Monopoly reimagined: What would the board look like with modern house prices?

While the original 1935 order of the Monopoly board was loosely based on property values at the time, new research has revealed what the board could look like with modern property values.

The research by gaming experts SolitaireBliss analysed the average sale price of each area since 2015 to see what the order of the board would look like nowadays. It also looks at property size to see each area’s average ‘price per metre’.

It found that Mayfair still sits as the most expensive area with an average sale price of £6,830,154. Strand, which was once halfway down the board as a red tile, is now the second most expensive area, with an average sale price of £5,438,715.

One of the most significant differences in Whitehall, which has now seen itself be moved 13 spots up the board to a green tile, with an average sale price of £4,393,652.

Adjusted for inflation, 1935 prices would see Mayfair worth only £93,911, Strand worth only £74,799 and Whitehall worth only £60,410.

Whitechapel Road, The Angel Islington and Old Kent Road remain as the three cheapest on the board. Oxford Street, which was previously one of the most expensive tiles on the classic board, has been moved down 13 places, with an average sale price of £1,019,975.

Coventry Street has also seen a significant reshuffle, being pushed down 11 spots to now be a light blue tile. Adjusted for inflation, a 1935 property in Oxford Street would cost you only £14,020 on average.

In terms of looking at the average ‘price per metre’, The Angel, Islington comes in as having the lowest price per metre of £6,706.

Whitechapel Road and Old Kent Road are the second and third cheapest. Vine Street has the highest price per metre with £34,276, along with Strand and Mayfair coming in second and third.

Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson from SolitaireBliss said: “What can be looked at as simply a modernisation of the legendary Monopoly board game, can also be viewed as an illustration of current house prices in the capital.

“It’s interesting to see how more commercial areas have seen huge changes with the likes of Oxford Street and Whitehall, whereas more residential areas such as Old Kent Road and Whitechapel Road have seen a steady and consistent with housing cost trends.”

Swansea Monopoly

The standard Monopoly board got a Swansea makeover back in 2005. The special edition swaps out the standard 33 place names for Swansea locations.

It replaces Mayfair with plush Morgans Hotel, Walter Road takes the place of Old Kent Road and Wind Street instead of Piccadilly.

The home of Swansea City also makes an appearance, although the game describes it simply as ‘New Stadium Swansea’. The board game predates the Liberty Stadium naming rights deal. The stadium has sinced changed names again and is now called the Swansea.com stadium.

With so many changes to the city in the last 17 years, including the construction of the city’s new Arena, how should the Swansea version of Monopoly be updated for 2022?

This study was conducted by SolitaireBliss, an online gaming service with a wide array of card games and challenges available to play for free.