How Much Money Would Richie Rich Be Worth Today? Our Financial Expert & Architect Weigh In
Shortly after "Home Alone 2: Lost In New York" became a critical and commercial success, Macaulay Culkin headlined another '90s gem: "Richie Rich." Born with a platinum spoon in his mouth, Richie has it all — a celebrity baseball coach, a private McDonald's, and a butler. Despite having what every kid dreams of, Richie is beyond eager to make friends.
Of course, it's easy to see why Richie is lonely — he lives in a huge mansion in Chicago surrounded by staff, making it difficult to create genuine human connections. And the young man's wealthy parents can't be bothered to spend time with their son. The Rich clan is so wealthy that they craft a Mount Rushmore-sized memorial dedicated to their family. (Yes, it's a ridiculous use of wealth, especially in an era with rising income inequality.) With such ostentatious displays of riches, one can't help but wonder how much Richie Rich had in his bank account.
Eager to unpack the family's books, Looper spoke with accountant Barbara Schreihans, Founder of Your Tax Coach, and Cliff Tan, Architect and Owner of Dear Modern. To truly understand if he really lives up to the title of being "the world's richest kid," Looper dug deep into the character's finances, habits, toys, and more. Spoiler: He is certainly a billionaire.
Richie Rich's net worth is shocking (but not surprising)
If there's one thing the Macaulay Culkin film succeeds at, it's showing off how affluent Richie Rich and his parents are. One cursory glance at their Chicago mansion (which looks more like a royal palace) will prove that they don't need to work a day in their life. But the film reminds viewers that Richie Rich isn't just part of the 1% — he's the richest kid in the whole world. The 1994 film explicitly mentions that Richie Rich's father boasts $70 billion in the bank — when adjusted for inflation, that's over $145 billion in today's terms.
Accountant Barbara Schreihans determined how much wealth Richie Rich must have to be the world's wealthiest kid. "To be considered the world's richest boy in 1994, Richie would likely need a net worth in the range of several billion dollars," Schreihans said. Additionally, he'd have to be richer than Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, who then had "net worths in the tens of billions of dollars." Overall, this means that in 1994, Richie had around $20 billion. Adjust for inflation and Richie Rich would be worth over $40 billion today.
But how much money is that? Well, that's enough for him to buy the world's most expensive private residence, the 27-story Antilla, which reportedly cost billionaire Mukesh Ambani between $1 to $2 billion several times over and still have plenty of cash left over (via Forbes).
Would Richie Rich still be the world's richest boy today?
On February 28, 1994, the S&P 500 closed at $467.In 2024, on the same day, the index closed at $5,069 — an almost 986% increase, well ahead of the pace of inflation. While many today face unemployment and a lack of affordable housing, the market is doing exceptionally well. But would Richie Rich still be?
To be considered the world's richest boy in 2024, Barbara Schreihans told Looper that Richie Rich would need an estimated net worth of $100 billion. When we adjust Rich's 1994 estimated net worth for inflation, it rests at $40 billion. That's a healthy chunk of change for a kid with a Rolex Oyster Perpetual. But it's still far behind what he'd need to be considered the world's richest kid today. Why the disparity? Schreihans told us it's due to the vast wealth that billionaires have gained in recent years.
There's no denying that these are booming times for the 1% — Oxfam reported that the world's richest people accumulated nearly two-thirds of all the new wealth in the economy since 2020. If Culkin's Richie had some savvy tech investments in the late '90s and 2000s, it would have significantly helped his net worth. Regardless, Rich's $40 billion net worth in today's economy makes him wealthy enough to land on Forbes' Billionaires list alongside the Koch family.
Richie Rich's expensive hobby explained
With comical wealth comes the ability to buy unfathomable attention. In "Richie Rich," Culkin's character often spends his time playing baseball. But because he has the kind of access only wealth brings, Rich hired baseball MVP Reggie Jackson as his coach. By 1994, Jackson had amassed over 560 home runs and won five MLB World Series titles.So, how much did the young financial maverick pay former New York Yankees player Reggie Jackson to coach him?
While we don't know how much time Jackson spent coaching Rich, we have a general estimate of Jackson's hourly coaching rate. Schreihans determined his likely hourly rate in 1994 by analyzing his earnings from playing in the MLB. "According to 'Moneyball: Reggie Jackson vs. Reggie Jackson,' Reggie Jackson earned around $700,000 annually during his MLB career in the late 1970s." Based on that annual income and the assumption that he played 162 games a year (equaling about two hours a day for the entire baseball season or 324 hours a year), his hourly rate would be $2,160. If we adjust this price for inflation, it would cost the young man $4,320 to be trained by the GOAT in 1994.
How much did Richie's rollercoaster and private McDonald's cost?
Richie Rich is a man of simple tastes: he likes baseball, amusement parks, and burgers. He just does it way better than the rest of us. Unlike most Americans, Rich doesn't need to go to SeaWorld or Disneyland to get his adrenaline pumping. Why? Richie has a massive rollercoaster in his yard, which he can casually hop on for a thrill ride.
Looper asked architect Cliff Tan for insight on how much it'd cost to build and own a rollercoaster. "The roller coaster featured in 'Richie Rich' was the Iron Wolf from Six Flags, so we have a pretty good idea of how much it'd cost, which would be $12-15 million." Tan joked, "Peanuts and a totally affordable Christmas present!" (Mind you that the closest Six Flags to Chicago, where Richie lives, only costs $45 a day.)
Additionally, we asked about that mouthwatering shot of a McDonald's in Rich's home. Tan told us that the private McDonald's seen in his mansion would cost Rich a minimum of $500,000. While it'd be great to munch on an Egg McMuffin 24/7, we asked if there'd be any extra costs to ensure his home wouldn't reek of greasy food. "With the right infrastructure, it is easy to avoid smells and noise," Tan said. "You just need an industrial strength extractor system, fans, and lots of shiny metal equipment. A typical kitchen would be around 30% of the size of the dining areas."
Is Richie Rich an accurate depiction of the 1%?
Richie Rich is having the time of his life with all his toys ... but is the film's depiction of the richest people in the world accurate? "While the film may depict significant wealth, it only partially captures the complexities of being the wealthiest family in the world," Schreihans said. "Wealth isn't just about the materials you possess but also includes assets, investments, and influence, which Hollywood doesn't always accurately portray because most people think of only physical wealth."
But what about that Mount Rushmore-style vanity project? Or their real estate? Cliff Tan told Looper that Mount Rushmore's construction cost $1 million. "Calculated to today's value, it would be about $22 million [to build their project]." However, he also noted that the film's Rushmore-like creation goes through some substantial wreckage in the film's final act. Mount Rushmore "cost $40 million to renovate years later, which would probably be the bill after that [film's] famous chase scene!" Still, it seems more reasonable than billionaire Steve Cohen's decision to buy a 14-foot preserved tiger shark for approximately $12 million. Overall, the Rich's home is the most accurate display of how rich they are. "Set in Biltmore Estate, the entire property is valued at an eye-watering $300 million," Tan said. "This would make it among the 10 most expensive houses in the world."
If you're ever in North Carolina, you can visit the Biltmore Estates. But don't expect to find a McDonald's inside.