The 14 Most Expensive Spices in the World (Update August 2023)

Do you know which are the Most Expensive Spices in the World?

Are you guys looking to add some new and exciting twists to your dishes? A pinch of spice or seasoning can increase the taste of your dish. Many of us are wondering why some spices are more expensive than others.

Here, we will discover the most expensive spices in the world.

The list of Most Expensive Spices in the World

The price of the spices depends on their production and also the cost of importation. So let’s have a look at the 14 most expensive spices in the world.

14. Pepper ($3/pound)

Pepper and salt are the most used spices in the world. We normally use black pepper in our recipes as it helps to increase the taste. Nowadays, pepper is sold for $3 per pound. Pepper is mostly cultivated in South India. Vietnam is also considered the biggest producer of black pepper. Earlier, peppers were used in trade goods and were known as “Black Gold ”. Due to its scarcity and lack of production, pepper is counted among the most expensive spices. Many spices are very rare and hard to find because they are grown only in certain regions of the world. Although they can’t be compared with expensive goods like gold, the demand for spices is high, especially if they are very rare. Black pepper is normally used in our day-to-day life like medical use, and kitchen use. So, people are very much dependent on pepper for their use.

13. Cloves ($10/pound)

Clove is considered one of the most expensive spices in the world. You will find cloves in almost every kitchen. Since the middle ages, this spice has been used for various purposes like trading, medicinal, and cooking purposes. Cloves are native to Indonesia and around 70%-80% of them grow in Maluku Island. It is also grown in various parts of India, Madagascar, Pakistan, Zanzibar, and Sri Lanka. Cloves are obtained from the floral buds of an exotic tree ‘Caryophyllus Aromaticus’. Caryophyllus aromaticus is an aromatic flower that is normally used to make perfumes and other fragrances. Almost half of the cloves in Indonesia are used to make special aromatic cigarettes which are known as Kretek. Besides all this, cloves also have some medical uses which are used in relieving toothaches. Cloves have an active ingredient called Eugenol which has many anti-inflammatory properties.

12. Ceylon Cinnamon ($27/pound)

Everyone knows that cinnamon is one of the most popular spices in the world. Generally, there are two types of cinnamon and both of them come from the bark of the cinnamon tree. Cinnamon Zeylanicum, which is also known as Ceylon Cinnamon, and the other one is Cinnamon Cassia.

Ceylon Cinnamon is mostly produced in Sri Lanka and Cinnamon Cassia is easily found in Supermarkets in China and Indonesia. Do you guys know that Ceylon Cinnamon is costlier than Cinnamon Cassia? The taste of Ceylon Cinnamon is sweeter and less spicy than Cinnamon Cassia.

Besides its delicate taste, Ceylon Cinnamon is also good for your health, as it’s anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial, and also helps to regulate blood sugar. These spices are available in small quantities as they’re easily damaged by Ultraviolet light. Due to its lack of unavailability, it is considered one of the most expensive spices in the world. The cost of Ceylon Cinnamon is around $27 per pound.

11. Black Cardamom ($28/pound)

Black Cardamom is also known as the Queen of all spices. It is mainly found in the Himalayas in India and Nepal. Like other spices, Black Cardamom is also beneficial for our health. As per the traditional Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic medicine, Black Cardamom is highly prescribed for digestive ailments and can be used to balance blood pressure.

Compared to green cardamom, Black Cardamom has a far more intense and smoky flavor. Due to its smoky flavor, most of the time the whole pods are removed from the cooking pot before serving the dish. The cost of this expensive spice is around $28 per pound. This spice will give a delicate taste and flavourful aroma to your dish. Due to its high price. Black Cardamom is counted in the list of the most expensive spices in the world.

10. Pasilla de Oaxaca Chile ($30 /pound)

Have you ever heard about Pasilla de Oaxaca Chile? This spice is mostly found in Mexico and is named after the remote mountain region where it grows. The Sierra Madre Mountains are generally popular for their incredible chili peppers. It gives medium heat and a smoky flavor to every dish.

It can be used in different dishes like salsas, sauces, soups, and stews. It increases the taste of every dish and is especially useful for vegetarian dishes. Pasilla de Oaxaca chiles are very hard to find and very expensive. The price of this expensive spice is around $30 per pound. Pasilla de Oaxaca is considered one of the most expensive spices in the world.

9. Green Cardamom ($30/pound)

Green Cardamom is a familiar spice and you can easily find it in every shop or supermarket. Green Cardamom is one of the main ingredients of garam masalas. This spice has found many followers far from Asia. Without Green Cardamom your curry is incomplete.

It gives a warmth and flavorful aroma to your dish. Besides this, Green Cardamom plays a great role in tea. If you are a tea lover, then you must be familiar with this spice. However, Green Cardamom is one of the most expensive and famous spices in the world.

The seed pods of Green Cardamom are more expensive than the black ones and the intense flavor of this spice goes well in both sweet and savory dishes. Green Cardamom is harvested before its maturity whereas Black Cardamom is dried over a fire pit. It is also used to reduce inflammation in the body and lower blood pressure. The price of this expensive spice is around $32 per pound.

8. Grains of Paradise ($33/pound)

Grains of Paradise are popularly known as alligator pepper, Guinea grains, or melegueta pepper. This spice comes from a plant in West Africa. Do you know the scientific name of this spice? The scientific name of this spice is Aframomum melegueta and it is a member of the ginger family.

Now, this spice is used in many cuisines including North Africa and the Middle Eastern. It is also beneficial for health and is used to treat many ailments, from low sex drive to indigestion. It is a mixture of black pepper, ginger, and cardamom.

Moreover, the seed gives an aromatic and peppery flavor to every dish. This expensive and rare spice is costlier than your imagination. The price of Grains of Paradise is around $33 per pound and is counted in the list of the most expensive spices in the world.

7. Kaffir Lime Leaves ($36/pound)

Kaffir lime leaves are also included in the list of the most expensive spices in the world. These spices are picked by hand from long, thorny branches, and these leaves are very expensive. Kaffir lime leaves are popularly known as makrut lime and they are native to SouthEast Asia and popular in Thailand.

You can use these leaves in various dishes like curries, stir-fries, rice dishes, and soups. The fresh Kaffir lime leaves are dark green and you can also find the dried kaffir lime leaves in specialist food stores. It is also beneficial for your health as it has a great source of Vitamin C.

Besides cooking, you can also use these leaves for bathing. Due to its rarity and time-consuming process the price of this spice is high. You have to pay $36 to pay for Kaffir lime leaves.

6. Black Cumin Seed ($39/pound)

I think most of us are familiar with regular cumin seeds. Regular cumin seeds are brown and less sweet than black cumin. Sometimes we get confused between n cumin and black cumin. Always remember that black cumin is thinner and darker than brown cumin. Black cumin is used in various dishes like toasted flavor bread, tagines, vegetables, and ground meat dishes.

Black cumin is mainly found in the Middle East and Southeast Asia and helps to control some diseases such as bronchitis, rheumatism, and asthma. You can also use black cumin oils not only for cooking but also for skin care. Black cumin oil is enriched with vitamins and minerals which help to reduce fine lines and blemishes.

Black Cumin is one of the most famous and expensive spices in the world. To buy this spice you have to spend $39 which is not a small amount.

5. Long Pepper ($47/pound)

It is another most expensive spices in the world. Long pepper is also known as people and it is the fruit of flowering vine plants. It is long, conical in shape, and mostly used in Africa, Indonesia, India, and Mediterranean cooking. Nowadays, Nepal has also started producing long peppers.

Due to its lack of unavailability, long pepper is now much harder to find than regular black. The taste of this unique spice is very hot and normally used in making rasam spicy soup, lentil curries, and marinades. Long pepper is also combined with herbs to prepare Ayurvedic medicines.

It also has many health benefits. Long pepper has a far more complex and sophisticated flavor than regular peppers. You can easily find it in grocery shops and the price of long pepper is around $47 per pound.

4. Mahlab ($69/pound)

Do you know about this unique spice? Mahlab is one of the most expensive spices in the world. Sometimes it can also be written as mahleb, mahalepi, or mayleb. Due to its lengthy harvesting process, the price of mahlab is very high.

First, you have to open the cherry pits then seed kernels are kept to dry before selling them in the market. The whole mahlab flavor is much longer than the ground mahlab. So, whenever you are getting a whole mahlab, buy it. Then you can grind it with a pestle and mortar or a pepper mill.

Mahlab is used mainly in Greek and Middle Eastern cooking. People in Europe and the United States are not much aware of this spice. This spice can increase the taste of your dish. The price of mahlab is around $69 per pound.

The top 3 Most Expensive Spices are below

3. Vanilla Bean ($200/pound)

Vanilla Beans are much more expensive than you might imagine. 80% of vanilla beans come from Madagascar. Most of us know that Madagascar is sometimes hit by cyclones which destroy and affect the crop. In the 1980s, the price of vanilla beans was comparatively less than today.

There are various reasons for the high price of vanilla beans which includes theft and stealing of vanilla beans and due to this farmers pick them before they are ripe. Vanilla vines normally take two to four years to reach maturity.

The flowers of the vanilla plants only bloom for one day a year and have to be pollinated on one day to produce vanilla beans. In this way, the whole process takes place. It is not that easy to harvest vanilla beans. The price of vanilla beans is around $200 per pound.

2. Fennel Pollen ($450/pound)

Fennel Pollen is the second most expensive spice in the world. It is not difficult to grow fennel, but the pollen is picked by hand and has a very low yield. Fennel Pollen is mostly found in the Tuscany region of Italy. The taste is very distinctive with notes of anise, citrus, liquorice, pepper, and saffron.

It is one of the most popular spices around the globe. Fennel pollen and seed are also used as an herbal remedy and also cure digestive discomforts, help to purify the food in the body, beneficial for natural detoxification and weight loss. It is believed that fennel is also beneficial for eye disorders and is also used as a remedy for snake bites. The price of this unique spice is around $450 per pound.

1. Saffron ($1000/pound)

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. It is popularly known as red gold. The price of saffron is very high due to its delicate flavor and rich taste. Saffron is harvested and handpicked from the crocus flower. You need almost 170,000 flowers to make one pound of saffron.

Saffron is a rare and unique spice that is mainly found in Afghanistan, Spain, Iran, and India. The stigmas of saffron crocus are also called saffron threads. Saffron is used in various dishes such as shellfish paella, risotto, and crispy rice dishes. The price of saffron spice is around $1000 per pound which is not a small amount.

Conclusion of Most Expensive Spices

This article is all about the most expensive spices in the world. We arranged and listed almost all the popular and expensive spices as per their price. It is a guide for those who are searching for spices and want to learn more about them. I hope this article might help you in finding the most expensive spice in the world.

Topic Summary

Here is a quick list of The 14 Most Expensive Spices in the World.

1. Saffron
2. Fennel Pollen
3. Vanilla Bean
4. Mahlab
5. Long Pepper
6. Black Cumin Seed
7. Kaffir Lime Leaves
8. Grains of Paradise
9. Green Cardamom
10. Pasilla de Oaxaca Chile
11. Black Cardamom
12. Ceylon Cinnamon
13. Cloves
14. Pepper

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