"How much does it cost to ship from China?" has no single answer — price depends on mode, weight vs volume, origin, destination and the season. But here's how the maths actually works so you can estimate and compare quotes properly.
What You're Actually Billed On
Freight is priced on chargeable weight — the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight — or on CBM for sea. Light, bulky cargo costs more than it weighs. The full formula is in CBM & chargeable weight explained.
Rough Cost Ladder (lowest to highest per kg)
| Mode | Relative cost / kg | Sweet spot |
|---|---|---|
| Sea FCL (full container) | $ (lowest) | 13+ CBM |
| Sea LCL (shared) | $$ | 2–13 CBM |
| Sea-air multimodal | $$ | Cost/speed balance |
| Air freight | $$$ | 100–500 kg, urgent |
| Express courier | $$$$ (highest) | Small & urgent |
The Costs Hidden in a "Cheap" Quote
A freight-only rate is never the landed cost. Budget for: export clearance, origin trucking, fuel & security surcharges, destination port/airport fees, customs duty (by HS code), import VAT/GST, and last-mile delivery. A true DDP quote rolls all of it into one number — the only figure worth comparing between forwarders.
How to Lower Your Shipping Cost
- Pick the right mode for your volume — don't air-ship what can wait on the sea (see FCL vs LCL).
- Reduce dead air — right-size cartons; you pay for empty space.
- Consolidate shipments and ship full containers when you can.
- Compare landed (DDP) cost, not headline freight.
Bottom Line
Cost scales with mode and chargeable weight: sea is cheapest per kg, express the priciest. Send us your carton dimensions, weight, origin and destination and we'll give a precise all-in quote within 2 hours — start here.
Sammi Ding
Has handled 500+ shipments from China to Australia, US and Europe. Based in our Shenzhen office, available on WhatsApp at +86 136 8628 7742.