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Real pricing data shows that basic PODS container rentals start at around $149 per month for storage. This is often listed as the minimum base monthly rate before additional costs are added.
Most third-party cost guides (based on real quotes) put typical range estimates between about $150 and $350+ per month for a single container rental, depending on size, location, and demand.
That reflects what many people actually pay after delivery and pick-up fees are factored in. It’s not a flat, single number because PODS doesn’t publish a fixed national price sheet; actual pay varies by region and timing.
So when you see a “starting at $149/month” number, understand it as the base storage rate, not a guaranteed total cost in every situation.
The monthly charge that PODS quotes, for example, the often-cited $149/month starting rate, covers your right to keep the container for that billing period.
That includes:
Importantly, this fee does NOT automatically include delivery and pickup, unless the quote or promotion specifically says so. Those logistics costs are typically separate charges.
It also typically does not include optional coverage like contents protection insurance or packing services. Those are add-ons if you choose them.
This distinction matters: many people assume the monthly price is the entire bill for storage. It isn’t; it’s the base fee for using the space.
PODS offers several container sizes, and each one affects cost differently. The company doesn’t list flat national prices, but real estimation guides show how size influences rates:
Those brackets reflect real fee estimates gathered from multiple pricing sources. They aren’t exact universal prices, but they represent the distribution of what people typically pay.
The reason the jump isn’t linear is partly logistics: larger containers require more handling and take more yard space, which pushes cost up more per size increment than raw volume alone.
Delivery and pickup are separate from the base monthly storage fee because each trip involves a real service event — a truck, labor, fuel, scheduling, and routing.
Official pricing disclosures and cost guides confirm that delivery and pickup fees tend to average around $75 to $150 per trip, depending on location and container size.
Some offers or promotions will waive one of these fees (for example, if you rent for multiple months), but that’s the exception, not the rule.
Because every delivery or pickup requires a driver and fuel, each instance is priced as its own service rather than bundled into the monthly storage cost.
Prices vary by U.S. region. High-demand cities, think New York, San Francisco, Seattle, tend to charge more due to higher real estate costs, higher wage rates for drivers and yard staff, and heavier service demand.
Season matters too. Summer is peak moving season, and demand for PODS containers spikes. That pressure often drives prices higher in many markets during those months.
This isn’t arbitrary: it’s a classic supply-and-demand effect layered on the day-to-day cost of doing business in each area.
When you choose to have PODS transport your container to a secure PODS facility instead of keeping it at your own property, there’s another layer of operational cost.
According to cost breakdowns, storage at a secure facility can run around $250 to $350+ per month, depending on container size and region.
That reflects additional handling, yard space, and facility overhead; things that don’t apply when you keep the container on your own driveway, for example.
This explains why “facility storage” costs can be noticeably higher than the base rental fee alone.
It’s common to see PODS moving cost figures alongside storage costs, but they reflect different billing triggers.
Real cost estimates show that storage-only fees per month typically fall in that $150–$350+ range when you’re not moving the container.
By contrast, actual combined moving and storage costs can be much higher because they include transit, mileage charges, and logistical complexity. For example, for a local move, total costs often fall roughly between $200 and $800+ once delivery, pickup, and mileage are included.
For a long-distance move, guide estimates stretch into the $2,000 to $7,000+ range based on distance, container size, and other factors.
The key is separating storage as a time-based rental from moving as a distance-based service. That keeps the pricing picture clearer.
PODS pricing makes more sense once you separate base storage from logistics and location-driven costs.
The PODS storage cost per month is not a single national rate but a starting point that adjusts based on container size, delivery needs, season, and whether the unit stays on-site or at a facility.
Storage is billed by time, while moving and transport are billed by service events, which is where many estimates go wrong. Understanding that distinction helps avoid surprises and plan more accurately.
Before booking, compare local quotes, check for delivery fees, and factor in how long you’ll actually need storage. Take a few minutes to price your specific scenario and confirm what’s included before committing.
Ethan Clarke helps readers choose and use storage wisely across storage units and temporary storage. He manages multi-site self-storage operations and has overseen unit mix, climate control, and long-term rental policies for over a decade. Ethan earned a B.S.B.A. in Supply Chain Management from the University of Arkansas (Walton College). His guides cover right-sizing, seasonal rotation, protection plans, and move-in/move-out checklists that cut damage and fees.
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