When investors compare projects, they most often focus on the price per square meter. But it’s important to understand exactly what square meters they’re talking about.
There are two calculation formats:
1️⃣ Gross
This is the total sellable area, which includes:
- the apartment itself
- part of the common areas (corridors, halls)
- share of infrastructure (swimming pool, gym, coworking space, etc.)
In this case, the infrastructure is distributed according to the square footage of all apartments.
Therefore, the price per square meter appears lower—for example, $1,700–$2,000/square meter.
However, the actual interior area of the apartment is also smaller.
This is a common and absolutely normal international practice.
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2️⃣ Net
This is the actual interior area of the apartment, excluding hallways and common areas.
The infrastructure remains part of the project, but it is not included in the square footage sold.
In this case, the price per m² appears higher because only the usable area inside the unit is calculated.
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Example of NET/GROSS calculation in the GATO Tower project:
