Dive Brief:
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Switzerland is the most expensive place in the world to build, according to an annual report by EC Harris, an international construction consulting firm based in the UK.
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Denmark and Hong Kong are second and third, respectively, on the Top 10 list of the priciest construction markets. After that are: Sweden, Australia, France, Austria, the UK, Germany and Belgium.
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The 10 most affordable markets for construction, according to the study, from more to less expensive, are: the Czech Republic, Brunei, the Philippines, Bulgaria, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam and India.
Dive Insight:
The U.S. didn’t make either list, although the report noted that it’s cheaper to build in Japan than it is here. Although the U.S. saw some cost inflation last year, and some cities like New York and San Francisco experienced spikes in construction costs, those conditions were not enough to bump it onto the “most expensive” list.