Cities With The Most Billionaires

Moscow Leads Cities With Most Billionaires, New York and Los Angeles are lone U.S. entries among the top 10.

The Russian capital boasts 79 billionaires, a stunning increase of 21 in just one year. That more than edges out No. 2 New York, with 59 billionaires, and No.3 London with 41. Other cities in the top 15 include such rising stars as Mumbai, Taipei, Sao Paolo and Istanbul. Los Angeles manages a tie for No. 8.Moscow's most wealthy inhabitants include a number of commodities magnates feasting on the country's natural resources. These include Vladimir Lisin (steel), the country's richest person; Alexei Mordashov (also steel) and Roman Abramovich (oil). The combined fortunes of Moscow's billionaire population top $375 billion, more privately amassed wealth than in any other city in the world.

Nor is Moscow the only city with a Communist heritage gracing this list. Three Chinese cities ranked high: Hong Kong ranks 4th with 40 billionaires; Beijing, 10th with 19; and Shanghai, 13th with 16.
Despite New York's relegation to second place, the city remains a favored locale of billionaires, whose collective net worth is $221 billion. The Big Apple boasts some of the most expensive ZIP codes in the U.S., due in part to the real estate prices paid by billionaires in this city. Indeed, many Moscow residents own secondary homes in New York, including fertilizer and coal magnate Andrey Melnichenko, whose wife recently closed on a $12.2 million penthouse apartment. Even the world's richest man, Carlos Slim (home: Mexico City), snatched up a $44 million mansion on Central Park last year.