01
Enter FOB price and shipment quantity
The per-unit FOB price is your supplier quote. The quantity lets the calculator divide all shared shipment costs (freight, broker fee, insurance, other) accurately across units.
Landed Cost Calculator
Find your true per-unit import cost after freight, duty, and fees.
Updated Reviewed by Sajid Hussain· Editor
Try it with your numbers
Results update in real time as you type — no submit needed.
Your numbers
Results
⚡
Results appear as you type
No submit button needed
Why trust this calculator
Last updated
June 9, 2026
Coverage
9 markets · 8 currencies
Privacy
Calculated in-browser · no data stored
Pricing
Free forever · no sign-up
Landed cost — the real import number
Why your supplier quote is not your real product cost — and how to find it
Landed cost is the total all-in cost of a product at its final destination — the supplier FOB price plus every charge from factory to warehouse: international freight, import duties assessed on the CIF value, customs broker clearance fees, cargo insurance, and port or last-mile delivery. Those costs typically add 20–60% on top of the FOB price. When a supplier quotes 10 per unit, that is only the starting point — ignoring what comes after it is one of the most common reasons ecommerce pricing models break down.
Customs duties are assessed on the CIF value — the combined Cost, Insurance, and Freight — not just the FOB factory price. This means freight costs directly increase the duty you pay, not just your freight line. A higher freight rate raises the duty base, which raises the duty itself — a compounding effect most simple import calculators miss. This calculator uses the CIF basis for all duty calculations.
The landed cost multiplier — how many times higher your landed cost is versus the FOB price — is a useful rule of thumb for future shipments. Once you know that your product category from a given origin runs at a 1.35× multiplier, you can quickly estimate landed cost for any new product from the same route by multiplying the FOB quote by 1.35. Always check it against actual freight quotes before committing to a large order.
How it works
Every cost line that builds up your landed cost per unit
Enter the shipment details and the calculator allocates every cost down to the unit level.
02
Add total freight cost
Enter the total sea or air freight bill for the shipment — not per-unit, but the full amount quoted by your freight forwarder. It will be divided by quantity automatically.
03
Enter your customs duty rate
Find the rate from your product's HTS code. The calculator applies this rate to the CIF value (FOB + insurance + freight per unit), which is how duty is actually assessed at most customs borders.
04
Add broker fee and optional charges
Enter the customs broker clearance fee and any additional charges like port handling, drayage, or cargo insurance. These are spread across the full shipment quantity.
05
Read your per-unit landed cost and multiplier
The landed cost per unit is the number you should use for all pricing and margin calculations. The multiplier tells you how to quickly estimate future shipments from the same route.
Steps to use the Landed Cost Calculator: Enter FOB price and shipment quantity, Add total freight cost, Enter your customs duty rate, Add broker fee and optional charges, Read your per-unit landed cost and multiplier.
Formula
The landed cost calculation step by step
Each cost component calculated explicitly, in the order customs authorities and freight accountants use.
01
FOB total value
Total FOB Value = FOB Price per Unit × Quantity
The aggregate factory-gate value of the shipment — the base for insurance rate calculations.
02
CIF value per unit (duty basis)
CIF per Unit = FOB per Unit + Freight per Unit + Insurance per Unit
The value on which customs duties are assessed in most countries. Includes insurance and freight so duty is slightly higher than if assessed on FOB alone.
03
Customs duty per unit
Duty per Unit = CIF per Unit × Duty Rate ÷ 100
Import tariff applied to the CIF value. A 7.5% rate on an 11.65 CIF unit gives 0.87 in duty.
04
All shared costs per unit
Shared per Unit = (Freight + Broker Fee + Other Fees) ÷ Quantity
Fixed shipment costs divided equally across all units. Larger shipments have lower per-unit fixed costs.
05
Landed cost per unit
Landed Cost = FOB per Unit + Freight per Unit + Duty per Unit + Insurance per Unit + Broker per Unit + Other per Unit
The complete all-in cost per unit at your warehouse. Use this — not the FOB price — as the base for all pricing and margin decisions.
06
Landed cost multiplier
Multiplier = Landed Cost per Unit ÷ FOB per Unit
A convenient shortcut. Once you know a route's typical multiplier, multiply any new FOB quote by it to estimate landed cost instantly.
Worked example
A 500-unit sea freight shipment from China
Default inputs: FOB {{productCostFob}}/unit, {{quantity}} units, {{freightTotal}} freight, 7.5% duty, {{brokerFee}} broker fee, 0.5% insurance, {{otherFeesTotal}} other fees.
Scenario
You order 500 units at $10.00 FOB. Total freight is charged at $1.60 per unit after dividing the shipment cost. Customs duty is 7.5%.
1
Step 1 · Freight and insurance per unit
Freight: $800.00 ÷ 500 units = $1.60. Insurance: $10.00 × 0.5% = $0.05. These two items form the non-product component of the CIF value.
Freight + insurance per unit: $1.60 + $0.05
2
Step 2 · CIF value for duty assessment
$10.00 (FOB) + $1.60 (freight) + $0.05 (insurance) = $11.65 CIF per unit. This is the value that duty is assessed on — not the FOB price.
CIF per unit: $11.65
3
Step 3 · Customs duty
$11.65 × 7.5% = $0.87 per unit. Note: freight is included in the duty base, so higher freight also raises your duty bill.
Duty per unit: $0.87
4
Step 4 · Broker and other fees per unit
Broker: $200.00 ÷ 500 = $0.40. Other fees: $300.00 ÷ 500 = $0.60. Small per-unit but non-trivial on a small shipment.
Broker + other per unit: $0.40 + $0.60
5
Step 5 · Landed cost per unit
$10.00 + $1.60 + $0.87 + $0.05 + $0.40 + $0.60 = $13.52. The 1.35× multiplier means every future shipment from this route can be quickly estimated by multiplying the FOB quote by 1.35.
Landed cost: $13.52 (1.35× FOB)
The takeaway
A $10.00 FOB product costs $13.52 by the time it reaches your warehouse — a 1.35× multiplier. This number, not the supplier quote, is the correct base for your pricing and margin calculations. The total shipment cost is $6,760.00.
Benchmarks
Landed cost ranges and import duty benchmarks
Typical ranges for landed cost multipliers and duty rates. Actual figures depend heavily on product category, origin country, and freight mode.
| Metric | Poor | Average | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Landed cost multiplier (sea freight, typical) Flexport Import Cost Guide 2024 | > 1.8× | 1.4–1.6× | 1.2–1.4× | < 1.2× |
Freight as % of product value (sea) Flexport Import Cost Guide 2024 | > 30% | 10–20% | 5–10% | < 5% |
US import duty rate (most consumer goods) USITC HTS Tariff Database 2025 | > 20% | 5–10% | 2–5% | 0–2% |
Customs broker fee (US, standard entry) Flexport Import Cost Guide 2024 | > 400 | 150–300 | 75–150 | < 75 |
Cargo insurance rate (sea freight) Trade Finance Global 2024 | > 1% | 0.4–0.7% | 0.2–0.4% | < 0.2% |
Why Calcrux
Calcrux vs other landed cost calculators
Most landed cost tools are either gated behind freight forwarder accounts or require a quote. Calcrux gives you an instant, accurate calculation with the CIF duty basis built in.
| Feature | Calcrux | Flexport Calculator | Freightos Estimator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instant calculation, no account required | |||
| CIF basis for duty (not FOB) | |||
| Separate insurance line item | |||
| Customs broker fee input | |||
| Other fees / port charges input | |||
| Landed cost multiplier output | |||
| Per-unit and total shipment cost outputs | |||
| High-duty and expensive-freight warnings | |||
| Works in any currency | |||
| Free, no signup required |
Common mistakes
6 import cost mistakes that inflate your landed cost
Pricing from FOB cost instead of landed cost
Why it matters
A 50% markup on a 10 FOB product looks like a 5 profit — but if landed cost is 13.50, the actual margin is negative at a 15 selling price.
Fix
Always calculate landed cost first. Use it — not the FOB price — as the base for all markup and pricing models.
Applying duty to the FOB price instead of CIF
Why it matters
Most customs authorities (US CBP, EU, Australia, UK) assess duty on CIF value. Using FOB understates the duty bill by the freight and insurance component.
Fix
This calculator uses the CIF basis by default. When manually calculating duty, always add freight and insurance to the product cost before applying the duty rate.
Using the wrong HTS code
Why it matters
Misclassifying your product can result in either overpaying duty or underpaying and facing penalties, fines, or shipment holds on audit.
Fix
Verify your HTS code with a licensed customs broker before importing. The USITC HTS lookup tool (hts.usitc.gov) is free and authoritative for US imports.
Ignoring Section 301 or additional tariffs
Why it matters
Many goods from China carry additional Section 301 tariffs of 7.5–25% that stack on top of the standard HTS duty rate. Not entering these makes the landed cost calculation dangerously optimistic.
Fix
Check both the standard HTS rate and any applicable additional tariff actions (Section 301, anti-dumping) when looking up your duty rate.
Forgetting port and last-mile delivery costs
Why it matters
Port handling, container terminal fees, chassis rental, drayage to warehouse, and 3PL receiving fees can add 0.50–3.00 per unit and are rarely included in freight quotes.
Fix
Ask your freight forwarder for a door-to-door quote that includes terminal fees and inland delivery. Enter these in the "other fees" field.
Not recalculating landed cost when freight rates change
Why it matters
Ocean freight rates can triple during peak season or supply chain disruptions. A product that was profitable at 800 total freight may be marginal at 2,400.
Fix
Run a scenario with 2× and 3× your current freight cost. If the margin cannot survive a freight spike, you need a higher selling price or a domestic supplier.
Tips
6 ways to reduce your landed cost
Order more, dilute fixed costs
Broker fees, port charges, and a portion of freight are fixed per shipment. Doubling the quantity roughly halves these per-unit costs. Model the break-even quantity where the savings justify the extra inventory risk.
Benchmark suppliers with multiplier math
Once you know your typical multiplier for a trade lane (e.g. 1.35× for China sea to US East Coast), multiply any new FOB quote by it to instantly compare suppliers on a landed-cost basis.
Ship early, avoid peak surcharges
Trans-Pacific rates surge significantly in pre-holiday months (August–October). Consolidating Q4 inventory into an earlier shipment when rates are lower can save 20–40% on freight.
Research duty before sourcing
A product with a 25% duty rate plus Section 301 tariffs may have a landed cost 60% above the FOB price. Duty rate research is due diligence — do it before placing a sourcing order.
Try LCL for small shipments
Less-than-container load (LCL) consolidation is usually cheaper than air freight for shipments under 2 CBM. Get a door-to-door LCL quote and compare it to your current freight assumption.
Prefer FOB over DDP pricing
Some suppliers offer DDP pricing where they handle customs — but they often over-charge duty and pocket the difference. FOB with your own customs broker gives you full cost visibility and usually lower total cost.
Use cases
Who uses a landed cost calculator
The Landed Cost Calculator works across every stage of the workflow.
Amazon FBA Seller / Private Label Importer
Calculates the per-unit landed cost for a new private label product to verify whether the target selling price leaves a viable margin after Amazon fees.
DTC Brand Owner / Procurement Manager
Runs both scenarios — local supplier at higher FOB vs overseas at lower FOB with import costs — to find the actual cost crossover point.
Wholesale Buyer / Retail Merchandiser
Uses the landed cost as the true cost base for the category markup calculation, ensuring the retail price is set from the real unit economics, not the factory quote.
Operations Manager / Supply Chain Lead
Tests current freight rates and a 2× spike scenario to find the selling price that keeps the margin above 30% even in a disrupted freight market.
Finance Analyst / Product Manager
Runs the calculator for multiple SKUs and imports the per-unit landed costs into a unit economics spreadsheet to replace the FOB-based cost assumptions.
New Importer / Ecommerce Entrepreneur
Uses the calculator to understand why landed cost is higher than the supplier quote and what each cost component contributes to the final per-unit number.
Glossary
Import costs and landed cost — key terms
Every important term you'll encounter in this calculator and the broader topic.
- FOB (Free On Board)
- The price at which goods are loaded onto the vessel at the origin port. All costs from that point — freight, insurance, duty, customs clearance — are the buyer's responsibility.
- CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight)
- The value of goods inclusive of cost, insurance, and freight to the destination port. Most customs authorities use CIF as the base for calculating import duty.
- Landed cost
- The total all-in cost of a product at its destination warehouse: FOB price + freight + customs duty + insurance + broker fees + other import charges.
- Landed cost multiplier
- Landed cost divided by FOB price. A 1.35× multiplier means total import costs add 35% on top of the factory price. A useful shortcut for estimating future shipments on the same route.
- HTS code (Harmonized Tariff Schedule)
- A standardised 10-digit product classification code used by US customs to determine the applicable duty rate. Every importable product has one. Look yours up at hts.usitc.gov.
- Customs broker
- A licensed agent who handles customs clearance paperwork and compliance on your behalf. Required for commercial imports above de minimis thresholds in most countries.
- Section 301 tariffs
- Additional US tariffs of 7.5–25% applied to many Chinese goods under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. These stack on top of the standard HTS duty rate.
- LCL (Less-than-Container Load)
- A shipping arrangement where your goods share container space with other importers' cargo. Cheaper than full container for small shipments; more expensive per CBM than FCL at scale.
Help & answers
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about how the Landed Cost Calculator works.
01What is landed cost?
Landed cost is the total cost of a product at its final destination — everything you pay to get one unit from the factory to your warehouse. It includes the supplier FOB price, international freight, import duties, customs broker fees, cargo insurance, and any last-mile delivery or port charges.
02What does FOB mean in import pricing?
FOB (Free On Board) is the standard trade term meaning the supplier's quoted price includes delivery to the origin port — but you are responsible for all costs from that point forward: ocean or air freight, import duties, customs clearance, and delivery to your warehouse. Most Chinese factory quotes are FOB.
03How is customs duty calculated for imports?
Import duty in most countries is assessed on the CIF value — Cost + Insurance + Freight. If your product costs 10/unit FOB and freight adds 1.60/unit, the CIF value is roughly 11.60. At a 7.5% duty rate, you pay 0.87 per unit in duty. This calculator uses the CIF basis automatically.
04What is the landed cost multiplier?
The landed cost multiplier is your landed cost divided by the FOB price. A multiplier of 1.35 means your total import cost is 35% above what the supplier charged. For sea freight shipments, the typical range is 1.2–1.6×. High freight-to-value ratios (air freight, small quantities, heavy goods) push it higher.
05What is the typical landed cost multiplier for sea freight?
Most sea freight shipments from China to the US or EU land in the 1.2–1.5× range: about 20–50% above the FOB price. Air freight can push the multiplier to 1.6–2.5× because airfreight costs 4–6× more per kilogram than sea freight. The exact figure depends on freight rates, duty rates, and your product's value density.
06What customs duty rate should I use for US imports?
The US duty rate depends on your product's Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) code. Most consumer goods range from 3–7.5%, but some categories (textiles, footwear, electronics) carry higher rates, and Section 301 tariffs add 7.5–25% on many goods from China. Look up your specific HTS code at hts.usitc.gov for the accurate rate.
07What are customs broker fees?
A customs broker handles the paperwork and regulatory compliance for importing your goods. In the US, broker fees typically run 75–300 per shipment for standard commercial entries. This flat fee is divided across all units in the shipment, so larger shipments have a lower broker cost per unit.
08Should I include insurance in landed cost calculations?
Yes, if you carry cargo insurance. Marine cargo insurance typically costs 0.3–0.5% of the shipment value. For a 5,000 shipment at 0.5%, that is 25 — small on its own but it forms part of the CIF value that duties are assessed on, and it is a real cost that should be in your pricing.
09How does air freight affect landed cost?
Air freight costs roughly 4–6× more per kilogram than sea freight. For light, high-value goods, the price premium may be acceptable; for heavy or bulky items, air freight can make a product completely unviable. Run the calculator with your air freight quote and compare the landed cost to the sea freight scenario.
10What other fees belong in a landed cost calculation?
Common additional charges include: port congestion or handling fees, customs examination fees (ISF, CES, ABI charges in the US), drayage from port to warehouse, and last-mile delivery or 3PL receiving fees. These vary by shipment and destination but collectively add another 0.50–2.00 per unit on many standard orders.
11How do I use landed cost to set a selling price?
Use your landed cost per unit — not the FOB price — as the base for markup and pricing calculations. If your FOB is 10 but landed cost is 13.50, setting a 50% markup on the FOB price gives you an apparent margin that disappears once you account for import costs. Always price from the landed cost.
12Can I use this calculator for shipments in any currency?
Yes — fully global. Enter all monetary values in your operating currency and all outputs will display in the same currency. Switch your region via the globe icon to change the currency symbol. The underlying landed cost formula is currency-neutral.
Keep exploring
Related tools
Markup Calculator
Find your selling price, markup %, or margin from any two inputs — any currency.
Open tool
Profit Margin Calculator
All three P&L margins stacked in one view, with markup conversion — any currency.
Open tool
Dropshipping Profit Calculator
See your real dropshipping margin after ads, fees, shipping, and returns.
Open tool
Break-Even Point Calculator
Find exactly how many units you need to sell before every extra sale is profit.
Open tool
Dimensional Weight Calculator
Dimensional, billable, and chargeable weight — all carriers, lb or kg.
Open tool
Category
Ecommerce Seller Operations
Subcategory
financial profitability
Availability
Global · 9 markets
Price
Free forever
Topics
landed cost calculatorimport cost calculatorcustoms duty calculatorlanded cost per unitFOB to landed costimport landed cost formulatotal import cost calculatorcustoms duty and freight calculatorecommerce import costlanded cost multiplierCIF import costproduct import cost calculator
Explore 500+ more tools
Calculators, simulators, and decision tools for every stage of business operations.