Warehouse Storage Cost Calculator
Rent per square foot is the smaller half.
Monthly warehouse cost
$16,508
$0.393 per unit stored
Labour is 58.2% of the total, which is why comparing warehouses on rent per square foot misses most of the cost. The fully loaded figure of $3.30 per square foot per month is the number to use in any comparison.
How the Warehouse Storage Cost Calculator works
Labour is usually the largest line in a warehouse budget, which is why comparing sites on rent per square foot misses most of the cost. The fully loaded figure — property, labour, utilities and equipment over the area — is the only number worth comparing.
Not financial advice. Marketplace fees change, and they vary by country, plan and seller status. Every rate here is an editable default, not a quoted price — check the platform's current fee schedule before you price a product against it. This is not tax or business advice.
Frequently asked questions
What does a warehouse actually cost to run?
Rent and service charge, utilities, labour, equipment and racking, insurance and business rates. Labour commonly exceeds property cost, particularly in a pick-and-pack operation.
How do I compare two warehouses?
On fully loaded cost per square foot per month, adjusted for how much usable storage each provides. A cheaper site with lower ceilings can cost more per pallet position.
Should I include labour in storage cost?
For decision-making, yes. Labour scales with throughput rather than with space, so allocating it separately from storage is more accurate — but excluding it entirely makes the warehouse look half as expensive as it is.
When does a third-party warehouse make sense?
Below the volume that justifies a full-time team, and above the point where your own space is constraining growth. The middle is where owning is usually cheapest.