Container hire prices in 2026
Hiring a 20ft container costs £40 – £110 a month on long-term hire (12 months or more), and a 40ft £65 – £158, excl. VAT. On short hire (under 3 months) the monthly rate is about 1.6 to 1.8 times higher; delivery, collection and deposit are extra.
How much does it cost to hire a shipping container per month?
In 2026, hiring a 20ft shipping container long-term costs £40 – £110 a month; a 40ft dry £65 – £158; a 20ft reefer £226 – £551 (excluding electricity); a site cabin £90 – £228. Add delivery and collection, and a deposit.
Full price list: monthly hire rates by size and hire period
Monthly rates excl. VAT, delivery and consumption. Longer hire periods lower the monthly rate, as the table shows; compare quotes for your own dates.
| Format | Short term (<3 months) | Medium (3-12 months) | Long (12+ months) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft dry (storage) | £70 – £197 | £50 – £142 | £40 – £110 |
| 40ft dry | £100 – £260 | £80 – £197 | £65 – £158 |
| 40ft high cube | £110 – £284 | £90 – £213 | £75 – £173 |
| 20ft reefer (refrigerated) | £351 – £945 | £276 – £669 | £226 – £551 |
| Site cabin | £141 – £354 | £110 – £276 | £90 – £228 |
Indicative model ranges, excluding round-trip delivery, deposit and consumption. Confirm price, duration, services and return conditions in the quote.
Additional costs to consider
Monthly rent may not represent the full cost. Obtain separate prices for the five items below; their share depends on duration, contract and services, with no established average percentage.
Delivery round trip for a 20-foot container
£263 – £525Outbound + return delivery of the container at the end of the rental period. Cost varies with distance from the depot and site access (additional crane: +£210 – £525).
Delivery round trip for a 40-foot container
£420 – £840Flatbed truck required, 14 m. The return is charged at the round-trip rate even if the lease is terminated early.
Deposit
£525 – £2,625Deposit amount, payment, deductions and refund period follow the contract. Photograph condition at delivery and return and retain jointly agreed records. Refund depends on these terms, with no guaranteed deadline or automatic full refund.
Restoration / cleaning
£84 – £263Charged if the container returns dirty, painted, or modified. Delivery condition photos recommended to avoid disputes.
Early termination penalty
1 to 3 months' rentThe contract specifies early termination conditions, notice and any fees. Obtain their written calculation before signing; no fixed number of rental months applies universally.
Leasing or purchase: the break-even point
Compare buying and renting over the period you need the container. Include the purchase price or rent, delivery and collection, maintenance, insurance and financing. If you plan to resell it, use a cautious estimate: the resale value is not guaranteed. There is no number of months after which one option is always cheaper. Use quotes for your market to do the calculation.
Special cases: for a reefer, purchasing becomes profitable at 30 to 36 months (cold unit maintenance is expensive). For a site bungalow, purchasing only makes sense if you have multiple consecutive construction sites — otherwise the flexibility of leasing prevails.
6 factors that influence rental price
Duration of commitment
This is the number one lever. Moving from short-term (<3 months) to long-term (12+ months) reduces the monthly rent by a factor of 1.6 to 1.8. Negotiating a minimum commitment of six months is always worth it.
Container format
20' dry and 40' dry are the cheapest. A reefer costs 5 to 7 times more than an equivalent dry container. A fitted-out site bungalow is priced between the two.
Seasonality
High tension in March-June (construction industry starts, agriculture prepares storage). The best rates can be negotiated from November-February, including with a commitment postponed until spring.
Geographical area
Major port zones and major logistics axes (Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Antwerp, Hamburg) have the deepest fleets, hence more competition on prices.
Included options
Reefer maintenance, service contract, damage insurance, GPS tracking: these options (often optional) can add 10 to 20% to the base rental cost.
Volume / lots
Renting 3 containers from the same supplier allows for negotiating a discount of 5 to 10%, especially on medium and long-term commitments.
Container hire prices: frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest container hire rate in 2026?+
Around £40 a month for a 20ft dry storage container on a long-term commitment (12+ months). Short-term (under 3 months), expect 70 to 90% more.
Does container hire include maintenance?+
For a dry container, there is no maintenance as such: it is a steel box with nothing to break down. For a reefer, yes: a service contract is almost always included, which is essential because a failed cooling unit puts all the goods at risk. For a site cabin, light maintenance (furniture, sockets) may be your responsibility, depending on the contract.
What does delivery cost?+
Allow for delivery and collection: £263 – £525 for a 20ft, £420 – £840 for a 40ft. The price depends on the distance from the depot and access difficulties (narrow access, need for a mobile crane: +£210 – £525).
What deposit will be requested?+
It depends on the contract: the amount (indicatively £525 – £2,625), payment, deductions and refund period are set there. Photograph the container's condition at delivery and return and keep jointly agreed records: the refund depends on these terms, with no guaranteed deadline or automatic full refund.
Can I end a hire contract early?+
It depends on the contract, which sets the early termination conditions, notice and any fees. Get the calculation in writing before signing; no fixed number of months applies to every contract.
Can I modify the rented container (paint it, drill holes, add a grille)?+
No, not without written agreement. Any unauthorised modification will be charged as restoration work (full repaint: £315 – £630, repair welding: £84 – £263 per weld). If you need to modify the container, buy one instead.
What VAT applies to container hire?+
Container hire in the UK normally carries VAT at the standard rate (20 %) on the hire charge, delivery and options. Check the invoice, the place of supply and any special scheme, especially for cross-border hire. VAT-registered businesses can usually reclaim it when the container is used for taxable activities.
What happens if I keep the container longer than planned?+
It depends on the contract: check whether it provides automatic or agreed extensions, the rate that applies and the notice period. Get written confirmation before the end date; availability and a change to another rate are not guaranteed.
Also worth seeing
Container rental: comprehensive pillar
Our pillar page on container rental: uses, suppliers, procedures, contracts.
Purchase or rental?
The 18-month rule, exceptions (reefer, site bungalow), simple TCO calculation.
Construction site container rental
BTP use cases: site bungalows, site accommodation units, tool storage, security.
Get container hire quotes, subject to supplier availability
Up to 5 partner suppliers compete for your exact need. Free, no obligation.