What are the world's five most expensive marble varieties?

A journey to the world's most precious marbles

Since antiquity, marble has been the material of palaces and masterpieces. But why does one stone cost €70 per square metre and another well over €1,000? The purity of the background, the pattern of the veins and the number of flawless blocks a mountain yields are decisive: in Carrara, only around one fifth of the quarried stone is usable as blocks.¹

Join us as we explore the world's five most expensive marble varieties, from fifth place to number one. For each stone, we give the top price for the finest quality and the typical retail price for tiles.

Ranked by the prices of the highest quality of each variety, excluding cutting and installation; foreign currencies converted.²⁴

1. Carrara marble · The radiant white of Tuscany

No. 5 among the world's most expensive marble varieties

Interior of the Pantheon in Rome, with marble capitals, dome and oculus — 2 / 4Pantheon in Rome: Carrara marble for capitals and small pediments insideDownload image

Trajan's Column in Rome with spiralling marble reliefs and a statue of Saint Peter — 3 / 4Trajan's Column in Rome, made of marble from Luni, in today's Carrara areaDownload image

Depiction after Michelangelo's David in Carrara marble, showing the head and raised hand — 4 / 4Depiction after Michelangelo's David: head and handDownload image

The world's most famous marble: a white background with fine grey veins, as if drawn with a silver pencil. The Romans were already quarrying it in the Apuan Alps around 50 BC.² It adorns the Pantheon and Trajan's Column, and Michelangelo used it to create his David.³

Why “only” fifth place? With around 150 quarries, Carrara is relatively readily available.² It is usually sold as Bianco Carrara C (lighter) or CD (greyer); the whiter the background and the larger the flawless slab, the higher the price.⁴ Where the white is purest, Statuario and Calacatta begin. They come from the same mountains and await us in second and first place.

Top price

Unfinished slabs ex works: approximately €150–350/m². Particularly light Carrara slabs can also cost more than €350/m².⁴

Typical retail price

Polished Bianco Carrara C tiles from approximately €68/m² including VAT.⁵

2. Onyx marble · Nature's variety

No. 4 among the world's most expensive marble varieties

Rough onyx block with green, cream and honey-coloured bands in a quarry — 2 / 3Rough onyx block with a partially sawn face in a quarryDownload image

Onyx wall glowing orange-red in Villa Tugendhat in Brno — 3 / 3Onyx wall in Villa Tugendhat in Brno, in low evening lightDownload image

A stone that glows: held against the light, a thin onyx slab glows in honey, rose, emerald green or cream. Geologically, onyx marble is not true marble but banded calcareous sinter, deposited layer by layer from mineral-rich spring water. Green comes from copper minerals, red from iron oxide; the main deposits are in Iran, Pakistan and Mexico.⁶

There is no single most expensive onyx, but there is the perfect slab: large, crack-free, highly translucent and unusually coloured, such as pink onyx from Naqadeh in Iran. Flawless slabs cost two to three times as much as standard material.⁷ In 1930, Mies van der Rohe had an onyx wall installed in Villa Tugendhat that glowed red in evening light.⁸ Onyx is relatively soft, with a Mohs hardness of around 3, and is particularly suited to walls and lighting effects. Whether a particular version is suitable for flooring also depends on construction, surface finish and expected use; the hardness value alone does not decide this.⁶

Top price

Slabs suitable for backlighting from approximately €1,000/m², with exceptional slabs costing several times more⁹

Typical retail price

Onyx tiles, for example Honey Onyx 30.5 × 30.5 cm: approximately €80–130/m²¹⁰

3. Portoro marble · Italy's black gold

No. 3 among the world's most expensive marble varieties

Large polished Portoro slab with golden veins on a deep black background in a natural stone warehouse – no. 3 among the world's most expensive marble varieties — 1 / 2Polished Portoro slab with golden veins on a deep black backgroundDownload image

Marble Courtyard at the Palace of Versailles with a geometric floor and gilded façade — 2 / 2Palace of Versailles: the Marble Courtyard with geometric pavingDownload image

Deep black with golden veins: its name derives from the French “porte d’or”, meaning golden gate. Strictly speaking, Portoro is a black limestone around 200 million years old. Its black colour comes from organic material; the golden veins formed when that material oxidised and underwent partial dolomitisation.¹¹

It is quarried only around the Gulf of La Spezia, near Portovenere and on the islands of Palmaria and Tino, whose quarries have been inactive since the 1980s.¹² Today extraction takes place in a few chambers within the mountain, and each stone bed requires weeks of preparation.¹³¹⁴ The most valuable grade is “Macchia fine”, with fine, closely spaced golden veins.¹⁴ Portoro adorns churches in Rome and the Palace of Versailles.¹¹

Top price

Premium quality €750–1,500/m² ex works¹⁴; “Nero Portoro Extra” in US retail approximately €1,600/m²¹⁵

Typical retail price

Portoro tiles 60 × 60 × 2 cm from approximately €166/m² excluding VAT; check the origin¹⁶

4. Statuario marble · The elegance of white

No. 2 among the world's most expensive marble varieties

Statuario marble on the floor, vanity top and drawer fronts with brass handles in a luxurious bathroom – no. 2 among the world's most expensive marble varieties — 1 / 3Statuario on the floor, vanity and drawer frontsDownload image

Michelangelo working on a marble sculpture with a hammer and chisel — 2 / 3Michelangelo working with marbleDownload image

Monte Altissimo in Tuscany with rocky slopes, white marble quarrying and a wooded valley — 3 / 3Monte Altissimo near Seravezza in the Apuan AlpsDownload image

The sculptors' stone: as its name suggests, Statuario is marble for statues and the rarest grade from the Apuan Alps: an almost pure white, compact background with a few clearly defined grey veins and no golden tones.¹⁷ In the early 16th century, Michelangelo spent three years at Monte Altissimo building routes for transporting the blocks. Statuario from there is still regarded as particularly white and translucent.¹⁸

Large blocks are rare and the yield is low. Because the stone has hardly any open veins, it suits monumental bookmatched walls made from slabs cut to mirror each other. Some dealers even price it above Calacatta.¹⁷

Top price

Statuario Bianco €650–1,900/m² ex works (Venato €450–950/m²)¹⁷

Typical retail price

Polished Statuario tiles 30 × 60 cm approximately €230–390/m²¹⁹

5. Calacatta marble · The pinnacle of luxury

No. 1 among the world's most expensive marble varieties

Calacatta marble floor with grey-golden veins in a palace foyer with columns and a chandelier – no. 1 among the world's most expensive marble varieties — 1 / 4Calacatta marble floor in a palace foyerDownload image

Calacatta Oro slab with grey and subtle golden-beige veins on a white background — 2 / 4Calacatta Oro: grey and warm golden-beige veinsDownload image

Polished Calacatta Borghini slab with broad grey veins in a natural stone warehouse — 3 / 4Calacatta Borghini: expressive grey veinsDownload image

Calacatta Macchia Vecchia slab with ochre and rust-coloured veins on a white background — 4 / 4Calacatta Macchia Vecchia: bold ochre and rust-coloured veinsDownload image

As white as Statuario, as dramatic as a thunderstorm: Calacatta combines a radiant white background with broad, expressive veins ranging from grey to gold.¹⁷ It is extracted from only a few quarries in the Carrara basin, including Bettogli, Borghini and Vagli;²⁰ production is limited in winter because working at altitude becomes too dangerous.²¹ The best-known varieties are Calacatta Oro, Borghini and Macchia Vecchia.

Why first place? Even the entry price is higher: Calacatta Borghini starts at around €850/m² ex works, while UK retail prices reach £2,450/m², equivalent to approximately €2,850.²² Large, calm-looking slabs with balanced golden veining are much rarer than busier material,²⁰ and top-grade Carrara blocks fetch up to €6,000 per tonne.¹

Top price

Calacatta Borghini €850–1,900/m² ex works, with retail prices up to approximately €2,850/m²²²

Typical retail price

Calacatta Gold tiles 30 × 60 cm approximately €230–390/m²¹⁹; lower-grade tiles from approximately €90/m²²³

Overview: price comparison of the five most expensive marble varieties

Rank	Marble	Origin	Top price	Tile
5	Carrara	Tuscany	€150–350/m² and above	From approximately €68/m²
4	Onyx	Iran, Pakistan, Mexico	From approximately €1,000/m²	Approximately €80–130/m²
3	Portoro	Liguria	€750–1,500/m²	From approximately €166/m²
2	Statuario	Tuscany	€650–1,900/m²	Approximately €230–390/m²
1	Calacatta	Tuscany	€850–1,900/m² (retail up to €2,850)	Approximately €230–390/m²

The world's most expensive marble is defined by more than price: rarity, character and the craftsmanship used to extract it from the mountain, saw it and polish it all play a part. Experience genuine marble at its finest in our SICIS® marble mosaics.

From the Tiamont shop

Protect precious marble and grout it perfectly

Marble is porous and sensitive to acids. A suitable impregnating treatment can reduce susceptibility to staining, but does not make the stone stain-proof or acid-proof. Grout and surface protection serve different purposes and do not replace any required waterproofing of the complete construction.

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The water-based impregnating treatment can reduce dirt absorption on suitable marble, travertine and porcelain stoneware surfaces. Test suitability, application and the desired appearance on a sample area beforehand, following the manufacturer's instructions.

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Epoxy grout

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Choose grout and a colour suitable for the particular stone and use. Follow the current manufacturer's information and colour chart.

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Expert tip: always prepare a test area first when working with marble. Find out more in our epoxy grouting guide.

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Frequently asked questions about marble prices

Which is the world's most expensive marble?

In our research, Calacatta leads, closely followed by Statuario. Calacatta Borghini costs €850–1,900/m² ex works and up to £2,450/m² in UK retail; Statuario Bianco costs €650–1,900/m².²²¹⁷ Both come from the mountains around Carrara. There is no official ranking; ultimately, the individual slab determines the price.

How much does Portoro marble cost?

Genuine Portoro from Liguria costs €750–1,500/m² ex works in premium quality and €450–750/m² in lower grades.¹⁴ A 2 cm thick “Nero Portoro Extra” slab (approximately 5.6 m²) is offered in US retail from US$10,250.¹⁵ Tiles are available from approximately €166/m² excluding VAT;¹⁶ ask about the origin and grade (Macchia fine or larga) when considering inexpensive offers.

How much does Carrara marble cost per m²?

Polished Bianco Carrara C tiles (30.5 × 30.5 or 61 × 30.5 cm, 1 cm thick) are available from approximately €68/m² including VAT.⁵ Unfinished slabs start at approximately €120/m² ex works, with common grades costing €150–350/m².⁴ Cutting, transport and installation are additional.

How much does onyx marble cost?

Basic onyx tiles such as Honey Onyx cost around €80–130/m².¹⁰ Large-format slabs suitable for backlighting start at approximately €1,000/m² in German retail;⁹ flawless, uniform slabs cost two to three times as much as standard material.⁷

Why is marble so expensive?

In Carrara, only around one fifth of the quarried stone is usable as blocks.¹ There is also the complex quarrying process in the mountains or underground, transport, sawing, grinding and polishing. Above all, large, flawless slabs with attractive patterns are rare: the whiter the background and the more balanced the veining, the higher the price.⁴ Read how to recognise good quality in our 8 quick tips on marble quality.

How much does marble cost per kilogram, tonne or cubic metre?

Marble weighs 2.6 to 2.8 tonnes per cubic metre.²⁵ Top-grade rough blocks from Carrara fetch up to €6,000 per tonne,¹ equivalent to up to €6 per kilogram or just over €16,000 per cubic metre. By comparison, a 1 cm thick Carrara tile priced at €68/m² weighs around 27 kg per square metre, giving a price of approximately €2.50 per kilogram.

Which is more expensive: marble or granite?

Neither is always more expensive: variety, rarity and quality determine the price. A marble such as Bianco Carrara is available as tiles from approximately €68/m², while Calacatta or Statuario slabs cost up to €1,900/m² ex works. Granite is harder and more acid-resistant, and its strength lies more in robustness than exclusivity.

How do I protect expensive marble in the bathroom?

Have it checked whether an impregnating treatment is appropriate for the particular variety and surface. It can reduce susceptibility to staining, but provides no general protection against acids. Remove spilled liquids promptly and use only suitable acid-free cleaners according to the manufacturer's instructions. Grout replaces neither protection of the stone surface nor the required waterproofing beneath the covering. Read more in our guide marble cleaning and care.

Sources

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All prices are indicative figures from the cited sources (as of September 2026) and may vary considerably according to block, quality, format and dealer.