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How do I calculate my true landed cost per unit, including duty, freight and GST?

Total landed cost = CIF value (product + insurance + freight) + Basic Customs Duty + Social Welfare Surcharge (10% of BCD) + IGST on the sum of all of that, then divide by units in the shipment. Run this per SKU in a spreadsheet you update every time freight rates or duty slabs move, because the number you calculated for your last order isn't automatically right for your next one.

Go deeper

3 resources, 2 India-specific, 3 link-checked.

📄 Article
✓ Link checked India Free Intermediate

A government body's own explanation of the BCD + SWS + IGST formula that actually determines your landed cost into India, the calculation behind every calculator tool.

Calculation of Import Duty in India, Formula, Online Tools and Exemptions

From investindia.gov.in by Invest India

  • BCD, SWS and IGST are the three layers on top of CIF value
  • SWS is calculated as 10% of BCD
  • Explains exemptions worth checking before you assume the worst-case rate
Open investindia.gov.in →
🛠️ Tool
✓ Link checked India Freemium Beginner

Turns the BCD/SWS/IGST formula into a usable tool, HS-code-based, current-rate landed-cost estimate before you commit to an order.

India Import Duty Calculator

From dutydecoder.com by DutyDecoder

  • AI-assisted HS code lookup for accurate tariff matching
  • Uses current 2026 MFN tariff schedules
  • Outputs a full landed-cost estimate, not just duty
Open dutydecoder.com →

People also ask

What's the actual difference between COGS and landed cost, and why does mixing them up wreck my margins? 3 → What import duty and GST will I actually pay bringing goods into India? 3 → How do I set my price once I actually know my costs, what margin should I be targeting? 3 → What free tools or calculators can I use to model landed cost before I place an order? 3 → My factory quote and my actual landed cost are miles apart, what am I missing? 3 → How do I estimate my true landed cost before I commit to an order? 4 →

Also in Starting Up

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