The Burj Khalifa is a modern architectural masterpiece and an extremely popular tourist destination. The impressive tower can be seen from over 60 miles away and stands just over half a mile high.
Superstructures like these are extremely expensive to develop and construct. So, how much did the world’s tallest building cost? Here’s what you need to know.
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How Expensive Was the Burj Khalifa?
The Burj Khalifa, otherwise known as the Burj Tower, costs around 1.5 Billion USD to build. The Burj Khalifa has been the largest structure since 2009 and has surpassed the previous holder, the Taipei 101. Let’s take a deeper look into the structure.
How Tall Is the Burj Khalifa?
The Burj Tower stands at an intimidating complete height of 829.8 meters or just above 0.5 miles. The structure has 163 floors above ground and one floor below the surface. It beats the second tallest structure, the Merdeka 118, by 490 feet and 45 stories above ground.
How Does the United States Compare?
The Burj Tower is much taller than the largest building in the United States. The One World Trade Center in New York City is the largest building in America, standing at 1,776 feet and 94 floors above ground. The Burj Tower beats the One World Trade Center by 941 feet and 69 stories above ground.
What Is the Burj Tower Used For?
The Burj Tower is used for various services, businesses, and amenities. Inside the structure, you can find restaurants, a hotel, a residential apartment space, office areas, tourist attractions, and an observation deck. The Burj Tower has also been used in multiple base jumping stunts and climbing accomplishments.
How Long Did the Burj Khalifa Take To Build?
The Burj Tower didn’t take that long to construct compared to the other tallest superstructures on the globe. The construction of the building started in January 2004 and was led by the same firm that designed the Sears Tower in Chicago. The exterior of the Burj Khalifa was finished on October 1st, 2009. The tower officially opened on January 4th, 2010, meaning it only took around six years to finish the project.
What Makes the Burj Tower So Inexpensive?
It’s no secret that the Burj Khalifa is a modern architectural icon. The tower can be seen from up to 60 miles away, requires 8 million cubic feet of concrete during the construction, and has 3,000 stairs from top to bottom. However, there are some interesting facts you should know about the tower.
The Burj Tower Costs Less Than the World Trade Center
Although the Burj Khalifa is the largest tower on the globe, it costs less to build than other superstructures around the globe. For example, the seventh-largest structure on the globe, the One World Trade Center in New York City, cost around 3.8 Billion USD to construct and build. The Burj Tower only cost 1.5 Billion USD.
Low Labor Costs
One of the reasons the Burj Khalifa is so inexpensive is because of low-quality working conditions and labor costs. The unfortunate reality is that around 10,000 to 12,000 migrant workers were used to build the superstructure. The United Arab Emirates doesn’t have any laws governing minimum wages, and some workers were paid under $10 a day for their labor.
Construction Materials
Another factor for why the Burj Tower is so inexpensive is the cost of construction materials. The tower utilized over 330,000 m3 (431,600 cu yd) of concrete and 39,000 tonnes (43,000 ST; 38,000 LT) of steel rebar.
One of the theories is that the location site and surrounding area had easy access to materials, which reduced the overall cost of the project. However, this may or may not be true.
The Timeframe
The Burj Tower didn’t take that long to build, at only six years. In fact, the One World Trade Center took eight years to finish building. The construction timeframe and urgency are some of the reasons the Burj Khalifa is so inexpensive. The less time it takes to build, the less they have to pay workers, and the quicker they can start earning their money back.
When you pair these factors with cheap labor and easily sourced construction materials, the total costs can significantly decrease. However, this may be only one of the reasons why the Burj Tower is so inexpensive.
Was the Burj Khalifa Expensive?
The Burj Tower was expensive to build at around 1.5 Billion USD. However, compared to other superstructures, the Burj Khalifa is fairly inexpensive. For example, the seventh-largest structure on the globe, the One World Trade Center, costs around 3.8 Billion USD.
Part of the reason the Burj Tower cost so little is low labor costs, easily acquired construction materials, and the time it took to complete. The Burj Tower is the tallest structure on the globe, standing at 2,722 ft with 163 floors above ground.
