The most expensive liquid in the world is scorpion venom. It’s cost is $ 10,302,700 per litre. The proteins found in it are used for the treatment of autoimmune disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
When the word “expensive” is mentioned, people often imagine a shiny and valuable object made of gold or diamonds. Our brain tends to visualize something solid. However, several other things, in different states of matter, are more expensive than silver or gold.
In this context, let us focus on the state of matter that covers around 71% of Earth’s surface and 70% of the human body—liquids!
Recommended Video for you:
List Of Most Expensive Liquids In The World (In Ascending Order)
Human blood – $400 per liter Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB) – $660 per liter Black printer ink – $720 per liter Mercury – $900 per liter Insulin – $3,900 – $26,400 per liter (though the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 capped copays at $35/month for Medicare beneficiaries, and major manufacturers have since cut list prices by up to 70%) Chanel No. 5 – $6,900 per liter Horseshoe crab blood – $15,850 per liter Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) – $32,500 per liter King Cobra venom – $40,400 per liter Scorpion venom – $10,302,700 per liter
Human Blood
We all have blood running through our arteries and veins. However, despite some people donating it every month for free, it is still quite expensive. When people donate blood directly, it is called ‘Whole Blood.’ Nowadays, however, most blood banks split the whole blood into two or more components, usually red blood cells and plasma. Blood becomes expensive due to the processing that takes place after donation and the amount of work that goes into it.
Even though many people donate their ‘Whole Blood’ for free, the cost of processing it can reach up to $400 per liter.
Chanel No. 5
This list mainly includes liquids that are used for medicinal purposes. However, one member of the list is not used as a medicine but for a completely different purpose. Chanel No. 5, one of the most iconic and best-selling perfumes in history, is marketed as the flagship product that has withstood generations of rivals. It was first produced in 1922 through the collaboration of chemist Ernest Beaux and Coco Chanel. Beaux used aldehydes to create an unmistakable and fantastic scent. The cost of this perfume is $6,900 per liter.
Horseshoe Crab Blood
Extracting the horseshoe crab’s blood involves catching and ‘bleeding’ the animals, after which they are released. Their blood does not contain hemoglobin but instead has hemocyanin, which makes the color of their blood blue. Their blood is used for the detection of bacterial endotoxins in medical applications. However, in a significant development, the U.S. Pharmacopeia officially approved synthetic alternatives (called Recombinant Factor C, or rFC) for endotoxin detection in May 2025. This could reduce the need to bleed horseshoe crabs by up to 90%, potentially affecting both the price and availability of natural horseshoe crab blood in the future. Cost = $15,850 per liter.
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)
LSD, also known as acid, is a type of drug known for its psychological effects, including hallucinations, changes in awareness, and paranoia. It is commonly synthesized by reacting diethyl amine with lysergic acid. A single dose of LSD is between 40-500 micrograms, roughly equal to one-tenth the mass of a grain of sand, but that’s enough to send Alice on a trip to Wonderland and back! Cost = $32,500 per liter.
King Cobra Venom
With the potential to kill a full-grown elephant, this venom is one of the deadliest in the world. Even so, people take the risk and harvest this venom, as it contains a very unique protein, Ohanin. Ohanin is best used as the raw material to manufacture a painkiller that is 20 times more potent than morphine without any of its observable side effects. Cost = $40,400 per liter.
Scorpion Venom
Scorpions have venom, which they primarily use to kill or paralyze their prey. Although they could use brute force to kill their prey, venom is a reliable and handy tool. For humans, the proteins found in scorpion venom are used to treat autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and multiple sclerosis. The cost of one liter of this venom is $10,302,700.
Last Updated By: Ashish Tiwari
References (click to expand)Uzair, B., Bint-e-Irshad, S., Khan, B. A., Azad, B., Mahmood, T., Rehman, M. U., & Braga, V. A. (2018, September 6). Scorpion Venom Peptides as a Potential Source for Human Drug Candidates. Protein & Peptide Letters. Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.Where the Printer Gets His Ink.O’CONNELL, T. E. D., Lily Kaye, and JOHN J. PLOSAY III. “Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB): a newer drug of abuse.” American family physician 62.11 (2000): 2478-2482.Gorman, Richard. “Atlantic horseshoe crabs and endotoxin testing: perspectives on alternatives, sustainable methods, and the 3Rs (replacement, reduction, and refinement).” Frontiers in Marine Science 7 (2020): 582132.Pung, Y. F., Wong, P. T. H., Kumar, P. P., Hodgson, W. C., & Kini, R. M. (2005, April). Ohanin, a Novel Protein from King Cobra Venom, Induces Hypolocomotion and Hyperalgesia in Mice. Journal of Biological Chemistry. Elsevier BV.Baskaran, M., et al. “A critical analysis of lysergic acid diethylamide in the present light!.”Insulin Affordability and the Inflation Reduction Act. ASPE/HHS.U.S. Pharmacopeia OKs Synthetic Alternatives to Horseshoe Crab Blood. MBL (2025).Pharmaceutical industry must embrace synthetic alternatives. Nature (2024).
