Ask someone how tall the Burj Khalifa is, and you’ll likely hear “really, really tall” — but the exact number is something else entirely. The world’s tallest building rises 829.8 meters (2,722 feet) from its base to the tip of its spire, a figure that draws visitors, engineers, and trivia lovers alike.

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Total height: 829.8 m (2,722 ft) ·
Roof height: 828 m (2,717 ft) ·
Floors: 163 ·
Year completed: 2010 ·
Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill ·
Main contractor: Samsung C&T

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact number of billionaires currently living in the building
  • Detailed ownership breakdown for every residential flat
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Upcoming contenders like Jeddah Tower (planned 1,000 m+) could dethrone it
  • Burj Khalifa continues to add luxury retail and residential offerings

Here are the key facts about the Burj Khalifa, sourced from CTBUH, the official site, and SkyscraperCenter.

Key facts about the Burj Khalifa — sources: CTBUH, official site, SkyscraperCenter.
Total height 829.8 m (2,722 ft)
Roof height 828 m (2,717 ft)
Floors 163
Year completed 2010
Location Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Architect Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Main contractor Samsung C&T
Developer Emaar Properties

How tall is the Burj Khalifa?

The Burj Khalifa’s official architectural height — measured to the top of the spire — is 828 meters (2,717 feet) according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), the global authority on building height. If you include the tip of the antenna, that number inches up to 829.8 meters (2,722 feet) per the same source. But the building is far from a mile high: at 0.83 km, it’s just over half a mile.

How tall is the Burj Khalifa in feet?

  • Roof height: 2,717 ft (CTBUH)
  • Tip (including spire): 2,722 ft (SkyscraperCenter)

How tall is the Burj Khalifa in meters?

  • Architectural top: 828 m
  • Total height to tip: 829.8 m

Is the Burj Khalifa 1 mile tall?

No. A mile is 1,609 meters. The Burj Khalifa’s height is 829.8 m — roughly 0.5 miles. To reach a mile, you would need to stack another Burj Khalifa on top of itself.

Bottom line: The Burj Khalifa is 829.8 m tall — not a mile, but still nearly three times the height of the Eiffel Tower. For casual visitors: the observation deck at 555 m gives you the best view without the full climb.

How many floors does the Burj Khalifa have?

The building has 163 floors above ground (CTBUH). Fifty-seven elevators and eight escalators shuttle people between residential floors, the Armani Hotel, corporate suites, and two observation decks — At the Top (124th floor) and SKY (148th floor).

How many floors are occupied?

  • Residential apartments: Floors 45–108
  • Armani Hotel: Floors 1–39
  • Corporate offices: Floors 111–154
  • Observation decks: 124th and 148th floors

How many floors are residential?

Roughly 64 floors are dedicated to residential use, making the Burj Khalifa a self-contained vertical city. The Burj Khalifa official site states the building contains 1,044 private residences.

The trade-off

More floors means more elevators — 57 in total — but even then, peak wait times can hit 2 minutes. For a building this dense, that’s fast, but it’s not instant.

Is the Burj Khalifa the tallest building in the world?

Yes, as of 2024 it holds the record for the world’s tallest building, verified by the CTBUH. It also has the highest occupied floor and the highest outdoor observation deck.

What is the second tallest building in the world?

Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, stands at 678.9 meters (2,227 feet) — roughly 150 meters shorter than the Burj Khalifa. The SkyscraperCenter lists it as the second-tallest as of 2024.

Where are the 5 tallest buildings in the world?

  1. Burj Khalifa – Dubai, UAE – 829.8 m
  2. Merdeka 118 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – 678.9 m
  3. Shanghai Tower – Shanghai, China – 632 m
  4. Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower – Mecca, Saudi Arabia – 601 m
  5. Ping An Finance Center – Shenzhen, China – 599 m

Sources: SkyscraperCenter (official tall building database) and CTBUH.

Which building was built by Samsung?

Samsung C&T, the construction arm of South Korea’s Samsung Group, was the main contractor for the Burj Khalifa. The Burj Khalifa official site confirms the contractor alongside the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and developer Emaar Properties.

Who built the Burj Khalifa?

  • Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
  • Structural engineer: SOM (The Skyscraper Museum)
  • Main contractor: Samsung C&T (South Korea)
  • Developer: Emaar Properties (UAE)

Samsung’s role is a lesser-known fact: the same company that built the world’s tallest building also builds smartphones.

Who owns 22 flats in the Burj Khalifa?

Indian billionaire B. R. Shetty, founder of NMC Health, owns 22 flats in the Burj Khalifa, as reported by Bloomberg in 2019. Shetty is among a group of high-net-worth individuals who treat the tower as a luxury investment, alongside oligarchs and Gulf royalty.

Who owns apartments in the Burj Khalifa?

While a full owner registry is not public, known owners include Shetty, Indian billionaire M. A. Yusuff Ali, and various members of Dubai’s ruling Al Maktoum family. The building’s mix of hotel, residential, and office space means many flats are rented out rather than owner-occupied.

Why this matters

Ownership in the Burj Khalifa is a mark of ultra-luxury status, but the building’s sheer scale — 1,044 residences — means it’s not just for billionaires. Hotel guests and office workers share the same address.

Comparison: Burj Khalifa height measurements

Four key measurements, one building: each defines “height” differently, and they matter for different record categories. The following table breaks down these distinctions.

Measurement Height (m) Height (ft) Notes
Architectural top 828 2,717 Standard for building rankings (CTBUH)
Roof 828 2,717 Same as architectural top for this building
Tip (including spire) 829.8 2,722 Total physical top (SkyscraperCenter)
Highest occupied floor 585.4 (est.) 1,921 (est.) World’s highest occupied floor (CTBUH)

The pattern: The architectural top and roof are identical for the Burj Khalifa, but the total tip height adds the spire, making it the definitive “tallest” in standard rankings.

Specifications

Massive numbers across the board — here’s a comprehensive look at the materials and systems that make up the Burj Khalifa.

Specification Value Source
Total height 829.8 m (2,722 ft) SkyscraperCenter
Roof height 828 m (2,717 ft) CTBUH
Floors (above ground) 163 CTBUH
Elevators 57 Official site
Escalators 8 Official site
Concrete used 330,000 m³ Official site
Steel rebar used 39,000 tonnes Official site
Glass cladding 103,000 m² Official site
Total built-up area 309,473 m² Official site
Construction started January 6, 2004 Official site
Completed January 4, 2010 Official site
Architect Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Official site
Developer Emaar Properties Official site
Main contractor Samsung C&T Official site

The implication: The quantity of materials used—like 330,000 cubic meters of concrete—is enough to build a sidewalk stretching from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.

Timeline

  • – Construction begins (Burj Khalifa official site)
  • – Exterior completed; interior fit-out begins (Burj Khalifa official site)
  • – Grand opening
  • – Holds title of world’s tallest building

What this means: The entire construction, from groundbreaking to grand opening, was completed in exactly six years—a remarkably short timeline for such an engineering marvel.

What’s confirmed and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Total height 829.8 m (2,722 ft) – SkyscraperCenter
  • 163 floors – CTBUH
  • Samsung C&T as main contractor – Burj Khalifa official site

What’s unclear

  • Exact number of billionaires residing in the building
  • Full ownership breakdown for all 1,044 residential flats
  • Whether B.R. Shetty still owns 22 flats as of 2024 – Bloomberg reported this in 2019

The catch: While the building’s physical specs are public and verified, the private ownership and resident details remain largely opaque.

Quotes from key sources

“The Burj Khalifa has the highest occupied floor and the highest outdoor observation deck in the world.”

— Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH)

“Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest building, with a total height of 828 meters.”

— Burj Khalifa official website

“The Burj Khalifa is almost twice as tall as the Empire State Building and three times the height of the Eiffel Tower.”

— Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)

“Indian billionaire B. R. Shetty owns 22 flats in the Burj Khalifa, making him the largest individual apartment owner in the tower.”

— Bloomberg News

The implication: The quotes show a consistent narrative of record-breaking height and luxury, verified by independent global authorities and specific financial reporting.

Bottom line: The Burj Khalifa is 829.8 m tall — not a mile, but still nearly three times the height of the Eiffel Tower. For casual visitors: the observation deck at 555 m gives you the best view without the full climb.

What about the future?

The Burj Khalifa’s reign as the world’s tallest building may eventually be challenged by the Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, planned to exceed 1,000 meters. But for now, the Dubai skyline remains anchored by this 829.8-meter giant. For anyone curious about the numbers behind the record, the takeaway is simple: it’s tall enough to make your neck ache, but not quite a mile — and it was built by a smartphone maker.

Additional sources

eskimo.travel, facebook.com, facebook.com, businessinsider.com, instagram.com

The Burj Khalifa’s height of 829.8 m secures its place as the tallest building in the world, a title it has held since 2010.

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Frequently asked questions

When was the Burj Khalifa completed?

It officially opened on January 4, 2010. Construction began on January 6, 2004, taking about six years (Burj Khalifa official site).

How many elevators does the Burj Khalifa have?

57 elevators and 8 escalators (Burj Khalifa official site).

What is the observation deck called?

There are two: “At the Top” on the 124th floor and “At the Top SKY” on the 148th floor.

How much did it cost to build the Burj Khalifa?

Estimated at US$1.5 billion, according to the developer Emaar Properties.

Who is the architect of the Burj Khalifa?

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), an American architecture firm (Burj Khalifa official site).

Is the Burj Khalifa the tallest structure ever built?

Yes, it remains the world’s tallest building and has the highest occupied floor (CTBUH).

How much does it cost to stay at the Burj Khalifa hotel?

The Armani Hotel inside the tower starts at around $500 per night, with suites reaching several thousand dollars.

The pattern: The FAQs show that practical details—cost, elevators, hotel prices—are just as sought-after as the headline height.

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