Shipping cost calculator

Shipping is the biggest hidden cost of any haul, and every agent quotes it differently. Enter your parcel dimensions, weight and destination for a neutral estimate across the main express lines, so you can see what the choice of line actually costs you before you pick one.

EMS EconomyCHEAPEST
$29.50
712 days
UPS Worldwide
$39.50
1216 days
FedEx Priority
$43.50
35 days
DHL ExpressFASTEST
$46.50
59 days

Estimates based on average agent rates; actual cost varies with packaging, route, declared value and value-added services. Chargeable weight is the greater of actual and volumetric (L×W×H ÷ 5000).

How it works

  1. Enter the parcel dimensions in centimetres and the weight in kilograms.
  2. Pick your destination country.
  3. Compare the lines: the calculator shows chargeable weight, price and rough delivery time for each.

About this tool

The volumetric-weight rule is applied, because ignoring it is what makes estimates wrong: carriers charge on the greater of real weight and box volume divided by 5000. A 14 kg box of shoes and a 14 kg box of jeans do not cost the same to send.

Where a destination has been checked against a real recent agent quote, the estimate is corrected to match and says so on the page. That matters most for the United States right now — since the de-minimis exemption for goods from China ended, the cheap US lines are duty-paid routes and carry the import charge inside the freight price, which roughly doubled what the old averages predicted.

Common questions

What is volumetric weight?

Length × width × height in centimetres, divided by 5000. Carriers charge on that or on the real weight, whichever is larger, because a box of pillows takes the same space on the plane as a box of books.

Why is shipping to the US so much more expensive now?

The de-minimis exemption for goods from China ended, so parcels that used to enter duty-free no longer do. The cheap US lines agents offer are duty-paid routes, meaning the import charge is now inside the shipping price rather than a separate bill later.

Is this the price my agent will charge?

No — it is a neutral estimate, not a quote. Agents differ, and rates move. Always check the real quote in your agent before you pay; this is for budgeting and for comparing lines against each other.

Which line should I pick?

For a heavy haul the cheapest economy line usually wins by a wide margin and costs you a week. For something light and urgent the express lines are worth it. The gap narrows on duty-paid routes, where much of the price is the duty rather than the freight.

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