A shipping container in Australia costs from about $1,200 to $5,400 for a 20ft or 40ft unit on this site, depending mostly on condition. In our August 2026 listed prices a used wind and watertight 20ft started at $1,299 (typically about $2,900), a new one-trip 20ft at $2,300 (typically about $4,400), a used 40ft at $1,350 and a new one-trip 40ft at $5,400. Delivery is a flat $200 Australia-wide in about 7-10 business days. The figures come first below, then what moves the number, so you can compare quotes properly and spot the ones that look cheap because something has been left out.
Shipping container price list: August 2026
Most price guides give a range so wide it tells you nothing. The figures below are BWContainers’ own listed prices, taken from the containers on this site in August 2026. They are not a market survey and they are not a quote. They are what we listed these units for in August 2026, so you can see real numbers before you enquire.
Container prices move with shipping demand, the exchange rate and what is sitting in Australian depots, so these change. The live price on each product page in our range is always the current one.
| Size | Condition | From | Typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8ft | New (one-trip) | $1,420 | – |
| 10ft | Used, wind & watertight | $1,500 | – |
| 10ft | New (one-trip) | $1,535 | $2,150 |
| 20ft | Used, wind & watertight | $1,299 | $2,900 |
| 20ft | New (one-trip) | $2,300 | $4,400 |
| 20ft high cube | New (one-trip) | $2,850 | $4,400 |
| 40ft | Used, wind & watertight | $1,350 | – |
| 40ft high cube | Used, wind & watertight | $1,200 | $2,800 |
| 40ft | New (one-trip) | $5,400 | – |
| 45ft high cube | Used, wind & watertight | $3,200 | – |
| 45ft high cube | New (one-trip) | $3,600 | – |
Where the typical column is blank we hold too few units in that size and grade for a middle figure to mean anything. The “from” price is a real listing, not a teaser.
Why used 40ft units can undercut used 20ft units
It looks wrong and it is not a misprint. Forty-foot containers are the workhorse of the shipping trade and far more of them reach the end of their sea-going life in Australian depots than twenty-foot units do. Supply, not size, sets the price at the used end of the market. If you have the space and the access for a 40ft, it is frequently the cheaper way to buy storage. The trap is delivery access, not the purchase.
Delivery: a flat $200 Australia-wide
Flat $200 delivery Australia-wide, about 7-10 business days. That is one national rate rather than a price that changes with your postcode, which is worth checking when you compare quotes, because delivery is quoted separately by most suppliers and it is where a cheap-looking container stops being cheap. Where a site needs a crane lift rather than a standard delivery, tell us the access and we will confirm what is involved.
The seven things that set the price
1. Size
Price rises with size, but not proportionally. On used stock, a 40ft container costs far less than two 20ft units of the same condition, so if the goods fit and your site can take the length, one large container is usually the cheaper way to buy volume. At new one-trip prices this can reverse, as the table above shows, so check the grade you want before assuming bigger is cheaper. Cost per cubic metre falls as containers get bigger, and a high cube adds roughly 300 mm of internal height for a modest premium, which matters once racking, a pallet stack or a fit-out is involved. Where access is tight, the saving disappears against the cost of a difficult delivery. Our dimensions guide compares what each size actually holds.
2. Condition
This is the single biggest lever. Broadly:
- New / one-trip: has made a single voyage, intact paint, minimal wear. The most expensive, and the usual starting point for conversions or anywhere the container will be visible.
- Cargo-worthy: fit for further shipping. Mid-range, and the grade to buy if the container will travel again.
- Wind and watertight: structurally sound and keeps weather out, with cosmetic marks and surface rust. The value option for static storage, doing the same storage job as a one-trip unit for roughly half to two-thirds of the price.
- As-is: sold with known faults, priced accordingly. Fine if the fault does not matter to your use.
Choosing a grade above what the job needs is the most common way people overspend. New versus used covers the trade-off in detail.
3. Delivery
Delivery is a real cost, not a rounding error. Many suppliers price it by distance from the container’s current location, and a quote that looks unusually low often excludes it. Ours is the flat $200 rate above. Ask three questions of any quote: is delivery included, to what address, and what happens if the truck cannot place the container where you want it.
4. Placement method
A tilt-tray truck sliding a container onto a clear, level spot is the cheapest delivery; a standard delivery needs a clear straight approach and room to manoeuvre. A crane lift, needed where the container must clear a fence, go over a building, or land in a spot the truck cannot reach, costs considerably more, and it is quoted on access, lift radius and time on site. Site access is worth checking before you order, not after; our delivery preparation guide covers what to look for.
5. Modifications
Doors, windows, vents, insulation, lining, shelving, electrical fit-out and paint all add cost, and a full conversion into an office, workshop or amenity block costs a multiple of the base container. Modifications are also much cheaper specified up front than retrofitted later. See modified containers.
6. Specialised types
Refrigerated, open top, side-opening, flat rack and high cube units all carry a premium over a standard dry box, because there are far fewer of them and they cost more to build and maintain. A refrigerated container also brings running costs: it needs power at the standing position. Container pools are a separate product again; see what a container pool costs.
7. Market conditions
Container prices move with global shipping. Freight rates, trade imbalances, steel prices and how many empty boxes have accumulated in Australian ports all feed into what a used container costs in any given month, and the same grade of unit can move several hundred dollars over a year. This is why a price quoted a year ago is not a reliable guide to today.
Getting a comparable quote
To compare suppliers fairly, give each the same brief and ask for the same inclusions:
- Size and condition grade: “20ft wind and watertight”, not just “a 20ft”
- Your delivery postcode and any access constraints
- Whether delivery is included and how the container will be placed
- What the container will be used for, in case a different grade or size suits better
Send us those details and we will come back with a price for your situation, or browse used containers to see what is available now.
Common questions about shipping container prices
How much is a shipping container in Australia?
On this site, listed prices in August 2026 started at $1,299 for a used wind and watertight 20ft and $2,300 for a new one-trip 20ft, $1,350 for a used 40ft and $5,400 for a new one-trip 40ft. Delivery is a flat $200 Australia-wide. The live price on each product page is always the current one.
How much does a 20ft shipping container cost in Australia?
On this site a used wind and watertight 20ft starts at $1,299, with most sitting around $2,900. A new one-trip 20ft starts at $2,300 and typically runs about $4,400. Add flat $200 delivery Australia-wide. Prices as listed in August 2026.
How much does a 40ft shipping container cost?
Used 40ft units start at $1,350 standard height and $1,200 for a high cube, with high cubes typically around $2,800. New one-trip 40ft containers start at $5,400. The used 40ft market is unusually well supplied in Australia, which is why the entry price can undercut a 20ft.
How much does a 10ft shipping container cost?
A used wind and watertight 10ft starts at $1,500 on this site, and a new one-trip 10ft starts at $1,535, typically about $2,150. Prices as listed in August 2026, plus flat $200 delivery.
Is a used shipping container much cheaper than a new one?
Yes. Condition is the single biggest price lever: a wind and watertight used unit does the same storage job as a one-trip container for roughly half to two-thirds of the price. Buy one-trip when appearance matters, when the container will be modified, or when it will be shipped again.
Do shipping container prices include delivery?
Ours are quoted separately, at flat $200 Australia-wide with roughly 7-10 business days. Many suppliers price delivery by distance and suburb, so a container that looks a few hundred dollars cheaper can finish dearer once it is on your site. A crane lift costs considerably more than a tilt-tray drop.
Why do container prices vary so much between suppliers?
Three reasons, and only one is the container. Grade is described inconsistently across the industry, delivery is often excluded from the headline figure, and depot location changes what a supplier is holding. Compare quotes on the same grade with delivery included, or you are not comparing the same thing.
Why do shipping container prices change over time?
Container prices track global shipping. Freight rates, trade imbalances, steel prices and the number of empty containers accumulated in Australian ports all feed through to local prices, so a figure quoted a year ago is not a reliable guide to today.
Is it cheaper to buy one 40ft container or two 20ft containers?
On used stock, one 40ft container is usually cheaper than two 20ft units for the same volume, as the price table above shows. At new one-trip prices this can reverse, with two 20ft units sometimes coming in lower than one 40ft. The exception is a site with tight access, where the need for a crane can erase any saving. Weight matters too: two 20ft containers carry more total payload.
What is the cheapest way to buy a shipping container?
Buy used, take the size the market is oversupplied with rather than the size you first pictured, and make sure your site takes a standard delivery so you are not paying for a crane. A used 40ft high cube is usually the most storage per dollar available.