What are the most expensive fruits in the world?
Luxury fruits can be found across the globe, from the Lost Gardens of Heligan in the United Kingdom to the outer reaches of Japan’s Hokkaido island.
Some are prized for their unusual shapes, while others reach their astronomical prices thanks to stringent quality control rules dictating their optimal size and weight.
This guide breaks down the ten most expensive fruits in the world, including the price you can expect to pay if you want to try one for yourself.
The Most Expensive Fruits In The World
We’ve explored a variety of the world’s highest-priced fruits to bring you this definitive list of the most exclusive ones you can buy today.
Here’s our list of the 10 most expensive fruits in the world:
10. Buddha Shaped Pears – $9 Each
There are no prizes for guessing the appearance of the Buddha-shaped pears, the novelty-shaped fruit available in China.
The creation of Chinese farmer Gao Xinzhang, these Buddha-shaped pears are crafted by growing the fruit inside small, Buddha-shaped molds.
The idea was inspired by the story of magical fruit which was grown in the Buddha’s shape, and it took this industrious farmer six years until his creation was finally perfected.
Legend has it if you eat one of these Buddha-shaped pears you’ll become immortal, which isn’t a bad deal considering they’re only $9 each.
Gao Xinzhang comes from the Chinese province of Hebei, which is better known internationally as China’s key producer of steel.
The molds used for the Buddha-shaped pears were made available by the Fruit Mold Company in China, which produces a wide variety of molds to create unusually shaped expensive fruits.
These include heart-shaped watermelons and apples which resemble gnomes, although it’s unlikely these inventions earned its creators enough money to rival Chinese businessman Ma Huateng’s net worth.
It’s a delicious fruit which the pleasure of eating is no doubt enhanced by Buddha’s smiling face, and they often come served with attractive decorative ribbons.
9. Sekai Ichi Apple – $12 Each
Sticking with fruits from the East and introducing the Sekai Ichi apples, one of the largest apples in the world you can possibly buy.
Grown in Japan, these expensive fruits have a circumference of around 15 inches and weigh an impressive 2 pounds.
A single Sekai Ichi Apple will set you back around $12, which isn’t as expensive as it sounds when you consider the fact it’s the equivalent size and weight of several regular apples.
Sekai Ichi translates to English as “number one in the world”, which isn’t the most humble of fruit names, but there’s a ring of truth to it.
They’re delicious to eat, too, with each bite delivering a combination of sweetness and juiciness while the apple melts in the mouth.
Sekai Ichi apples are hand-pollinated, and when they’re almost ready to consume, the producers clean them in honey to give the fruit an even more delicious taste and scent.
This exotic fruit is a step up for apple lovers who want to try something a little bit more exclusive than the local supermarket’s Honeycrisp apples, and don’t mind paying the Sekai Ichi apple price to do so.
8. Dekopon Citrus – $80/Pack
If you’ve just polished off the last slice of one of the most expensive pizzas in the world, a Dekopon citrus fruit may well be the perfect palette cleanser.
The Dekopon citrus is a sweet combination of orange and mandarin, which lacks those annoying seeds to make eating one less of a chore.
This exotic fruit is another one to originate in Japan, and you can pick up a pack of six Dekopon citrus for $80 (although as you’d expect, these aren’t available in your average 7/11 market).
Originally cultivated in 1972, the Dekopon citrus is considered by many to be the best oranges in the world, far juicier than standard oranges and perfect for a hot summer’s day.
It’s oddly shaped compared to traditional oranges, with a swollen top half which is said to represent how sweet and fresh the fruit is.
Another characteristic of the Dekopon citrus which separates it from other oranges and mandarins is its rind, which is firmer and tougher than its more common cousins.
If you’re looking for an exciting new source of vitamin C, the Dekopon citrus fruit is a succulent alternative to run-of-the-mill oranges well worth hunting down.
7. Sembikiya Queen Strawberries – $85/Pack
The humble strawberry has had a long association with the Wimbledon tennis tournament, traditionally service with delicious whipped cream.
Sembikiya queen strawberries come from about as far away as you can get from the Wimbledon tournament, another exotic fruit you can buy in Japan.
As with other exotic fruits, few people would sully the taste of the Sembikiya queen strawberries with cream – or anything else for that matter – since they’re fine just the way they are.
At a glance, these strawberries don’t look much different from normal ones, but on closer inspection, you’ll see the care and attention to detail put into their selection.
The correct tone of red is carefully examined, along with the right kind of dark green for the leaves and white seeds, while the shape of the strawberry also has to be perfect.
Expensive fruits such as the Sembikiya queen strawberries are typically offered as luxury gifts in Japan, and a pack of these will set you back a cool $85.
It’s certainly on the pricey side, but if you consider the cost of some of the most expensive perfumes in the world, it starts to sound like a real bargain.
6. Square Watermelon – $800 Each
If you thought $85 was a high price to pay for the Sembikiya queen strawberries, the price of the next entry in this guide to the most expensive fruits in the world will have your eyes watering.
At $800 each, square watermelons are among the priciest fruits you can buy in Japan, prized for their unique cubed-shaped appearance.
They get their shape by growing in a box, and since 2014 the square watermelon has been available to buy around the world, saving you the additional expense of a return flight to Japan.
Aside from the unique appearance, square watermelons don’t offer anything you won’t find with a traditional – and spherical – watermelon.
They taste exactly the same as their normal counterparts, which is to say they’re just as juicy and refreshing as other watermelons.
These square watermelons weigh in at around 5 to 6 kilograms each, which is something to bear in mind if you’re considering having one shipped out to you for a special occasion.
If you’re not prepared to dish out the high price for a square watermelon, there are plenty of guides online to help you grow one of these expensive fruits for yourself and save hundreds of dollars.
5. Lost Gardens of Heligan Pineapple – $1,600 Each
The pineapple is a tropical plant indigenous to South America, and despite being introduced to Europe in the 17th century, only one place on the continent continues to grow this fruit.
Lost Gardens of Heligan pineapples grow in the gardens of Cornwall in the south of England, involving a unique growing process not found anywhere else.
Here, the fruit is grown exclusively in a pineapple pit, which was originally used by Victorian gardeners in the 18th century, the tradition kept alive to this day.
Large quantities of fresh horse manure are used in the process, along with hay soaked in urine – also from a horse – which is then heated up in the pit where the Cornwall pineapple grows.
A fair bit of manual labor is required to grow these expensive fruits, with the Cornwall pineapple price coming in at a whopping $1,500 per pineapple.
At this price, these pineapples aren’t available to buy in regular stores, and the high auction price of $1,600 makes these Heligan pineapples more suited for the richest soccer players in the world than for everyday people.
Growing pineapples of this nature is far costlier than it is for other pineapples, with only 50 farmers in the world known for plowing this expensive fruit.
4. Taiyo no Tamago Mango – $3,000/Pair
Returning once again to Japan, this time for the Taiyo no Tamago mangoes, which are grown exclusively in the Miyazaki prefecture of the island of Kyūshū.
This summer fruit weighs 350 grams at a minimum and must have higher sugar content in order to be selected for exclusive sales.
They also need to have at least half of their color as a deep ruby red as part of the strict checks required before selling.
The name of these Tamago mangoes translates to “Eggs of the Sun” on account of their shape and color, which is fitting for one of the most attractive looking fruits available to buy.
Taiyo no Tamago mangoes are as healthy as they are tasty, containing beta-carotene, folic acid, and antioxidants to make them a very healthy – if expensive – fruit snack.
While the pair of these mangoes which sold for the record price of $3,000 were grown in Japan, a similar high-priced alternative can be found in India.
In Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur region, a farmer has also taken to growing small quantities of the same fruit, even going so far as to hire three security guards and nine dogs to guard the trees bearing this exclusive fruit.
3. Densuke Watermelon – $6,100 Each
Further to the north in Japan and you can find the world’s priciest watermelon in Hokkaido Island, known as the Densuke watermelon.
The second-largest of Japan’s islands, Hokkaido is well known for its many national parks and photogenic snow monkeys bathing in hot springs.
One of the most expensive fruits in the world, the Densuke watermelon price comes in at an impressive $6,100 and is the kind of food you can expect to be eaten only by those who can afford to live in the most expensive houses.
With a slightly sweeter taste than the average watermelon, the Densuke watermelon weighs around 11 kilograms and has a blacker finish which gives it a distinct appearance.
Densuke watermelons also lack the spots and stripes typically found on regular watermelons, and their exclusivity is enhanced by their limited production of 10,000 each year.
In 2008, one watermelon sold for $6,100 at auction, making it one of the most expensive fruits in the world, highly prized for its limited availability and perfectly round shape.
As you’d expect with such expensive fruits, the Densuke watermelon comes packaged in a gorgeous display box lined with red velvet.
If you don’t have over $6,000 to spare for your next watermelon, you can pick up a regular Denosuke watermelon for a much cheaper price of around $250 each.
2. Ruby Roman Grapes – $8,400/Per Bunch
You can find the world’s most expensive grapes in Japan, too, with the Ruby Roman grapes, which have been grown in the Ishikawa Prefecture since 2008.
These extra-large grapes come in the same size as a ping pong ball, which is significantly larger than a regular grape and contributes to its high price.
The Ruby Roman grapes price comes in at an astounding $8,400 per bunch, making them perhaps the most expensive fruits in the world in terms of cost per weight.
The selection process is as strict as you’d hope for at this price, with each grape required to weigh over 20 grams and contain 18% sugar content.
Grapes weighing over 30 grams, coming from a grape cluster that weighs 700 grams, are those selected for the premium class, and it’s this class that can fetch thousands of dollars.
Only six grapes managed to pass the stringent ping pong ball shape, weight, and sugar content test in 2021, making it one of the rarest, as well as most expensive, fruits in the world.
It’s unlikely you’ll find Ruby roman grapes being used even for the most expensive wines, as in addition to their high sugar content they’re renowned for their low acidity, making them perfect to eat just as they are.
While it’s unlikely you’ll use their premium class offering as table grapes, if you’re in Ishikawa Prefecture and want to taste one of the regular-sized fruits, you can do so for a fraction of the price.
1. Yubari King Melon – $45,000/Pair
The Yubari king melon is the leader of the pack when it comes to the most expensive fruits in the world, and like the Densuke watermelon, this fruit also comes from Hokkaido island.
This orange flesh-colored melon is a hybrid of other sweet melons which are cultivated in Hokkaido’s Yubari district, grown in greenhouses using volcanic ash, and protected from the harmful rays of the sun with hats.
Two other cantaloupe cultivars used to create this exceptional melon include the Earl’s Favorite and the Burpee’s Spicy Cantaloupe, both of which are commonly used to make drinks such as Margaritas.
It’s significantly larger than an ordinary melon, with the average Yubari melon weighing around 2.5 kilograms.
Yubari King melons are perfectly round with a smooth rind, and the growers leave part of the stem attached to enhance the aesthetic appeal for their exclusive clients.
The average Yubari King melon price is around $12,000 per melon, but in 2019 a pair was sold for $45,000 at auction, becoming the most expensive fruits in the world by a considerable margin.
Yubari King melons aren’t available for sale to the public, so even if you have extended credit with one of the biggest banks in the world, that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to buy one.
Instead, these melons are usually offered as gifts at the Chugen Ghost Festival, a traditional Buddhist and Taoist festival, exchanged between members of Japan’s aristocracy.
Summary
The most expensive fruits come in different shapes and sizes and are selected for their perfect attributes, from their weight and size to their shape and taste profiles.
This guide should help you find the perfect fruit you’re looking for, whether your taste is for fine strawberries or mouth-watering watermelons.
As more fruits continue to fetch high prices we’ll update this list to make sure they’re included, so check back on this guide to get the latest information.
Here’s a quick recap of the 10 most expensive fruits in the world:
- Yubari King Melon – $45,000/Pair
- Ruby Roman Grapes – $8,400/Per Bunch
- Densuke Watermelon – $6,100 Each
- Taiyo no Tamago Mango – $3,000/Pair
- Lost Gardens of Heligan pineapples – $1,600 Each
- Square Watermelon – $800 Each
- Sembiyika Queen Strawberries – $85/Pack
- Dekopon Citrus – $80/Pack
- Sekai Ichi Apples – $12 Each
- Buddha Shaped Pears – $9 Each
