How much a container home costs in Spain

A 1-bedroom home built from two 40 ft High Cube containers (2×40) costs between €62,141 and €84,073, VAT included and without land.

Container prices from Spanish depots (2025–2026) and building work with a Spain factor on the Contentar engine, checked in November 2026. IVA (VAT) at 21%. Canarias, Ceuta and Melilla are not covered.

Price by model

Figures from the Contentar cost engine. Balanced finish, one-trip containers, urban plot with water, power and sewage. With IVA (Spanish VAT), a ±15% margin, without land.

Model	Area	Range ±15%	€/m²
1×20 (annex)	14 m²	€26,311 to €35,597	€2,211
1×40 (studio, annex)	28 m²	€36,726 to €49,688	€1,543
2×40 (1 bedroom)	56 m²	€62,141 to €84,073	€1,305
3×40 (2 bedrooms)	84 m²	€87,555 to €118,457	€1,226
4×40 (3 bedrooms)	112 m²	€112,968 to €152,838	€1,187

The 1×20 is the cheapest in total and the most expensive per m². The project, bathroom, transport and connections cost almost the same in a small house and a large one. The 1×20 and the 1×40 are below the minimum dwelling area of many communities: they work as annexes.

The container is the cheapest part

A one-trip 40 ft High Cube costs about €4,950 including VAT. In the 2×40, the two containers are 14% of the bill. The rest is building work and paperwork:

Transport and crane. Crane lorry from the depot to the plot. Goes up with distance and difficult access.
Foundations. Concrete pads or piles. Depends on the soil and the slope.
Cuts and reinforcement. Opening the walls and welding steel frames. Each wall removed between containers costs more.
Insulation and cladding. Thermal insulation, membrane and interior and exterior cladding, per m².
Windows and doors. Thermally broken frames with double glazing.
Electrics. Consumer unit, circuits, lighting and the installer’s certificate (“boletín”).
Bathroom and plumbing. Full bathroom, internal water and waste pipes, hot water.
Flooring. Floating or vinyl floor over the original floor.
Kitchen. Units, worktop and appliances.
Furniture. Bed, sofa, table, storage, lighting and textiles, with delivery and assembly.
Project, licences and fees. Architect, “visado”, geotechnical survey, major works licence, ICIO (up to 4%) and municipal fee.

What pushes the bill up or down

Finish. Budget multiplies the finish lines by 0.78 and Premium by 1.45. Container, transport, foundations, cuts and project do not change.
Used container. A used grade A 40 ft costs about €2,250. You save €2,700 per container, but only after an inspection.
Plot without utilities. Without water, power and sewage, allow another €5,435 for connections, or a septic tank and a well.
Land not yet confirmed. A prior planning enquiry to the ayuntamiento adds about €2,036.
Walls opened between containers. Each joint needs cuts and reinforcement: another €1,811 per joint.

Why “from” is misleading

Many adverts show the price without IVA, transport, foundations or connections. That is several thousand euros that only appear in the quote. The land is never included.

What IVA you pay

The calculator uses the standard 21% IVA. Buying only the container or the module, the architect’s fees and subcontractors pay 21%.

If you contract the construction of your home directly with the builder (“ejecución de obra”), that invoice can be at 10% (VAT Act, art. 91.Uno.3.1º). Ask a tax adviser before you sign.

In Canarias, Ceuta and Melilla there is no IVA: IGIC or IPSI apply. The calculator does not cover those taxes.

Licence, ICIO and fee

The project line includes the architect, “visado”, geotechnical survey, licence and fees. The ICIO (construction tax) cannot exceed 4% of the material execution cost: Barcelona and Valencia charge 4%, Madrid 3.75% and Sevilla 3.22%. It does not include ten-year insurance, which is not compulsory for someone building a single home for their own use.

Work out the cost for your case: number of containers, finish, used container and land.

Work out my cost See the Contentar guide · €19

Indicative estimates, not quotes. Always confirm with whoever does the work.