Price of Luxury: What Does $1.5 Million Buy Around the World?

In the global marketplace for luxury real estate, just what does $1.5 million buy? That’s the question we’re asking in this Luxury Defined edition. 

Rising property prices don’t mean there are no values out there. Even a prime market like New York City still has Manhattan listings for $1.5 million—but perhaps not as much in the way of square footage. Those willing to buy farther afield will find more than bricks and mortar: They might find a lifestyle in a locale with a piece of history, and a home for living the dream. 

Considering the vineyard lifestyle? We offer a vineyard (and an olive grove) in one of the world’s great wine regions, with change to spare. Thinking of moving south for the winter? Well, a brand-new luxury villa on the “hurricane-free” Caribbean island of Aruba might just be the ticket.

Read on to discover what and, perhaps even more importantly, where $1.5 million gets you. 

1. Vineyard Estate, Greve in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy 

This picture-perfect farmhouse sits amid 16.7 private hectares (41 acres) of Tuscan farmland, woods, vineyards, and an olive grove in the heart of the Chianti Classico wine region between Florence and Siena.   

The stone farmhouse, configured as three apartments (a main residence, guest house, and agritourism business) with a total of eight bedrooms and eight full bathrooms, has been carefully restored with reclaimed materials: quarry stone, oak beams, and terracotta tile floors.

The windows, shutters, doors, and gates are crafted from solid chestnut and cypress.  Bathrooms and kitchens are finished to contemporary standards, and there are several wood-burning fireplaces.  

The ancillary structures include a wine- and olive oil-production plant with storage cellars, a tasting room, a workshop, a barn, and a chapel.  

The estate’s vineyard extends to 0.5 hectares (1.2 acres), with about 4 hectares (9.8 acres) of agricultural land wrapped in 8 hectares (19.7 acres) of oak and cypress woodlands. The terraced garden of 0.8 hectares (1.9 acres) is fragrant with lavender, rosemary, and sage, and the fruit and vegetable garden has an irrigation system. 

The property is offered turnkey with all fixtures, furnishings, and equipment to produce wine and olive oil. 

2. Chelsea Garden Cooperative, New York, New York 

This renovated, floor-through apartment is in a charming four-unit townhouse cooperative in the heart of Chelsea.  

The residence has a private entrance on West 24th Street, a tree-lined block just 10 minutes’ stroll from the West Chelsea Arts District and High Line Park.  

Once inside, wide-paneled telescoping glass doors at the rear open to the landscaped private garden, a haven of peace with a decked seating area, heating, surround-sound, and a designated, plumbed-in space for a hot tub. 

The open-concept living area has a wood-burning fireplace set into an exposed brick wall.  

Adjacent is the gourmet kitchen, with its 10-foot-long, eight-seat black quartz island and top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances, including a 48-bottle wine refrigerator. 

A second wood-burning fireplace warms the cozy, south-facing bedroom. The spa-like bathroom, finished in Italian Statuario marble, offers a glass walk-in rainfall shower and a built-in flatscreen TV. Smart-home, security, and entertainment systems complete the turnkey home. 

Related: Read Expert Market Insights Into What Buyers Want Now

3. Villa Bella Luna, Aruba, Leeward Antilles 

The bold horizontal lines and cool, white-on-white color scheme of Aruba’s newly built Villa Bella Luna proclaim this home’s mastery of contemporary architectural design.  

The 2,368-square-foot open-plan living space flows to the outdoors through floor-to-ceiling sliding doors onto the dining patio, the pool terrace, and its companionable fire pit lounge.

Inside, the family lounge opens to the dining space and an inviting kitchen fully kitted with top-of-the-line appliances. 

An ingenious light scheme warms the interior for the evening hours, echoing the pale wood and tan accents. The three en suite bedrooms all have opulent, marble-clad baths, and the primary suite offers a huge walk-in closet worthy of a leisurely stroll.  

A two-door garage keeps the vehicles out of sight for this haven of island tranquility. 

4. Louis XIII-Style Château, Normandy, France 

This magnificent Louis XIII-style château is surrounded by two acres of private parkland in Upper Normandy, about one hour, 20 minutes from Paris. 

The immaculately restored living spaces extend to nearly 7,000 square feet across three levels, with 12 bedrooms and five bathrooms.  

There are 20 rooms in total; several of them grand reception rooms, beautifully proportioned and luxuriously appointed with oak parquet floors, marble fireplaces, and decorative moldings.  

French doors in the music salon, drawing room, and formal dining room lead out to leafy English gardens, landscaped with centennial trees, gravel walkways, verdant lawns, and water features. 

A charming, two-story, timbered barn offers development potential for hospitality or recreational use. Beyond the wooded grounds are acres of rolling farmland. 

Searching for a property priced at $1.5 million or thereabouts? Find it here.