
| Larnaca | 5.3 |
| Bucharest | 5.1 |
| Athens | 5.0 |
| Glasgow | 4.9 |
| Monterrey | 4.6 |
| Tallinn | 4.2 |
| Malaga | 4.0 |
| Montreal | 3.9 |
| Porto | 3.8 |
| Limassol | 3.7 |
| Belgrade | 3.7 |
| Budapest | 3.4 |
| Mumbai | 3.2 |
| Warsaw | 3.1 |
| Dubai | 2.9 |
| Miami | 2.8 |
| Split | 2.8 |
| Los Angeles | 2.8 |
| Nice | 2.7 |
| Barcelona | 2.7 |
| Lisbon | 2.6 |
| Auckland | 2.5 |
| Toronto | 2.4 |
| Rome | 2.3 |
| Dublin | 2.3 |
| Madrid | 2.2 |
| Berlin | 2.2 |
| Vancouver | 2.2 |
| Prague | 2.1 |
| San Francisco | 2.0 |
| Moscow | 2.0 |
| Tokyo | 1.9 |
| Amsterdam | 1.9 |
| Milan | 1.8 |
| Canberra | 1.7 |
| Stockholm | 1.7 |
| Copenhagen | 1.7 |
| Luxembourg | 1.6 |
| Sydney | 1.6 |
| Shanghai | 1.5 |
| Munich | 1.5 |
| Paris | 1.3 |
| New York | 1.1 |
| London | 1.0 |
| Tel Aviv | 0.98 |
| Singapore | 0.88 |
| Zurich | 0.73 |
| Hong Kong | 0.72 |
The comparison spans a wide range. At the high end, the value of 1 m² in London buys 10.9 m² in Bangalore and 10.3 m² in Chiang Mai. At the other end, Hong Kong (0.72 m²), Zurich (0.73 m²), Singapore (0.88 m²), and Tel Aviv (0.98 m²) are even more expensive on this measure.
London vs. Other European Cities
London also commands a substantial premium over many European cities. The value of 1 m² in London buys 6.2 m² in Riga, 5.1 m² in Bucharest, and 5.0 m² in Athens, compared with just 1.3 m² in Paris and 1.5 m² in Munich.
These differences reflect a mix of incomes, housing supply, land constraints, and demand. The continent’s major economic centers can attract intense demand for centrally located property, while limited construction and planning constraints can restrict supply.
Asia Occupies Both Extremes
Asia does not follow a simple cheap-versus-expensive pattern. Bangalore and Chiang Mai top the chart for space, while Hong Kong and Singapore sit below London. Tokyo is also comparatively expensive at 1.9 m², while Mumbai reaches 3.2 m².
The divergence highlights why home prices relative to income can tell a different story from property prices alone. Income, density, population growth, and land availability vary substantially across Asian markets.
Ultimately, this comparison is about purchasing power across property markets rather than local affordability. Earning potential and household incomes can differ just as dramatically as the price of a square meter.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
To see how far a larger property budget stretches in some of the world’s priciest locations, check out What $1 Million Buys in Luxury Property Markets on the Voronoi app.