The Demand for Property in a Virtual Market
Every month, more people Google “how to buy a house in Skyrim” than “how to buy a house in London”, “the UK”, “France”, “Spain” and even “America”.
But which in-game worlds get you the most bang for your simoleon?
Is it worth buying in Los Santos, or should you save up for that Hyrule fixer-upper you’ve had your eye on?
And how much would these properties cost if you were buying them with your real-life pounds, US dollars, euros, yen or Australian dollars?
Click on any of the game worlds below or scroll down to explore the first ever in-depth analysis of the video game property market.
Skyrim
(The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)
Settle down in the vast region of Skyrim, home to snow-capped peaks and frost trolls. Choose from a variety of reasonably-priced properties in the Nord homeland.
The Commonwealth
(Fallout 4)
Nuclear holocaust has turned the US housing market upside down, making property in The Commonwealth incredibly cheap to buy – invest while you can!
Hyrule
(The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)
The property market in Hyrule remains small. There is currently just one home available to buy – so get it before somebody else!
San Andreas
(Grand Theft Auto series)
If you’re looking for a place to lay low, San Andreas has safe houses in abundance. The local realtors can surely find something within your budget.
Toussaint
(The Witcher series)
A beautiful vineyard awaits your occupation, right in the heart of wine country. It needs a bit of work, but nothing you can’t handle.
Willow Creek
(The Sims 4)
Find the perfect family home or climb the property ladder in this beautiful suburban paradise. You’ll meet plenty of friendly (and eccentric) neighbours.
Stardew Valley
(Stardew Valley)
In Stardew Valley, you’ll find the farmer's life isn’t easy. But with a little work and some monetary investment, you’ll find you can make The Farmhouse quite cosy.
Eorzea
(Final Fantasy XIV)
Owning property in Eorzea isn’t just expensive – it’s cut-throat. Once you’ve built your dwelling, you’ll have to visit regularly just to avoid eviction, demolition & resale.
Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
How to buy a house in Skyrim
Buying a house in Skyrim requires more than money.
You need to make a new friend.
When you’ve spotted a property you like the look of, and have the necessary funds, your next task is to become buddies with the town Jarl.
The Jarl will send you on a couple of quests. Only upon completion of each will you be granted the privilege of buying the house.
The first home you’ll be able to buy is known as Breezehome, and can be found near the blacksmith in Whiterun.
At 5,000 pieces of gold, this is one of the most affordable houses in the game.
Permission to buy it will be given by Jarl Balgruuf, once you’ve completed the Bleak Falls Barrow quest.
When this is done, speak to Balgruuf’s steward – Proventus Avenicci – and you’ll soon be moving into your new home.
Note – You can choose whether you want the house to come furnished or not. This will cost an additional 1,800 gold, and can be done either at the time of purchase, or later on.
In other locations around the world of Skyrim, you will be able to buy a plot of land, and build your own property from scratch.
How much does it cost to buy a house in Skyrim?
There are five properties to buy in the world of Skyrim – the cost of which depends on whether you wish for your chosen home to come furnished or not.
Alternatively, you could buy a plot of land, and build a custom living space perfectly suited to you.
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| Property | Base Cost (Septims) | Fully Furnished (Septims) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Breezehome |  5,000 | 6,800 |
| 2. Honeyside | 5,000 - 8,000* | 9,300 - 12,300 |
| 3. Vlindrel Hall | 8,000 | 12,200 |
| 4. Hjerim | 8,000 - 12,000* | 17,000 - 21,000 |
| 5. Proudspire Manor | 25,000 | 36,200 |
Real world cost of property in Skyrim
So, you know how much it costs to buy a house in Skyrim. But what does this look like in real-world terms?
How can you compare the value of a property in Whiterun, to the value of a property in the UK, or the US?
We’ve worked it all out for you below.
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| Property | Skyrim Septims | GBP (£) | USD ($) | EUR (€) | JPY (¥) | AUD (A$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Breezehome | 5,000 | £9,242 | $12,476 | €10,443 | ¥1,369,202 | A$16,589 |
| 2. Honeyside | 5,000 - 8,000 | £9,242 - £14,786 | $12,476 - $19,962 | €10,443 - €16,709 | ¥1,369,202 - ¥2,190,546 | A$16,589 - A$26,541 |
| 3. Vlindrel Hall | 8,000 | £14,786 | $19,962 | €16,709 | ¥2,190,546 | A$26,541 |
| 4. Hjerim | 8,000 - 12,000 | £14,786 - £22,180 | $19,962 - $29,943 | €16,709 - €25,063 | ¥2,190,546 - ¥3,285,967 | A$26,541 - A$39,813 |
| 5. Proudspire Manor | 25,000 | £46,208 | $62,380 | €52,215 | ¥6,845,715 | A$82,943 |
| Heljarchen Hall (The Pale hold) | 5,000 | £9,242 | $12,476 | €10,443 | ¥1,369,202 | A$16,589 |
| Lakeview Manor (Falkreath hold) | 5,000 | £9,242 | $12,476 | €10,443 | ¥1,369,202 | A$16,589 |
| Windstad Manor (Hjaalmarch hold) | 5,000 | £9,242 | $12,476 | €10,443 | ¥1,369,202 | A$16,589 |
Based on 1 Septim = £1.8483, and £1 = $1.35, €1.13, ¥148.15 and A$1.795. Scroll to the bottom for currency conversion tables.
To generate a conversion rate from the Skyrim Septim to GBP, USD & Euro, we first had to establish a common ground between our world and the Elder Scrolls universe. We found this common ground in the form of the food items which can be bought and sold in both worlds. Carrots, spiced wine, goats cheese, and many other food items would be the key to generating our conversion rate.
So, we set about collecting both the Skyrim price and the UK price of items as varied as a leg of goat, pheasant breasts, bottles of spiced wine and salmon steaks.
In our currency conversion process, we also had to take into account the cost of producing food in the realm of Skyrim. Nothing is mass produced in this Nord wilderness, so we made the assumption that the value of this organically grown and pastorally-farmed food would be more akin to the organic produce you can buy in UK supermarkets.
The Commonwealth
Fallout 4
How to Buy a House in Fallout 4
Currency can only get you so far in the world of Fallout 4.
If you’re content with residing in Home Plate, a relatively modest property, then you can do so after handing over 2000 caps. Considering you can buy a carrot for 10 caps, this seems ridiculously cheap.
But if you’re looking to expand your portfolio, there’s a little more to it.
Throughout the commonwealth, there are “realtors” looking to give – not sell – you housing. But first you need to complete certain tasks.
These tasks vary. They’ll put your numerous skills to the test, but upon completion of each, you’ll be presented with the keys to your new accommodation.
Still, nothing will be as easy as paying the 2000 caps for Home Plate.
To do this, you simply have to visit Geneva, the Mayor’s secretary in Diamond City. The property is located near to the market.
It boasts its own workshop – perfect for crafting your own furnishings and decorations, so you can make it home sweet home.
How much does it cost to buy a house in Fallout 4?
Just one property in The Commonwealth can be purchased with currency. The rest will require you to complete a set of tasks, each designed to test your skills and experience.
Plenty of fun, sure, but if you’re just looking to pay cash then Home Plate makes for suitable accommodation.
| Property | Base Cost (Caps) |
|---|---|
| 1. Home Plate |  2,000 |
Real world cost of property in Fallout 4
So, you know how much it costs to buy Home Plate. But what does 2000 caps translate to in real world money? We’ve worked out the pound, US dollar, euro, yen & Australian dollar costs below. The other properties are a little more difficult to acquire, and can’t simply be bought with currency.
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| Property | Fallout Caps | GBP (£) | USD ($) | EUR (€) | JPY (¥) | AUD (A$) | Home Plate | 2,000 | £652 | $881 | €737 | ¥96,594 | A$1,170 |
|---|
Based on 1 Cap = £0.326, and £1 = $1.35, €1.13, ¥148.15 and A$1.795. Scroll to the bottom for currency conversion tables.
Because of the post-apocalyptic backdrop of the Fallout universe, we approached the process of generating a currency conversion rate a little differently.
Our understanding was that the food items being compared as part of this process would be considerably scarcer in The Commonwealth than they are in our world. We therefore took into account the economic factor of scarcity value to generate a scarcity "score" for each of the items being converted. We gave items which we deemed would be extremely scarce (e.g. a Fresh Melon) a higher score than those items which might be more readily accessible in a post-apocalyptic landscape (e.g. canned food).
Despite inflating the value of certain grocery items, what's clear from this currency conversion is that property in The Commonwealth is incredibly cheap, which is an indication that property has a diminished value in the world of Fallout 4. By comparison, basic survival items (like food) have a much higher value, which is consistent with the hardships faced by the occupants of The Commonwealth.
Hyrule
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
How to Buy a House in Hyrule
The real estate industry has come to Hyrule.
People all over the kingdom are getting excited about the wonderful world of buying and selling property.
As it stands, there is currently just the one property you can buy.
But it is a lovely abode.
Head west of Myahm Agana Shrine in Hateno Village. Go over the footbridge, and you’ll find a group of men currently working to demolish a house.
Talk to them. Tell them you want to buy the house.
They’ll definitely be open to the idea. You can come to some sort of agreement if you promise to bring them 30 bundles of wood (along with some cold hard Rupees).
Time to pick up your Woodcutter's Axe.
As the rightful owner of this property. You’re entitled to do with it whatever you want. Decorate, get some furniture. Plant a few trees.
How much does it cost to buy a house in Breath of the Wild ?
There isn’t a large property market for those living in Hyrule. Currently, there is just one house available.
It doesn’t have much going for it right now, but with a little work, and a bit more money, you can turn it into a home you’re happy with.
Scroll right with your finger to see more of this table.
| Property | Base Cost (Rupees) | Fully Furnished (Rupees) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Link's House |  3,000 | 4,400 |
Real world cost of property in Hyrule
So, now you know how much it would cost to own a property in Hyrule. Bolson’s initial asking price might seem a little expensive, but given the lack of supply, that’s to be expected. The question now is – how would this cost be translated into real world money? We’ve converted it to pounds, US dollars, euros, yen and Australian dollars below.
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| Property | Rupees | GBP (£) | USD ($) | EUR (€) | JPY (¥) | AUD (A$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Link's House (w/ Bolson Discount) | 3,000 | £3,098 | $4,183 | €3,501 | ¥458,969 | A$5,561 |
| Fully Furnished (w/ Bolson Discount) | 4,400 | £4,544 | $6,135 | €5,135 | ¥673,194 | A$8,156 |
| Link's House (Original Price) | 50,000 | £51,637 | $69,710 | €58,350 | ¥7,650,022 | A$92,688 |
| Fully furnished (Original Price) | 51,400 | £53,082 | $71,661 | €59,983 | ¥7,864,098 | A$95,282 |
Based on 1 Rupee = £1.03273, and £1 = $1.35, €1.13, ¥148.15 and A$1.795. Scroll to the bottom for currency conversion tables.
Firstly, we have provided two valuations for the same house. This is because the seller, Bolson, reveals initially that the overall cost to renovate the property to a liveable standard would be 50,000 Rupees. However, he offers Link the much more reasonable rate of 3,000 Rupees on the condition that Link fetches 30 bundles of wood.
As with some of the other universes, we calculated a Rupees to GBP conversion rate based on the price of items in the game against their equivalent cost in the UK. We then converted this figure to USD, euros, yen and Australian dollars. As we observed in Skyrim, we could find no evidence of mass food production in the game. Many of the villages had vegetable patches, but the production wasn’t so advanced that it could drive the costs of the items down. This led us to our decision that we would have to compare the price of food items found in Breath of the Wild with organic produce on sale in the UK. For example, the Raw Prime Meat that's purchasable in BOTW for 15 Rupees was compared to an organic fillet steak from CoombeFarmOrganic.co.uk on sale for £12.75.
San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto series
How to Buy a Safe House in GTA: Online
San Andreas is a dangerous place.
Sometimes it’s best to stay low. Get off the grid. Avoid the po-lice.
Acquiring a safe house or two is the best way to do that.
There are plenty of apartments for you to choose from – suitable for all budgets. From 0112 South Rockford Drive at a cost of $80,000, to Penthouse Suite 3 in Eclipse Towers ($1.1 million).
Buying these properties is easy – if you have the necessary funds.
You can just log on to San Andreas’ favourite real estate company, Dynasty 8. Visit their website, and browse through the available listings.
Or, you can head to the property itself to complete your purchase.
Each apartment comes with a garage so you can store a vehicle. Most are located in Los Santos, but a few of the low-end safe houses are based in Paleto Bay.
Buy the most expensive apartment you can afford. And stay safe.
How much does it cost to buy a house in San Andreas?
You won’t be stuck for somewhere to hide out in San Andreas. If you have the necessary funds, that is. There are safe houses all over the place.
From the inner-city areas of Downtown Los Santos, to the more rural Blaine County. Each property also comes with vehicle storage.
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| Property | Base Cost (Dollars) |
|---|---|
| Eclipse Towers -Penthouse Suite 3 (Most Expensive Property) | $1,100,000 |
| The Aquarius Yacht (Most Expensive Yacht) | $8,000,000 |
| Maze Bank Tower Office (Most Expensive Office) | $4,000,000 |
| 0112 South Rockford Drive, Apt 13 (Cheapest Safehouse) | $80,000 |
| Popular Street, Unit 124 (Cheapest Property) | $25,000 |
Real world cost of property in San Andreas
The cost of San Andreas is already in real money – the US dollar. So, it isn’t much of a stretch to simply convert this into the euro, Great British pound, yen & Australian dollar, as you can see below. For those who don’t reside in a country that uses the US dollar, we’ve handpicked three of the most expensive properties and two of the cheapest to give you an idea of how much you get for your dough in San Andreas.
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| Property | GBP (£) | USD ($) | EUR (€) | JPY (¥) | AUD (A$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eclipse Towers -Penthouse Suite 3 (Most Expensive Property) | £814,815 | $1,100,000 | €920,741 | ¥120,714,842 | A$1,462,593 |
| The Aquarius Yacht (Most Expensive Yacht) | £5,925,926 | $8,000,000 | €6,696,296 | ¥877,925,937 | A$10,637,037 |
| Maze Bank Tower Office (Most Expensive Office) | £2,962,963 | $4,000,000 | €3,348,148 | ¥438,962,968 | A$5,318,519 |
| 0112 South Rockford Drive, Apt 13 (Cheapest Safehouse) | £59,259 | $80,000 | €66,963 | ¥8,779,221 | A$106370 |
| Popular Street, Unit 124 (Cheapest Property) | £18,519 | $25,000 | €20,926 | ¥2,743,590 | A$33242 |
Based on 1 San Andreas dollar = 1 US dollar, and £1 = $1.35, €1.13, ¥148.15 and A$1.795. Scroll to the bottom for currency conversion tables.
As GTA V is set in the fictional North American state of San Andreas, the currency is dollars. As such, no complex currency conversions were required to establish the costs of these five properties.
Toussaint
The Witcher series
How to Buy a House in The Witcher III
The bad news is, there aren’t a lot of options when it comes to property in the Continent.
The good news is that the one property you can come into ownership of, is a large, beautiful vineyard located in the heart of wine country – Toussaint.
You don’t need any money. Just the appreciation of Anna Henrietta, who will issue you with the keys to Corvo Bianco upon completion of a contract.
The holding comes with your very own Majordomo and a personal cook called Marlene (if you decide not to kill her, that is).
It is, shall we say, a bit of a fixer-upper.
You’ll have to get your wallet out if you want to do a bit of refurbishment work. But if you’re committed, you can turn this into a wonderful home.
Plus there are various perks up for grabs. If you've built a stable, your horse will get a stamina boost, and you can get to work brewing potions in the cellar once you've cleared out some unwanted guests.
How much does it cost to buy a house in Toussaint?
For you - nothing. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth anything.
You’ll earn ownership of Corvo Bianco once you’ve completed the tasks set out in your contract with Anna Henrietta. However, if you want to turn it into a proper living space, you will need to buy upgrades (and spruce it up a bit).
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| Property | Base Cost (Crowns) | Fully Furnished (Crowns) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Corvo Bianco Vineyard |  1,039,238 † | 1,054,238 † |
Real world cost of property in Toussaint
In real life, becoming the owner of an estate like this isn’t quite as simple. You’ll have to pay top dollar for your very own vineyard. Luckily for you, we’ve worked out the estimated costs below. Obviously, it will depend on things like size, and location, but this should give you a good idea of how much you’d have to pay if you were buying Corvo Bianco in modern-day France.
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| Property | Novigrad Crowns | GBP (£) | USD ($) | EUR (€) | JPY (¥) | AUD (A$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corvo Bianco Vineyard | 1,034,865 | £965,664 | $1,303,646 | €1,091,200 | ¥143,063,122 | A$1,733,367 |
| Fully refurbished | 15,000 | £13,997 | $18,896 | €15,817 | ¥2,073,656 | A$25,125 |
| Total cost | 1,049,865 | £979,661 | $1,322,542 | €1,107,017 | ¥145,136,777 | A$1,758,491 |
Based on 1 Novigrad Crown = £0.933130, and £1 = $1.35, €1.13, ¥148.15 and A$1.795. Scroll to the bottom for currency conversion tables.
Touissant, the fictional duchy that the Corvo Bianco vineyard is located in, is reported to be based on France as it was in the Middle Ages. "Touissant" is also the name of a French Catholic holiday, the name of a commune in Upper Normandy and the characters in the game are known to speak French from time to time.
Unlike Stardew Valley, we didn't have a detailed map of the vineyard from which we could attribute a value based on the size of the property. Because of this, we've had to use averages to arrive at an approximate value for Corvo Bianco.
According to Forbes, the average cost of a vineyard in France is €136,400 per hectare.
And according to Terroir France, the average size of a French vineyard is 8 hectares.
If we therefore assume that Corvo Bianco is an average-sized vineyard in France, then its base value would be somewhere around €1,091,200. This assumption includes the value of the buildings within the property.
We also decided to work out how many Novigrad crowns you would have to shell out for Corvo Bianco if you didn't receive it as a gift. To do this, we simply reversed the GBP to Crown conversion rate.
Willow Creek
The Sims 4
How to Buy a House in Willow Creek
Buying a house in Willow Creek is quite simple.
If you can afford it, that is. And this wonderfully lush neighbourhood isn’t cheap.
But if you’ve got the funds (or the cheatcodes), it’s the perfect spot to move in, raise a family, and grow old.
There are a few different properties for you to have a look at, in a variety of sizes, and suitable for all sorts of tastes.
Daisy Hovel is a great starter home. Or if you’re on a budget, Crick Cabana is a good option.
If you’re looking for something more premium, you might want to take a look at Oakenstead. A beautiful mansion with four bedrooms, and three bathrooms.
Bored of your current accommodation? You can always find somewhere new to live. Pick up a newspaper, or visit a realtor online to see what else is out there.
Of course, the real fun is in furnishing and decorating your new home.
Keep things simple, or go as crazy as you like. It’s your house – do what you want!
How much does it cost to buy a house in Willow Creek?
House prices in Willow Creek vary depending on neighbourhood.
You can find everything from a starter home in Foundry Cove, to a sprawling mansion in Sage Estates. So things can get pretty expensive.
Or, you can simply buy a cheap lot of land and build your own home from scratch.
However, lots carry their own “traits” which can change how you interact with your plot.
Be careful that you don’t pick a cursed plot though, as you’ll be infinitely more prone to mishaps like random bladder failure and death by electrocution.
| Property | Base Cost (§) |
|---|---|
| 1. Bargain Bend (30x20 plot) | §2,000 |
| 2. Potters Splay (30x20 plot) | §2,500 |
| 3. Hallow Slough (30x20 plot) | §5,500 |
| 1. Crick Cabana | §13,663 |
| 1. Streamlet Single | §15,965 |
| 1. Daisy Hovel | §16,421 |
| 2. Rindle Rose | §36,774 |
| 2. Riverside Roost | §41,704 |
| 1. Garden Essence | §64,634 |
| 2. Brook Bungalow | §97,376 |
| 3. Parkshore | §107,906 |
| 2. Pique Hearth | §113,498 |
| 3. Umbrage Manor | §176,277 |
| 3. Ophelia Villa | §254,721 |
| 4. Cypress Terrace | §257,022 |
| 4. Oakenstead | §261,153 |
Real world cost of property in The Sims
There are homes for every budget available in Willow Creek. You’ll normally pay for these with simoleons – but what if you were paying in pounds, US dollars, euros, yen or Australian dollars? Don’t worry – we’ve worked out the conversions for you below.
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| Property | Simoleons (§) | GBP (£) | USD ($) | EUR (€) | JPY (¥) | AUD (A$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bargain Bend (30x20 plot) | §2,000 | £1,395 | $1,883 | €1,576 | ¥206,669 | A$2,504 |
| Potters Splay (30x20 plot) | §2,500 | £1,743 | $2,354 | €1,970 | ¥258,225 | A$3,129 |
| Hallow Slough (30x20 plot) | §5,500 | £3,836 | $5,178 | €4,334 | ¥568,303 | A$6,886 |
| Crick Cabana | §13,663 | £9,528 | $12,863 | €10,767 | ¥1,411,573 | A$17,103 |
| Streamlet Single | §15,965 | £11,134 | $15,031 | €12,581 | ¥1,649,502 | A$19,986 |
| Daisy Hovel | §16,421 | £11,452 | $15,460 | €12,940 | ¥1,696,614 | A$20,556 |
| Rindle Rose | §36,774 | £25,646 | $34,622 | €28,980 | ¥3,799,455 | A$46,035 |
| Riverside Roost | §41,704 | £29,084 | $39,263 | €32,865 | ¥4,308,795 | A$52,206 |
| Garden Essence | §64,634 | £45,075 | $60,851 | €50,935 | ¥6,677,861 | A$80,910 |
| Brook Bungalow | §97,376 | £67,909 | $91,677 | €76,737 | ¥10,060,718 | A$121,897 |
| Parkshore | §107,906 | £75,252 | $101,590 | €85,035 | ¥11,148,584 | A$135,077 |
| Pique Hearth | §113,498 | £79,152 | $106,855 | €89,442 | ¥11,726,369 | A$142,078 |
| Umbrage Manor | §176,277 | £122,933 | $165,960 | €138,914 | ¥18,212,524 | A$220,665 |
| Ophelia Villa | §254,721 | £177,639 | $239,812 | €200,732 | ¥26,317,218 | A$318,862 |
| Cypress Terrace | §257,022 | £179,243 | $241,979 | €202,545 | ¥26,554,850 | A$321,741 |
| Oakenstead | §261,153 | £182,124 | $245,868 | €205,800 | ¥26,981,671 | A$326,913 |
Based on 1 Simoleon = £0.94147, and £1 = $1.35, €1.13, ¥148.15 and A$1.795. Scroll to the bottom for currency conversion tables.
Given that a “simoleon” is slang for a dollar, our primary assumption was that one simoleon would convert to one dollar. But we needed to back this up.
In order to calculate the real-world value of properties in the Sims 4, we first had to establish a conversion rate from Simoleons to GBP, USD & Euro. As with the other worlds, we used everyday items that can be purchased in the Sims universe and compared these with equivalent items for sale in the UK.
This was a more difficult conversion process as the items for sale had wide price brackets. For example, the Alertz Smoke Alarm you can buy in The Sims 4 for 75 Simoleons looks similar to many alarms on sale in the UK.
For this, we had to generate an average cost of a smoke alarm in the UK based on a number of similar-looking models with the same functionality.
Once we had performed this process across 8 unique item sets, we arrived at a conversion figure we were happy with: 1 simoleon = 91 cents.
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley
How to Buy a House in Stardew Valley
You’ve been lucky enough to inherit your grandfather’s farm. Why would you want to buy another property?
The Farmhouse should prove sufficient. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t make improvements.
Turn it into something a little more accommodating for you and your growing family. The one room you start out with clearly isn’t enough.
One upgrade allows you to add a second bedroom and a kitchen.
Another builds a nice little cellar.
These upgrades can be quite expensive. So, you’ll have to work extra hard on The Farm to be able to afford them.
And they take about three days to complete. Which, to be honest, is better than most contractors can do.
One other way to expand your home is to get married. Your spouse moving in with you allows for a quick and cheap (i.e. free) way to acquiring an extra room.
How much does it cost to buy a house in Stardew Valley?
Because you’ve inherited your farm from your grandfather, you won’t have to pay a penny for The Farmhouse in Stardew Valley – or for the rest of The Farm either.
However, if you want to upgrade the house – turn it into something more to your taste – you’ll need to get your wallet out.
Scroll right with your finger to see more of this table.
| Property | Base Cost (Gold) | Fully Furnished (Gold) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The Farm |  2,116,220 ‡ | 2,276,220 ‡ |
Real world cost of property in Stardew Valley
You’re unlikely to come into ownership of a farm without spending any money.
In the real world, it’s going to cost you a good amount for land that offers farming opportunities.
Using basic currency conversion, we’ve worked out how much The Farm from Stardew Valley would cost in pounds, US dollars, euros, yen and Australian dollars.
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| Property | Stardew Valley Gold | GBP (£) | USD ($) | EUR (€) | JPY (¥) | AUD (A$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Farm | 2,116,220 | £384,830 | $519,521 | €434,858 | ¥57,012,565 | A$690,770 |
| Upgrade 1: Adds kitchen & bedroom | 10,000 | £1,818 | $2,455 | €2,055 | ¥269,337 | A$3,263 |
| Upgrade 2: Adds second storey with 2x bedrooms, extends kitchen & master bedroom | 50,000 | £9,092 | $12,275 | €10,274 | ¥1,346,980 | A$16,320 |
| Upgrade 3: Adds large cellar which can be used for aging cheese and alcohol | 100,000 | £18,185 | $24,550 | €20,549 | ¥2,694,108 | A$32,642 |
| Total cost | 2,276,220 | £413,926 | $558,800 | €467,736 | ¥61,323,137 | A$742,997 |
Based on 1 Stardew Valley Gold = £0.181848, and £1 = $1.35, €1.13, ¥148.15 and A$1.795. Scroll to the bottom for currency conversion tables.
As mentioned, in Stardew Valley you don't buy the farm house - you inherit it.
So, in order to calculate the value of The Farm itself, we had to manually measure the size of The Farm and the land surrounding it.
To do this, we had to first establish a real-world measurement to work from. We chose the doorway of The Farmhouse. The average width of a doorway is 30". Using this metric, we measured the size of the farmhouse to be 300" x 180", or 7.5m x 4.5m.
Having established this metric, we were able to calculate that the area of The Farm in real-world terms was 103.5m x 72m. This equates to 7555.5 square metres, which converts to 1.87 acres of real-life land.
Now that we had established the size of The Farm, we needed to establish a value. We looked at the average value of farmland per acre (£9,000 at the end of 2017), however this did not take into account the inclusion of a farmhouse on the land. So, we set out to find an equivalent property from which we could generate a ballpark value.
The closest we could find was a three acre bungalow for sale in Northumberland, UK. The property comes with 3 acres of land and a farmhouse of similar scale to the one included when you first get The Farm. In May 2018, this property was on the market for £395,000.
If we subtract the value of 1.13 acres (£10,170) to reduce the size of The Farm to 1.87, we arrive at a basic figure of £384,830.
Eorzea
Final Fantasy XIV
How to Buy a House in Final Fantasy XIV
It’s not easy to acquire property in Eorzea.
There are a number of steps you need to take. There are permits involved, and you’ll have to build the property yourself.
Thankfully, this can be done on your own, or with the help of some friends.
Free Companies can group together and purchase land, if they have reached Rank 6 with their patron Grand Company.
Individuals can do the same, providing they have one class at level 50, and a rank of Second Lieutenant within their Grand Company.
Plots are available to buy in sizes small, medium and large.
Once you’ve got one, you need to get a construction permit. Then the work can begin.
As you’re building your property from scratch, you can customise however you want. Construct yourself a cosy little cottage, or a huge mansion.
How much does it cost to buy a house in Final Fantasy XIV?
The Eorzea housing market is the most expensive and competitive of all the virtual markets analysed. With initially only 2,000 plots available per server, FFXIV faced its own housing crisis which led to the release of further plots.
When you want to own a property in Eorzea, it’s not only buying a house you have to think about. It’s buying the land on which your house will sit that’s the expensive part. This is because plots are limited.
So limited that players have resorted to creating their own housing market subreddit that allows them to list, buy and sell their plots. With nearly 7,000 active users, FFXIV is certainly the most active virtual housing market on this list.
Only when you’ve purchased one of a very limited number of plots and got the necessary building permits can you begin to set up your new home.
Scroll right with your finger to see more of this table.
| Property | Base Cost (Gil) | Fully Built (Gil) |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment (single bedroom) |  500,000 | N/A |
| Small plot | 3,000,000 - 3,750,000 | 3,450,000 - 4,200,000 |
| Medium plot | 16,000,000 - 20,000,000 | 17,000,000 - 21,000,000 |
| Large plot | 40,000,000 - 50,000,000 | 43,000,000 - 53,000,000 |
Real world cost of property in Final Fantasy XIV
So, now you know how much it costs to buy a plot of land in Final Fantasy XIV, and then buy a property to sit on that land. But how does that translate to real currency? How much is a small plot of land in pounds, US dollars, euros, yen & Australian dollars? Hint: it’s expensive.
Scroll right with your finger to see more of this table.
| Property | Eorzean Gil | GBP (£) | USD ($) | EUR (€) | JPY (¥) | AUD (A$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment (single bedroom) | 500,000 | £715,482 | $965,901 | €808,495 | ¥105,998,658 | A$1,284,290 |
| Small plot | 3,000,000 - 3,750,000 | £4,292,894 - £5,366,118 | $5,795,407 - $7,244,259 | €4,850,970 - €6,063,713 | ¥635,992,246 - ¥794,990,382 | A$7,705,745 - A$9,632,182 |
| Small plot with small cottage | 3,450,000 - 4,200,000 | £4,936,828 - £6,010,051 | $6,664,718 - $8,113,570 | €5,578,616 - €6,791,359 | ¥731,391,068 - ¥890,389,056 | A$8,861,606 - A$10,788,042 |
| Medium plot | 16,000,000 - 20,000,000 | £22,895,436 - £28,619,294 | $30,908,838 - $38,636,047 | €25,871,842 - €32,339,802 | ¥3,391,958,843 - ¥4,239,948,406 | A$41,097,308 - A$51,371,633 |
| Medium plot with medium house | 17,000,000 - 21,000,000 | £24,326,400 - £30,050,259 | $32,840,640 - $40,567,850 | €27,488,832 - €33,956,793 | ¥3,603,956,160 - ¥4,451,945,871 | A$43,665,888 - A$53,940,215 |
| Large plot | 40,000,000 - 50,000,000 | £57,238,589 - £71,548,235 | $77,272,095 - $96,590,119 | €64,679,605 - €80,849,507 | ¥8,479,896,960 - ¥10,599,871,015 | A$102,743,267 - A$128,429,082 |
| Large plot with large mansion | 43,000,000 - 53,000,000 | £61,531,483 - £75,841,130 | $83,067,502 - $102,385,526 | €69,530,576 - €85,700,477 | ¥9,115,889,206 - ¥11,235,863,410 | A$110,449,012 - A$136,134,828 |
Based on 1 Gil = £1.43096472, and £1 = $1.35, €1.13, ¥148.15 and A$1.795. Scroll to the bottom for currency conversion tables.
In Final Fantasy XIV, like most of the other games we have analysed, we needed to get a Gil to GBP conversion rate before we could properly translate the cost of housing.
Conveniently, there are a lot of items you can buy in FFXIV that you can also buy in our world. Mineral water, eggplants and monkfish being just a few examples. Using these similarities, we compared the prices of many different food items and took an average across all items to arrive at our conversion rate.
What became clear during these calculations was that the cost of food items was largely similar to what it would cost to buy them in our universe. Mineral water can be bought for 1 Gil, and we found that the average equivalent cost was £1.10 at the time of research. Buffalo Sirlion costs 6 Gil in FFIV and approximately £7.50 from a UK retailer.
However, the key difference between our world and Eorzea lies in the costs of the properties themselves. Property in FFIV is extremely expensive - especially the cost of plots (which range from fifth to first-class).
The thing is, they can afford to be because demand is so high. There are only four Residential Districts in this universe, and plots are very limited. Eager buyers are constantly checking for plots becoming available, which only happens when the owner wishes to sell or hasn’t entered their property in 45 days.
Currency Conversion Data
Video Game Currency Conversion Rates
Now we’ve shown you the real-world cost of property in these games, the next step is to share the currency conversions we used to calculate them.
We calculated these by taking the prices of common items (mostly food) found both in-game and in our world, dividing the UK cost by the in-game cost then averaging all rates to get the average.
This allows you to see which in-game currencies are the strongest and which are the weakest.
Note: GTA V has been omitted because it's already in dollars.
Scroll right with your finger to see more of this table.
| Game Name | Fictional Currency | GBP | USD | EUR | JPY | AUD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | 1 Septim | £1.85 | $2.50 | €2.09 | ¥274 | A$3.32 |
| Fallout 4 | 1 Cap | £0.33 | $0.44 | €0.37 | ¥27 | A$0.33 |
| The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | 1 Rupee | £1.03 | $1.39 | €1.17 | ¥153 | A$1.85 |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 1 Novigrad Crown | £0.93 | $1.26 | €1.05 | ¥138 | A$1.68 |
| The Sims 4 | § 1 Simoleon | £0.70 | $0.94 | €0.79 | ¥103 | A$1.25 |
| Stardew Valley | 1 Gold | £0.18 | $0.25 | €0.21 | ¥27 | A$0.33 |
| Final Fantasy XIV | 1 Gil | £1.43 | $1.93 | €1.62 | ¥212 | A$2.57 |
Comparing In-Game Currencies
Knowing how in-game currencies compare with real-world currencies is one thing, but what about how in-game currencies compare with each other?
Now you can find out how strong the Septim is against the Cap, or how much Stardew Gold you can get for one Gil.
How to use this table:
Using the currencies listed vertically on the left, you can cross reference each against the currencies listed horizontally at the top. By doing this, you can see how many of that currency you would get with the currency you're comparing it with.
For example, you can get 5.67 Fallout caps for a single Skyrim Septim, and a single Fallout Cap would only get you 0.18 of a Skyrim Septim.
Scroll right with your finger to see more of this table.
| Currency | Septim | Cap | Rupee | Crown | § Simoleon | Gold | Gil |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Septim | 5.67 | 1.79 | 1.98 | 2.65 | 10.16 | 1.29 | |
| Cap | 0.18 | 0.32 | 0.35 | 0.47 | 1.79 | 0.23 | |
| Rupee | 0.56 | 3.17 | 1.11 | 1.48 | 5.68 | 0.72 | |
| Crown | 0.50 | 2.86 | 0.90 | 1.34 | 5.13 | 0.65 | |
| § Simoleon | 0.38 | 2.14 | 0.68 | 0.75 | 3.83 | 0.49 | |
| Gold | 0.10 | 0.56 | 0.18 | 0.19 | 0.26 | 0.13 | |
| Gil | 0.77 | 4.39 | 1.39 | 1.53 | 2.05 | 7.87 |