What shipping containers cost in Australia

A used 20ft shipping container costs about $2,000 to $4,000 and a new or one-trip 20ft about $3,300 to $6,900, before GST and delivery, on 2026 dealer price lists. A 40ft high cube runs $3,000 to $5,500 used and $5,500 to $7,900 new. Local delivery adds $330 to $770, interstate $1,200 or more.

A container's price depends on four things: size, grade, location and what has been done to it. A cargo-worthy 20ft can be $2,100 in Perth, while a new 40ft high cube asks about three times that. Then come delivery, which can equal the box on an interstate move, and modifications, which can multiply the cost. This guide sets out 2026 price lists from dealers in WA, QLD and NSW, real units from SCF and Containers First across six states and territories, specialty and converted units, delivery, and how a buyer funds the lot.

What shipping containers cost in Australia

Prices below are 2026 dealer price lists, converted into one table so you can see the spread. The GST basis changes the comparison: Perth Containers, shipping-containers.com.au and Australian Containers quote ex GST, SCF and Direct Supply quote inc GST, and ABC Containers does not say. Figures are indicative market data, not Ventas offers. For a self storage venture built on containers, read our self storage business cost guide.

Two patterns stand out. A used 20ft sits near $2,000 to $4,000 ex GST across the ex GST lists, and the new 20ft band is wide because some suppliers price single trip and high cube units in the same range. The 40ft high cube costs only about $2,000 more than a new 20ft on the same lists, which is why many buyers go bigger. Direct Supply's $5,499 includes GST, so it is not like for like with the ex GST lists. A sponsored Inside Retail article (6 November 2025) gives similar bands, new 40ft high cube at $6,500 to $8,500, but it promotes one supplier.

Grades: new, cargo-worthy, wind and watertight

Suppliers sort units by grade, from most to least expensive: new or single trip, cargo-worthy (CW), wind and watertight (WWT) and as-is. Single trip means one voyage from the factory. Cargo-worthy means it still passes the checks for sea freight. WWT is for storage only and may have dents, rust or marked paint. Australian Containers puts as-is 20ft units from about $1,600 and says only one source publishes that figure. Grade labels differ between sellers, so ask what the grade means in writing and check doors, floor and roof in person. A Sydney removalist guide dated 7 April 2026 puts used 20ft units at $1,800 to $2,500 for budget grade, $2,500 to $3,500 cargo-worthy and $3,500 to $4,500 or more refurbished, with GST not stated. Container Options in Strathfield South lists a special on a used 20ft at $1,818.18 ex GST and a used 40ft at $2,727.27 ex GST, undated and subject to stock.

SCF's clearance page lists three 2007 to 2010 Adelaide WWT 20ft units at $2,350 each ex GST, while a 2025 single trip 20ft in Townsville asked $6,000. The next table lists real units from SCF's clearance page and Containers First in Sydney. All 41 SCF units were marked sold when we opened the page on 28 October 2026, and the Containers First 3038742 listing was also sold, so read them as price evidence, not stock.

Location matters but the table is not like for like. The Darwin 48ft pallet wide unit asked $6,175 against $3,800 for a 2005 Melbourne unit, about 62 per cent more (our arithmetic), and the Darwin build is five years newer. Australian Containers also reports a Fremantle seller at $3,200 to $4,200 for used 20ft units while a Brisbane seller asked $2,200 to $3,200 for cargo-worthy ones the same month. Regional and remote delivery can exceed the value of a used box. Qube lists 20ft and 40ft containers for sale or hire across Tasmania as price upon request, and we found no published Tasmanian price, so get a delivered quote there.

Specialty containers: double door, open top, side opening, refrigerated

Anything with moving parts or cooling plant costs well above a standard unit, because the equipment is the expensive part. Reefers are the clearest example. A working used 20ft costs about $9,000 to $14,000, while a new one costs $44,500 to $52,000.

Non-working units sell for much less: a 20ft insulated unit with a non-operational motor sold at $4,000 and a 21ft insulated unit with a seized compressor at $2,400.

Delivery and tilt tray costs

Delivery is a second price and it varies more than the box does. Check whether a quote includes GST, the truck type (tilt tray, side loader or Hiab crane) and site access. SCF says delivery is by tilt tray (most common), side loader or Hiab crane, and power lines or tight access can rule out a tilt tray. If you run your own, our tilt tray truck price guide covers what those trucks cost to buy.

Australian Containers advertises a flat $450 delivery anywhere in Australia, its own promotion, so confirm in writing. For a used 20ft at $3,000, a $450 delivery is 15 per cent on top (our arithmetic). An interstate move can cost as much as the box.

Modifications and site offices: what the published prices show

Suppliers rarely publish rates for doors, windows, shelving, insulation, lining, electrical or air conditioning. SCF offers power points at 10, 15 or 32 AMP, single phase or 3 phase, and quotes complex designs separately. The cost categories on supplier pages also include site preparation, crane hire or lifting equipment, council permits and approvals. The only dollar evidence is finished units and fit-out packages.

The gap between shell and complete is the useful number. GymBox lists a 20ft high cube shell at $39,500 and the complete unit at $85,000, so the fit-out adds $45,500 (our arithmetic). Basic storage conversions are far cheaper. A used 20ft workshop with shelving asks only $5,500 in Perth. Check council rules before you order a site office or workshop, because permits and approvals are a real cost item on supplier pages. We have not found a published council fee schedule that covers containers nationally.

Who buys containers and what each one needs

• Builders: site storage and offices. They want WWT or cargo-worthy 20ft units with lockable doors, and often a site office that moves from job to job.
• Farmers: secure storage for chemicals, tools and feed. Delivery to a regional property is often the biggest variable.
• Self storage operators and hire businesses: batches of 20ft units. Perth Containers lists hire at $150 to $175 a month for a standard 20ft and $200 to $250 for a 40ft (ex GST, from three months), so the owner of a purchased unit can compare buying against hiring out.
• Retailers and event operators: kiosks, pop-up shops and bars, which are priced on the fit-out, not the steel.

Financing shipping containers

Containers are an easy asset to value because they last for decades and have a deep second-hand market. A lender is cautious about small and unusual deals though. A single $3,000 box is often too small to be worth a lender's assessment on its own, so most lenders prefer the container bought as part of a bigger facility, a fleet or a batch alongside other equipment. A standard dry unit is straightforward. A heavily modified one-off conversion needs a closer look, because fit-out resells poorly and the lender values it on what it would fetch second hand. Ventas is a finance broker, not a lender, so we do not quote rates here. They move with the lender, the security and the file.

Illustrative only, subject to lender assessment. A builder buys four used containers and one site office conversion:

And how it is typically funded:

Part of the cost is funded against the containers, because the lender can resell them, and the fit-out is funded only in part. Putting up property can fund the rest, but your property is then at risk. What makes a container deal fundable:

• A supplier invoice that states the grade, size, price and GST.
• A bundle, since several units or a fleet are easier to place than one cheap box.
• Recent financials and an ABN, or a clear use case such as a hire contract.
• Security or a deposit for conversions, which are the hardest part to fund.

Whether GST can be claimed back, or any deduction applies, depends on your tax position: ask your accountant. To get a number from Ventas, send the supplier quote, the number and size of units, new or used, the delivery address and any conversion quote. See our shipping container finance page, equipment finance and the container finance questions.

This is general information only and not financial, credit, or tax advice. Figures are indicative market data from the sources listed, not Ventas offers, and move with the market. Consider your own circumstances and speak to a professional. All finance is subject to lender assessment and approval.

This article is general information only and not financial, credit, or tax advice. Ventas Asset Lending is a finance broker, not a lender. Approvals are subject to lender assessment. Consider your own circumstances and speak to a qualified professional, including your accountant for any tax questions.