(Nexstar) – The guidance may be vague, but drinking water throughout the day is a good rule of thumb. There are few wrong answers as to where the water came from, whether it was a former trendy stance, a cup filled with a tap or a bottle.
In particular, how much you pay for the latter is entirely up to you.
For example, you can call out at a sporting event at a price of bottled water. At Target Field, home to the Minnesota Twins, a water bottle costs between $5.49 and $10.49, an online menu shows.
But if you’re a water lover, paying over $10 for a bottle might feel like you’re going to make a deal.
Believe it or not, buying bottled water can sometimes feel like buying a bottle of wine with an equally eye-opening price tag and detailed description of the drink flavor.
A 2024 report from Svalbardi, a bottled water company specializing in iceland water, said the most expensive bottles of water would pull back at least $1,390 per liter. What makes this water special? The company behind it, Fillico, charges it as “jewelry water,” sells it in a bottle equipped with crystals, and is filled with water sourced from Springs, Kobe, Japan.
The specific bottle Svalbardi highlighted appears to be no longer available on Fillico’s website. However, the Japanese-based company sells leopard gem water for 49,500 yen, or about $335. They are also warned not to wet the jeweled bottle. Because the decorative stones it decorates can discolor.
There must be more expensive water, you’re probably thinking. And you’ll be right.
Fine Liquids, an international water retailer based in Germany, currently sells what Svalbardi claims to be the “last bottle available worldwide.”
The water is fed from icebergs in Kongsfjord, Norway, and the ice is fed in containers made of high-quality glass “melt gently in a specially designed machine and hand-bottled.” Svalbardi’s water is said to be “a touch of slight bite and sweetness,” which he says is “a taste experience, a very fine wine-like experience.”
Are you ready to get the last bottle of the world? It costs 9,999 euros, or about $11,810, before shipping.
Believe it or not, there is more expensive water. In 2010, the glass jar with 24 carats of gold was sold at auction for around $60,000. According to Guinness World Records, funds raised at auctions where glass and gold bottles were sold benefited from organizations focused on global warming.
Other high-end water bottles on fine liquids come far below that price range. For 4,999 euros, or about $5,800, you’ll get 3 liters of Nevas water, especially the Jeroboam Club version of the bottle, sourced from two different natural springs. For around $1,100, you can purchase a sparkly H2O bottle “concentrated with bring minerals” with “a touch of Hollywood charm” “made from pure spring water and concentrated with natural minerals.”
Like expensive wines, you don’t necessarily need to look for these expensive water bottles every day. Martin Riese, one of the world’s only certified water sommeliers, said in a 2017 interview that your cheap water is fine every day.
“It doesn’t have to be expensive at all,” he explained. In the same video, Riese pointed out that certain water can be combined well with certain foods. For example, water with higher levels of sodium is perfect for dishes such as steak, barbecue, and salty prosciutto.
Meanwhile, $6 water at the ballpark pairs well with hot dogs and peanuts.
