11 celebrities who own private islands: from Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s two secret getaways to Brad Pitt’s New York hideout and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Belizean paradise
New research by spa booking experts Spaseekers has revealed the going rate of celebrity private islands, and it’s not cheap. Not only is Beyoncé officially the most decorated woman in Grammy history, but she’s also the owner of two of the world’s most expensive private islands.
Power couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z are the only celebrities with two islands on the list – showing the purchasing power of the music moguls. The A-list pair own islands in the Bahamas and Florida, keeping their exact whereabouts secret to keep their luxury escapes private.
Exclusive interview: Jay-Z is now worth US$1.4 billion
Take a look below and discover who comes out on top when comparing cost at purchase and current value, according to SpaSeekers.
David Copperfield
Musha Cay, Bahamas
Purchased: 2006 for US$50,000,000
Current value: US$65,395,876 (approx)
David Seth Kotkin, professionally known as David Copperfield, is an American magician who has been described as the most commercially successful magician in history.
Copperfield bought four islands in all, their breathtaking natural beauty now even more magical thanks to David’s investment. Musha Cay itself boasts five guest houses decorated in British Colonial style with a tropical twist, designed to cater to every whim and fancy, while the islands nearby that make up Copperfield Bay are there to be explored.
The island can be yours for the night if your holiday allowance stretches to US$62,600.
Beyoncé & Jay-Z
Unknown, Florida, US
Purchased: 2010 for US$20,000,000
Current value: US$23,838,794 (approx)
Jay-Z bought a private island in the Florida Keys for Beyonce’s 29th birthday in 2010. A private island which is, well, private, all we know about this lavish gift is that reportedly cost over US$18 million. But that’s not the only one private island they own ...
Unknown, North Abaco, Bahamas
Purchased: 2013 for US$3,000,000
Current value: US$3,363,202 (approx)
George Clooney
Sonning Eye, southern Oxfordshire, UK
Purchased: 2014 for US$16,869,000
Current value: US$18,631,488 (approx)
George Clooney is an American actor, film producer, director and activist known for his impeccable taste, which extends beyond the red carpet to exotic holiday destinations. In 2014, he and his wife Amal bought a four-acre island located on the River Thames, which features a 17th-century mansion that has since been remodelled to accommodate the Hollywood A-lister. This includes a home cinema, indoor pool and private boathouse.
Shakira/Roger Waters
Bond’s Cay, Bahamas
Purchased: 2011 for US$15,000,000
Current value: US$17,615,613 (approx)
The Hips Don’t Lie singer has duetted with a diverse range of artists over the years, but Shakira’s most unlikely pairing to date must be with Pink Floyd icon Roger Waters.
In 2011 the pair teamed up, not for a duet, but to co-invest in 700 acres of Caribbean paradise. Bond’s Cay is set to be transformed into a millionaire’s playground, which will include private holiday homes, hotels and art galleries.
Mel Gibson
Mago Island, Fiji
Purchased: 2005 for US$15,000,000
Current value: US$20,288,873 (approx)
Not long after the huge global success of his controversial movie The Passion of the Christ, world-famous actor Mel Gibson acquired his own island in Fiji. Mago Island is volcanic and one of the largest private islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, spanning 5,400 acres. Covered in lush natural vegetation and sugar cane, while some celebrity-owned islands have had drastic makeovers, Mago remains largely undeveloped, with just a few caretakers currently living there.
Brad Pitt
Petre, Lake Mahopac, New York
Purchased: 2013 for US$12,000,000
Current value: US$13,452,808 (approx)
Eddie Murphy
Rooster Cay, Bahamas
Purchased: 2007 for US$15,000,000
Current value: US$19,132,669 (approx)
Eddie Murphy may spend much of his time on-screen and in the public eye, but whenever the famous actor and funny man needs some downtime, he has the luxury of retreating to his own private island.
Murphy bought Rooster Cay back in 2007. Sitting pretty close to the Bahamian capital Nassau, in the Long Cay area, this slice of paradise is currently off-limits to the public, though there are rumours Murphy is turning it into a resort.
Ricky Martin
Angra dos Reis, Brazil
Purchased: 2008 for US$8,000,000
Current value: US$9,803,965 (approx)
Puerto Rican singing sensation Ricky Martin is known for spending his time and money helping those in need but he knows how to reward himself and enjoy his lavish lifestyle too. Back in 2008, the Livin’ La Vida Loca singer bought an island in Angra dos Reis, near the coast of Rio de Janeiro. The star likes to keep the details of his private island, well, private, but it’s thought to be a holiday home as he spends most of his time in his decadent LA villa.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Blackadore Caye Island, Belize
Purchased: 2005 for US$1,750,000
Current value: US$2,367,035 (approx)
Leonardo DiCaprio is an American actor and producer who has brought to life some of cinema’s most iconic fictional characters as well as wowing viewers in timeless biopics. The Great Gatsby actor is part Hollywood royalty, part eco-warrior, with plans to turn his private Blackadore Caye Island into the world’s most environmentally sound luxury resort. Situated in the crystal blue waters of Belize, more than half of the island will be used as a nature reserve and the other half will feature 70 resort bungalows and residences.
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
L’Île d’Anges/Goat Cay, Bahamas
Purchased: 2003 for US$1,200,000
Current value: US$1,706,260 (approx)
Country singers Faith Hill and Tim McGraw are successful and award-winning artists who also own a 20-acre private island in the Bahamas named L’Île d’Anges – known in English as Goat Cay. According to a feature in Architectural Digest from 2017, the couple acquired the island in 2003, taking it from a modest collection of rustic pavilions to an estate worthy of Nashville royalty. It took the couple eight years to turn the estate into the idyllic retreat that it is today.
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- While the Caribbean is a popular choice, George and Amal Clooney bought an island on the Thames in London, Ricky Martin in Brazil and Mel Gibson in Fiji
- DiCaprio, the unlikely pair of Shakira and Roger Waters, and magician David Copperfield are all turning their islands into luxury holiday villas for the uber-rich