Top 9 most expensive Olympic Games listed in new report which includes Sydney in 2000

The numbers have been crunched to reveal the costliest Olympic Games – and which host countries went most over budget. Can you guess where Paris sits?

The Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Games being hosted by Paris ranked as the fifth most expensive games to date. Picture: Ann Wang / AFP

The numbers have been crunched to reveal the costliest Olympic Games – and which host countries went most over budget.

The 2016 games held in Rio de Janeiro have come in as the most expensive with a price tag of $36 billion.

According to the analysis which focused on summer games and factored in operational and construction costs, based on data from the US-based Council on Foreign Relations, the Brazilian city also exceeded its budget most, by a whopping 289 per cent.

Investments included the development of three modes of public transport – the “bus rapid transit”, the metro and the light vehicle rail system.

South Australia’s Anna Meares carries the flag during the Opening Ceremony at Rio in 2016. Picture. Brett Costello

London, in 2012, came in as the second most costly with a price tag of $25.7 billion, after investing in 10 new railway lines and 30 new bridges to promote greener travel.

While Tokyo, in 2020, took out the title of third most expensive games, at almost $21 billion on the back of investments in eight new venues specifically for the games, including the new National Olympic Stadium for the opening and closing ceremonies.

Sydney, in 2000, ranked as the seventh most expensive Olympic Games, at almost $8 billion.

Taking our fourth, fifth and sixth spots respectively were Barcelona in 1992 ($17.8b), Paris in 2024 ($13.3b) and Beijing in 2008 ($12.5b).

Athletes of France in a floating parade on the river Seine during the 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony. Picture: Peter Cziborra / AFP

At the lower end of the price tag were Atlanta in 1996 at No. 8 ($7.2b) and Athens in 2004 listed at No. 9 with its $4.7b price tag.

Nathan Vega, marketing head at online casino site Playcasino.com which compiled the data,

said the timely analysis revealed no host country had remained under budget, although Beijing came close with an overrun of just 2 per cent.

“It is interesting to see the financial hit that host cities have taken over the years – infrastructure and operational costs have made it impossible for most cities to stay under budget when preparing to host the games,” he said.

“Although it comes with a heavy price tag, hosting the Olympics can benefit cities … investments in the new infrastructure built for the games, tourism, development of world-class sporting facilities, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for locals can all lead to improved cultural and financial development.

“However, there are some downsides for hosting cities; locals face high levels of congestion, home supporters may be unimpressed with results and see it as a waste of money, and hosting the Olympics will cost local taxpayers.”