What Does a Shipping Container Cost?

When making any decisions on equipment you need for business, it generally comes down to performance and price. That’s why one of the most common questions we hear is, “What does a shipping container cost?” While we can’t give specific container costs online, we can provide ballpark figures — and discuss what factors tie into pricing. Generally, shipping containers cost between $65 to $130 to rent each month — or $1,300 to $5,000 to buy outright. The higher end of that range is almost exclusively reserved for highly-custom containers with numerous modifications.

At TP Trailers & Truck Equipment, we’re a leading dealer of containers and other equipment. Once again, though, the storage container price you’ll pay is determined by numerous factors, including the quality and age of the container and the custom modifications made to it. If you want to find out your exact price to rent or buy a shipping container, reach out to get your quote today — otherwise, keep reading to learn more about the factors that affect shipping container cost.

Factors that Determine Storage Container Price

With a fairly large range of $1,300 to $5,000, there’s quite a bit that goes into any storage container price. Since we offer a large variety of different containers, we can work to find a unit that matches your budget and your needs.

Size — Both the length and height of the container determine what price you’ll pay to rent or buy the unit. For the most part, the larger it is, the more you’ll pay. We offer a wide range of portable storage unit sizes, including 8’X20’ and 8’X40’ containers.
Quality of Container — The quality of the container plays a large part in how well the container will meet your needs and how much you’ll pay for it. We generally only carry high-quality containers in our fleet, and we warn against going with bottom-of-the-barrel options.
New vs. Used — The new vs. used factor definitely influences a storage container price. We offer both used and new containers for our customers. However, it’s important to keep in mind that just because a container is used doesn’t mean it can’t provide you decades of reliable wind and watertight storage!
Age —Age is another factor that affects what a storage container costs. New containers will always be the most expensive, and generally the older a unit is, the more value it loses. However, the condition of the container is much more important than the age. Learn more about how long a container will last.
Custom Options — Containers with numerous custom add-ons will be more expensive than basic containers. The number and complexity of additions will determine how much the price will increase. Our fabrication shop offers numerous options including custom doors, custom shelving, lighting, a custom paint job, and numerous mobile office upgrades.

Does it Make Sense to Rent or Buy?

Deciding whether to rent or buy the storage container depends on a few factors. Now that you have an idea of shipping container costs, you can decide whether you want to buy or rent it.

Whether or not you buy the container primarily depends on if you will be able to store it and make use of it consistently. Generally, our rule of thumb is that if you know you need to rent it for 2 years, you’re better off buying it. This is approximately the amount of time it would take for you to come out ahead on buying the container.

Get more details about whether you should buy or rent a shipping container.

However, whether you buy or rent from TP Trailers & Truck Equipment, you can expect to get a fair storage container quote.

Get Your Exact Shipping Container Cost

While we’re able to give you the approximate shipping container costs in this blog, this is just the beginning of how we can help. If you want an exact quote to rent or buy the container you need, reach out to our sales team.

We encourage you to reach out to discuss your storage needs and the budget you have available. We’ll be able to find you a container to do the job — reach out today to get prices on all of our storage containers.