How much space can you rent with a $10,000 budget in prime properties across the world?

Hong Kong is the most expensive city to rent a prime property with a monthly budget of $10,000, while Dubai and the Spanish capital Madrid offer residential tenants most value for money with bigger apartments, according to a Knight Frank study.

Despite pandemic-driven headwinds and political uncertainty, prime rents in Hong Kong averaged $6.70 per square foot at the end of 2020, allowing a tenant with a budget of $10,000 per month to rent units with under 1,500 square feet, the property consultancy said in a research note on Monday.

The global comparison is based on a three-bedroom apartment in a central location, but stand-alone, or detached homes in some cities can achieve even higher premiums. Earlier this year, a house in Hong Kong rented for $174,000 a month, which on an annual basis equates to more than $2 million.

Prime rental market globally took a hit amid the pandemic, which tipped the world economy into its worst recession since the 1930s and led to wide spread movement restrictions.

It is followed by Singapore, London and Sydney, with renters securing between 2,500 and 3,000 square feet for the same budget, according to the report.

Of the eight key global cities tracked, Dubai – the commercial and trading hub of the Middle East – and Madrid offer the largest spaces at 4,800 and 5,000 square feet, respectively.

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Dubai’s property market, which softened amid oversupply concerns and a coronavirus-induced economic slowdown, is bouncing back this year.

Concerted efforts by the government to stimulate economic activity and its world-leading vaccination programme has begun to “instil confidence in the market”, which saw average property values rising 0.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2021, the strongest growth since the summer of 2016, Faisal Durrani, head of Middle East research at Knight Frank, said.

The luxury rental market in Dubai, however, has remained stable with rents in the top segment declining only 0.5 per cent year on year at the end of the first quarter.

“Luxury rents [however,] grew by 1.8 per cent during March 2021, the first increase in 12 months and the strongest rate of growth since October 2013, suggesting the window for securing luxury bargains may be on the cusp of reversing,” Mr Durrani said.

Globally, rental market for luxury apartments have taken a bigger hit.

Hong Kong remains the world's most expensive city for rentals, with $10,000 per month buying just 1,495 sq ft. A house at The Peak rented for HK$1.35 million ($174,000) earlier this year, equating to more than $2m a year. AFP

Central Park Tower is one of a number of new luxury apartment blocks built on 'Billionaires' Row in New York. $10,000 a month buys you 2,249 sq ft of apartment space in the city. Getty Images

Commercial and residential buildings in Singapore, which is the third-most expensive city in which to rent prime property, according to Knight Frank. A $10,000 per month rental cheque buys 2,591 sq ft. Bloomberg

Eaton Square in Belgravia, a prime area of London's West End. A $10,000 rental payment per month would get you a 2,899 sq ft apartment in the UK capital. AFP

Sydney Harbour Bridge and residential properties in the Birchgrove suburb of the city. $10,000 per month buys you 2,976 sq ft of living space in the city. Reuters

The Shanghai World Financial Centre and the city's Lujiazui Financial District. a $10,000 rental payment in China's commercial hub will buy you 3,534 sq ft of space. AFP

Spain's capital, Madrid, is relatively inexpensive when compared to other prime residential markets. Getty Images

Dubai was the least expensive of eight major global cities in which to rent prime property, according to Knight Frank For $10,000 a month, you can secure an apartment with an area of $4,892 sq ft. AFP

Rents in prime central London and Manhattan both fell 14 per cent in 12 months to February 2021. However, the tide is now turning, with the rate of rental declines slowing and new lease signings recovering in both markets.

“Motivated by large discounts, prime tenants are making their move back into some city centres, hopeful of shorter commutes post the pandemic,” according to the report.

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