How much did they cost, in todays money

[Rob Lightbody]

How much did Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary cost to construct, in today's money?  Not only were they very advanced and powerful etc., but no expense was spared on their interiors.

How much would it cost to build an equivalent ship today - e.g. best in the world, biggest, fastest, with absolutely the most luxurious interiors afloat with the very best materials from every corner of the world, designed by the very best British designers of today.

[Twynkle]

Queen Mary cost £3,500,00 in 1934 (I think!)
 £1.00 in 1934 = £51.70 (retail price index 2008!)
Therefore if she was built to the same spec as then - with 'best everything',
and if I have done the sums right - she would cost roundabout £180,950,000

Cunard took out a loan in 1937/8 (I think!) from the government of £5,000,000 for Queen Elizabeth
That would be £258,500,000 today

Her exact cost might well be found in Clive Harvey's good book!

[Peter Mugridge]

I think it might be more than that because the RPI is only an average and I would imagine that the specialist skills involved in some of the areas would have gone up at a higher rate?

Interesting question - I will try to delve into this a bit myself later.

[Twynkle]

Why not try ordering one, Peter 

Labour was very cheap in those days, certainly in Liverpool.
 - it would have been the parts that 'cost'!

[Peter Mugridge]

Labour costs is why shipbuilding has moved to production line methods and to areas of the World where wages are lower isn't it?

Another factor, the technology is a lot more these days, all those computerised systems although I think you would want to compare directly assuming the same 1930s technlogy on board?


But look at the price tag for the new RN Type 45 Destroyers - £1 billion for each ship!

[flagship]

You have to take into account the price of steel and the type of steel required. They were all-steel ships like QM2 which added considerably to her build cost.