From gold toilet paper worth $1.3 million per roll to ice cubes that cost more than your heating bill, these everyday items have luxury versions that make even the ultra-wealthy pause before purchasing.
Ever watched someone drop $30,000 on a bottle of water?
I have. During my years serving ultra-wealthy families at high-end resorts, I witnessed purchases that would make your head spin. One evening, while organizing a charity gala, a guest casually ordered a bottle of Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani — water that costs more than most people's cars.
That moment stuck with me. Not because of the absurdity, but because it perfectly captured something I learned from those ultra-wealthy clients: the difference between wealth and money. Some people buy these things to flex. Others? They're chasing experiences, stories, or simply the best version of everything they touch.
Today, let's dive into 10 everyday items that have luxury versions so expensive they'll make your monthly salary look like pocket change. Some of these will make you laugh. Others might make you cry. All of them will definitely make you think twice about complaining when your regular coffee costs $5.
1. The pencil that costs more than your laptop
Remember when you lost pencils in school and didn't care? Well, the Graf von Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil would change that real quick. This writing instrument costs around $12,800.
What makes a pencil worth the price of a small car? It's made from 240-year-old olive wood and white gold, with three diamonds thrown in for good measure. The pencil includes a built-in sharpener and eraser, because apparently, if you're spending twelve grand on a pencil, you shouldn't have to buy those separately.
The kicker? You still have to sharpen it. And yes, the shavings are probably worth more than my entire pen collection.
2. Ice cubes that cost more than your heating bill
Gläce Luxury Ice offers hand-carved ice spheres that run about $325 for a bag of 50. That's $6.50 per ice cube. These aren't your freezer's regular cubes — they're purified, slow-frozen, and perfectly clear.
Working those high-end events, I watched bartenders handle these ice spheres like they were made of actual diamonds. One bartender told me the ice melts slower and doesn't dilute expensive whiskey.
Fair point, but when your ice costs more than most people's bottles of whiskey, you've entered a different universe.
3. A deck of cards that costs more than a luxury car
The Luxury Deck by Shawish, a Swiss jeweler and watchmaker, will set you back $143,000. Yes, for a deck of playing cards.
These aren't your grandma's bridge cards. Each card is made with 18-karat white gold and studded with diamonds — 18 karats worth of them scattered across the deck. The whole set comes in a custom black lacquer box, because apparently when you're spending the price of a house down payment on cards, presentation matters.
I once watched a collector at an exclusive poker game pull out what I assumed was a decorative set. Nope. He was actually playing with them. When someone asked if he was worried about damage, he shrugged and said, "They're insured for more than they cost." The other players just nodded like this was completely normal.
The wildest part? He admitted he never wins with them. "Bad luck," he said, shuffling $143,000 worth of gold and diamonds like they were gas station cards.
4. Coffee that costs more per pound than rent
Kopi Luwak coffee, also known as civet coffee, can cost up to $600 per pound — with some ultra-rare versions reaching $3,000 per pound. That's about $100 for a single cup in high-end establishments.
Here's where it gets weird: this coffee comes from beans that have been eaten and excreted by Asian palm civets. The animals' digestive enzymes supposedly give the coffee a unique, less bitter flavor.
At one resort brunch, a guest ordered this coffee like it was nothing. When I brought it out, she barely touched it — too full from breakfast. That cup cost more than what I made in tips that entire shift.
The experience taught me something: once you reach a certain wealth level, price stops meaning anything.
5. The toilet paper you'd be afraid to use
Renova's Black Toilet Paper costs about $17 for a three-roll pack. But that's nothing compared to the 22-karat gold-infused toilet paper from Australian company Toilet Paper Man, which runs around $1.3 million for a single roll.
Yes, you read that correctly. Over a million dollars. For toilet paper.
The company claims it's "the most expensive sheet on earth." Each roll contains genuine 22-karat gold flakes woven throughout. I can't even imagine the anxiety of actually using it. One of my resort guests once joked that they had gold-flecked toilet paper in their vacation home. I thought they were kidding until I saw the invoice.
6. A pizza that costs more than most weddings
The "Louis XIII" pizza from Salerno, Italy, created by chef Renato Viola, costs €8,300 (approximately $12,000). Only two are made per month, and the chef travels to your location to prepare it personally.
The toppings include three types of caviar, red prawns, Mediterranean lobster, and seven different cheeses. It's garnished with grains of pink Australian salt from the Murray River and topped with cognac — specifically Louis XIII de Rémy Martin cognac, which costs about $3,400 per bottle.
Working catering events, I've served expensive food. But I have to say, a pizza that costs more than the average American wedding, that's a different level. One guest told me they ordered it "just to see what a $12,000 pizza tastes like."
Their review? "Good, but not $12,000 good."
7. A dog collar worth more than a car
The Amour Amour luxury dog collar, encrusted with over 1,600 diamonds, costs approximately $3.2 million. Created by London-based designer I Love Dogs Diamonds, it features white and black diamonds set in 18-karat white gold.
I'll never forget watching someone walk their Pomeranian wearing what I later learned was a collar worth more than my house. Meanwhile, the dog was completely oblivious to the fact it was wearing someone's retirement fund around its neck.
The owner casually mentioned that the collar was "actually uncomfortable for long walks" but perfect for "special occasions." Special occasions for a dog collar. Let that sink in.
8. A bicycle that costs more than most luxury cars
The 24K Gold Extreme Mountain Bike, designed by Hugh Power, is plated in 24-karat gold and features Swarovski crystals, plus a leather seat made from alligator skin. Price tag? Around $1 million.
During one resort stay, I met a tech billionaire who owned one. When I asked if he actually rode it, he laughed: "God, no. It's in my climate-controlled garage as art." He then admitted he owned 17 bikes total and only rode the $500 one he kept at his beach house.
The bike weighs about the same as a regular mountain bike but costs roughly 50,000 times more. The math alone makes my head hurt.
9. A hamburger that requires 48-hour notice
The "FleurBurger 5000" at Fleur in Las Vegas costs $5,000. You get a Wagyu beef patty with foie gras and black truffles, served on a brioche truffle bun. But the real kicker? It comes with a bottle of 1995 Château Pétrus wine (normally $2,500 alone).
The burger itself might be worth a few hundred dollars. The rest? You're paying for the story, the wine, and the ability to say you ate a $5,000 burger.
I once served a couple who ordered two of these "just for fun" during a Vegas bachelor party. They took a few bites, mostly drank the wine, and left the rest. That's $10,000 in abandoned burgers. The servers split the remains — it was the most expensive staff meal I've ever had.
10. Salt that costs more per ounce than silver
Danish Viking Smoked Salt can run about $30 per ounce, but that's modest compared to Korean Bamboo Salt (9x roasted), which costs around $150 for a small jar. However, the most extreme is Amethyst Bamboo Salt, which can cost over $100 per ounce.
Korean bamboo salt is roasted inside bamboo stalks sealed with clay nine times over three years. The process is so intensive that each batch is incredibly limited.
At an exclusive tasting event, a chef explained the "mineral profile" and "electromagnetic properties" of his $100-per-ounce salt. I watched as he carefully measured out tiny crystals like he was handling cocaine. One guest whispered to me, "It's salt. I literally can't taste the difference." But she still bought three jars to give as gifts.
The real luxury
After years of witnessing this world, I learned something unexpected: these purchases aren't really about the items themselves. They're about entering exclusive clubs where normal price rules don't apply. They're about having stories that make other wealthy people pause.
But here's what struck me most: the happiest wealthy people I met weren't the ones buying $12,000 pencils. They were the ones who appreciated both sides — who could enjoy a $5,000 burger one day and be genuinely thrilled by a perfect $2 taco the next.
The difference between wealth and money isn't just about what you can buy. It's about understanding that sometimes the $5 coffee really is just as good as the $100 cup. And sometimes, knowing that difference is the real luxury.
