How much does a glamping cabin really cost in 2026?
Factory price, freight, duty, VAT, foundation and install: the full bill for one unit and for 10, from real quotes.
The short answer
A 20ft expandable house or a small apple cabin from China quotes USD 6,000–9,000 at the factory in 2026. By the time it stands on your land, ready to rent, budget roughly 1.5× to 2× that number.
The gap is freight, taxes and everything that happens on site. None of it is in the brochure.
Where the money goes (one example)
A typical breakdown for an expandable house quoted at USD 7,500 FOB, shipping two per 40ft container to a port in Southeast Asia. Your numbers will differ: run them in the calculator.
- ✓Unit price FOB: USD 7,500
- ✓Sea freight share (USD 1,500 per 40HQ ÷ 2): USD 750
- ✓Duty with Form E: USD 0
- ✓VAT and import tax (~13.5%): about USD 1,120
- ✓Clearance and port share: about USD 225
- ✓Landed at port: about USD 9,600
- ✓Trucking, crane, foundation, utilities and install: USD 1,500–4,000
The three numbers that change everything
Units per container. An apple cabin that ships one per container pays double the freight of an expandable that ships two. On long routes to Europe or the Americas that is USD 1,500–2,000 per unit.
Your country's duty. Some trade agreements cut it to 0% (ASEAN with a Form E, Australia under ChAFTA); the US adds tariffs on Chinese steel goods that can push duty past 25%; the EU charges VAT of 19–27% on top.
Site work. A level site with road access and power nearby costs a fraction of a remote beach plot that needs a crane barge.
Ordering 10 units instead of 1
Most factories cut 5–10% from 10 units, and freight, clearance and the inspection visit get shared. Ask for a written 10-unit quote with packing list, container count and lead time before comparing makers.
Questions
Is EXW or FOB better?
FOB includes trucking to the Chinese port and export clearance. EXW is cheaper on paper but you pay those yourself, usually USD 300–500 per container.
Should I pay a deposit?
30% deposit and 70% before shipping is standard. Pay to a company account that matches the contract, never a personal account, and inspect before the balance.