For most of us, water is an affordable commodity that flows cleanly from our home’s taps. But while tap water might only cost a few cents on the gallon, some bottled waters cost thousands—per bottle!
The most expensive water of all time is Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani. This one-of-a-kind bottled water sold for $60,000 in 2010. It consisted of a platinum-covered glass bottle filled with water from Iceland, Fiji, and France. Proceeds from the sale went to charity.
If you’re thirsty for an expensive bottle of water, you’ll want to check out these jaw-droppingly pricey options.
Here Are the Top 10 Most Expensive Bottles of Water You Can Buy:
- Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani – $60,000 per bottle
- Fillico Jewelry Water – $1,009 per bottle
- Limited Edition Evian Virgil Abloh – $100 per bottle
- Svalbarði – $96 per bottle
- Ô AMAZON – $81 per bottle
- NEVAS – $50 per bottle
- Bling H2O – $49 per bottle
- MINUS 181 – $29 per bottle
- ROI – $17.50 per bottle
- Uisge Source – $6.30 per bottle
10. Uisge Source – $6.30 per bottle
If you’re a fan of whiskey, you’re likely familiar with the experience of adding a little spritz of water to your whiskey glass. But if you’re not using Uisge Source, you could miss out on the ultimate whiskey-drinking experience.
After all, Uisge Source is bottled in Scotland and is the premier whiskey companion, designed explicitly for use with high-quality whiskies. It’s made of spring water and packaged in sturdy glass bottles for your refined, plastic-free enjoyment.
This cost? A mere $6.30 per bottle!
That might seem like a hefty price to pay when compared to your standard grocery store offerings, but it’s crucial to consider that this imported bottled water is truly unique. So, to make the most of your experience, consider pairing this water with a bottle of expensive Johnnie Walker whiskey!
Why It’s Expensive
This bottled water comes in three varieties, each suited to different types of whiskey. No other bottled water complements whiskey like Uisge Source, making it a different and worthwhile option for whiskey lovers everywhere.
In short, this water’s exceptional packaging and uniqueness make it pricier than other bottled waters.
9. ROI – $17.50 per bottle
Getting your recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamins and nutrients can be challenging, even for those who enjoy a varied, healthy diet. But did you know that investing in some types of bottled water can help?
One of the most notable of these is ROI, a glass-bottled type of drinking water from Slovenia. Though each bottle will set you back about $17.50, you’ll also enjoy a significant increase in magnesium.
This little-discussed mineral is responsible for muscle function, and if you don’t consume enough, you could begin experiencing muscle spasms and general lethargy. So, if fresh greens aren’t often on the menu at your home, adding this bottled water to your grocery list could be a smart choice.
Why It’s Expensive
This bottled water is rich in magnesium, a life-sustaining mineral often lacking in most people’s diets. As such, it’s a healthy choice that could be well worth its higher-than-average price.
The fact that it’s imported from Slovenia also adds to its price, as shipping costs and importation/exportation fees are often transferred to consumers.
8. MINUS 181 – $29 per bottle
Despite what the name of this bottled water might have you believe, it doesn’t arrive as a solid block of ice. Instead, it’s a crystal-clear, glass-bottled water sourced from the small town of Parchim in Germany.
Its name comes from the fact that it comes from 181 meters beneath the earth!
As you might imagine, the labor required to pull water from such a depth is no small feat. But the water’s purity and untouched quality are undeniable, making the $29-per-bottle price tag somewhat more reasonable.
Why It’s Expensive
This water is pricey because it’s imported (from Germany), packaged in high-quality glass bottles, and supplied from an underground water source. The labor required to bottle this water is the primary factor contributing to its impressive price.
7. Bling H2O – $49 per bottle
If you’re planning a sumptuous shindig or a fancy evening party, you might want to ditch the cheap plastic bottled waters in favor of Bling H2O. This luxurious bottled water comes in frosted glass bottles covered in literal bling, adding a dazzling sparkle to each sip.
However, at $49 per bottle, you may want to reserve this option for special occasions. That said, despite this water’s luxurious look and taste, it’s not nearly as costly as the world’s most expensive teas!
Why It’s Expensive
This party-perfect bottled water comes in several styles, each suited to your tastes and preferences. Few other bottled waters offer such decorative variety, making this premium-quality option one of the best for special events.
Overall, this water is pricey because of its aesthetic qualities.
6. NEVAS – $50 per bottle
You might mistake NEVAS bottled water for wine or liquor based solely on appearances. After all, it’s packaged in dark, black-glass bottles with a distinctly wine-like appearance, right down to the covered caps.
But NEVAS isn’t an alcoholic beverage. Instead, it’s premium-quality sparkling water from Germany (like MINUS 181)!
If gas-filled bubbly water isn’t your favorite, you’ll be forgiven for thinking that each $50 bottle of NEVAS is overpriced. But if you enjoy sparkling water, this option could quickly become a new favorite—though perhaps a costly one.
Why It’s Expensive
This water is more like champagne than tap water. Its exquisite texture and quality set it apart from other sparkling waters, and due to its distinct qualities, it’s a popular choice among the world’s wealthiest diners.
However, the supply of NEVAS bottled water is limited. This relationship between supply and demand is partially responsible for the higher price, though quality and shipping costs also play a role.
5. Ô AMAZON – $81 per bottle
The rainforest is so-called because it experiences tons of rainfall, making it a humidity-rich location ideal for plant life. But did you know that these conditions are ideal for producing fresh, drinkable water?
The minds behind Ô AMAZON certainly did when they created this glass-bottled water, produced via water vapor in the air. If you’ve ever wanted to try a taste of unspoiled Amazonian wonder, feel free to invest $81 in a bottle of this uniquely produced water!
Why It’s Expensive
Creating drinkable water from vapor isn’t necessarily new. This process is one of the most crucial parts of learning how to survive away from freshwater sources while in humid areas.
But Ô AMAZON takes things to the next level. Each thick-glass bottle contains pure water sourced from humid rainforest areas throughout Brazil, resulting in a distinct taste and an eco-friendly product that takes months to produce.
Because Ô AMAZON takes such a long time to create and is an imported product, it will cost you far more than a plastic bottle of water.
4. Svalbarði – $96 per bottle
Melting icebergs might be a cause for concern. But these ice masses are a source of high-quality drinking water.
Svalbarði bottled water, sourced from Arctic icebergs, is one of the best examples.
Each bottle costs $96 and contains nothing but sparklingly clear water sourced from icebergs. A significant portion of each sale goes toward environmental conservation efforts.
This might seem counterproductive, as such efforts could put an end to bottled iceberg water. But the makers behind Svalbarði don’t seem to mind, making this bottled water one of the most eco-conscious options.
Why It’s Expensive
Not everyone can offer their houseguests bottled iceberg water, and Svalbarði knows this. They cater to luxury-loving clients eager to try something new, but the high price of their bottled water is also designed to give back to the icebergs. It’s a win-win that you might want to budget for.
3. Limited Edition Evian Virgil Abloh – $100 per bottle
Evian is one of the costliest of all the common bottled water brands available in North America. But the average price for a one-liter container of Evian isn’t too much higher than other brands.
The Limited Edition Evian Virgil Abloh is an exception, costing $100 per bottle.
But you might be surprised to discover that the water inside these limited edition bottles isn’t any purer and tastier than the water inside the standard Evian. The primary difference actually comes down to bottle design.
Why It’s Expensive
Limited edition anything tends to be pricier than standard, more common options. Though it might seem strange that this applies to water bottle designs, the artistic Virgil Abloh Evian bottles can sell for much higher prices due to their limited runs and supplies.
2. Fillico Jewelry Water – $1,009 per bottle
Even the priciest luxury water will eventually transform into less-than-desirable biological substances like sweat and urine. So, after satisfying your thirst with costly bottled water, you’re typically not left with much besides the memory of the experience and heightened hydration.
That’s not true of Fillico Jewelry Water, a specialty bottled water exported from Japan.
Each bottle of this stuff is covered in precious stones, so when you’ve had your fill, and the bottle runs dry, you have a decorative (and valuable) container left over.
You could pry the stones from this bottle and sell them, transform the bottle into a decorative vase, or use the empty bottle as a conversation starter at your next get-together. What’s not to love?
Why It’s Expensive
The precious stones glittering around the exterior of each of these bottles are the primary reason behind the $1,009-per bottle price tag.
1. Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani – $60,000 per bottle
The most expensive water of all time is Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani. This trifecta of drinking waters (sourced from Fiji, France, and Iceland) is contained in a glittering glass bottle covered in platinum, and it’s one-of-a-kind.
Because of its uniqueness, combined waters, and expensive packaging, this bottled water sold for $60,000 when it hit the market in 2010. Altruistically, the proceeds from this sale were given to charity.
Why It’s Expensive
Packaging high-quality water from remote sources is challenging enough. But this bottled water contained drinking water from three such sources, immediately making it a costly commodity.
Its platinum-covered bottle (which is artistically shaped like a long, mask-covered face) is another reason it’s pricey. But, hopefully, the final reason it sold for such an astoundingly high price is that action bidders were eager to give to charity!
Why Are Some Bottles of Water So Expensive?
If your local tap water isn’t the best quality, you’re likely familiar with how expensive bottled water can be. But while the average household might spend up to $100 on bottled water (per month), you could easily spend the same amount on a single 750ml bottle!
But why are some bottled waters so pricey?
The answer depends on four significant factors:
- Decadent additions
- Supply and demand
- Water quality
- Transportation costs
Let’s explore these factors in greater detail to ensure you select a decadent, thirst-quenching bottle of water to suit your luxurious tastes.
Decadent Additions
Several of the priciest bottles of water have distinctly luxurious touches that make them expensive treats. One of the best examples of this is Japan’s Fillico Jewelry Water.
Though the water itself might not be particularly rich (unless you’re counting taste), the bottle is adorned with precious stones, making each sip undeniably indulgent. When you’ve finished a bottle of this stuff, you can sell the empty bottle for far more than the standard five-cent return!
Of course, decadent bottles aren’t the only things that make some bottled water so expensive. Supply and demand also play a role.
Supply and Demand
Like the world’s most expensive coffees, the priciest bottled water enjoys limited supply but high demand.
These waters might come from small pools deep within remote forests or slowly-melting icebergs and hard-to-reach mountaintops. Either way, you can guarantee that the water inside a high-priced bottle isn’t as easy to come by as the water in your local pond or lake.
Because rare water sources tend to generate interest from high-paying customers, the bottles generated from them can sell for much higher prices than those made from local springs or water filtration plants.
So, consider the source if you’re in the market for an expensive bottle of water! Doing so will help you find unique bottled water that meets your water quality standards.
Water Quality
When you twist or pop open a bottle of high-priced water, you can expect it to taste far cleaner than your standard tap water. That’s because luxury-grade bottled water generally comes from the purest, cleanest sources.
In this way, water quality significantly affects prices.
For example, the average plastic bottle of water might be nearly identical to the water flowing from your kitchen tap. The only perceivable difference is often packaging and taste.
But in terms of minerals and contaminants, they could be almost the same! Additionally, plastic packaging has a bad habit of lessening water quality, especially when exposed to heat.
That’s why you’ll find many of the world’s most expensive bottled waters in glass or metal containers. Not only does this packaging end up being more durable (and often far more ornate) than standard plastic packaging, but it also helps the water retain its superior quality.
Transportation Costs
Though much of our planet is covered in water, only a small percentage (less than 3%) is drinkable. As such, bottled water is a common commodity throughout much of the world.
But the cost of transportation for this life-sustaining substance is often punitive. And the further away from the water source, the more you can expect to spend on each bottle.
As such, those in North America might be able to score a great deal on luxury bottled water produced in the United States and Canada.
However, bottled water imported from other countries, especially those on the other side of the planet, can cost far more due to transportation costs and importation fees. So, if you’re looking to spend less on a high-priced bottle of water, you might want to choose an option that’s somewhat near home.
What’s the Most Expensive Bottle of Water?
The most expensive water of all time is Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani. This one-of-a-kind bottle of water sold for $60,000 in 2010, making it the priciest water in the world.
However, the water inside isn’t the main reason why Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani is so valuable. Instead, the platinum-covered artistic bottle is responsible for its incredible sales price.
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