What Does a Pallet Really Cost?

Storing a pallet involves more than the storage line item. Handling labor moves it in and out, insurance covers the inventory value, and facility overhead is spread across every pallet slot. With the defaults, 1,000 pallets stored for 30 days cost $20,205.48 — $15,000 in storage, $2,000 in handling, $205.48 in insurance, and $3,000 in overhead — about $20.21 per pallet.

Benchmarking Your Rate

3PL storage rates commonly range from $0.30 to $1.00 per pallet per day, with handling $1.50–$3.00 per pallet. If your fully loaded cost per pallet exceeds $25–$30, it is worth renegotiating or re-laying-out the warehouse. The cost-per-pallet figure is also the correct input for SKU-level margin analysis.