A storage unit in San Antonio typically costs about $36 to $41 a month for a 5x5, roughly $70 to $97 for a 10x10, and $123 to $172 for a 10x20, depending on which market tracker you read. Those are street rates, meaning the advertised price before promotions, fees and insurance. This guide shows what drives the spread, what the real first-month bill looks like, and how to rent without overpaying.
TL;DR
- Average San Antonio street rates in autumn 2026 run about $36 to $41 for a 5x5, $58 for a 5x10 and $70 to $97 for a 10x10, according to UnitSight and StorageCafe.
- The market has a lot of new supply, so rates are soft and online discounts are common. Renters have more leverage than they did a few years ago.
- Climate control costs only a few dollars more on most sizes. Vehicle storage is taxed in Texas; ordinary unit rent is not.
- The advertised rate is not your first-month bill. Ask about admin fees, lock costs, insurance and what the rate becomes after the promo.
- Our own unit sizes and climate-controlled options are on our South San Antonio storage page. Pricing there is shown at checkout for the unit you pick.
Table of Contents
- What storage units cost in San Antonio by size
- Why San Antonio rates are soft right now
- Climate-controlled versus standard units
- RV, boat and vehicle storage
- The real first-month cost
- Ways to pay less without cutting corners
- Who pays what: four common scenarios
- Our perspective on storage pricing
- Rent a unit in South San Antonio
- FAQ
- Sources
What storage units cost in San Antonio by size
Two trackers publish San Antonio averages, and they do not agree exactly. That is normal: each samples different facilities and dates. Read the numbers as a range, not a quote.
| Unit size | UnitSight average (Sept. 2026) | StorageCafe average (Sept. 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 5x5 | about $36 | $41 |
| 5x10 | $36 to $51 | $58 |
| 10x10 | $70 to $94 | $97 |
| 10x15 | not listed | $135 |
| 10x20 | $123 to $159 | $172 |
| 10x30 | not listed | $240 |
Sources: UnitSight San Antonio price tracker and StorageCafe San Antonio statistics.
StorageCafe reports that the average 10x10 in the city is about $97 a month, down 3% from a year earlier. So the direction is flat to downward, not up.
How to read the table
Prices do not scale evenly with square footage. A 10x10 holds four times what a 5x5 does but costs about two to three times as much. If you are between sizes, the bigger unit is often the better value per square foot, and it saves you a second rental if your stuff grows.
As a rough guide to what fits:
- 5x5: a closet's worth. Roughly 20 to 25 boxes and a small piece of furniture. See what fits in a 5x5.
- 5x10: a small apartment or a dorm room, or inventory for a small online seller. Our guide to small apartment storage explains when a 5x10 beats a 5x5.
- 10x10 and 10x15: a one- to two-bedroom home. Check ceiling height and packing tips in our 10x15 guide.
- 10x20 and 10x30: a full house, a large renovation, or business stock and equipment.
Why San Antonio rates are soft right now
San Antonio is a fast-growing metro with relatively low living costs, and storage operators have built accordingly. StorTrack's market review describes 14 new projects adding more than 960,000 rentable square feet. It reports walk-in rates for climate-controlled units down about 17% over twelve months and online rates down about 18.2%.
What that means for you:
- Online beats walk-in on price. Operators are discounting heavily on the web to hold occupancy.
- Promotions are the norm. First-month-free or reduced-rent offers are common across the city.
- Rates can change after move-in. A low entry price is a competitive tool. Ask when and how rent can increase.
The supply wave also depends on construction costs. Local builders put new single-story drive-up storage at $40 to $95 per square foot and multi-story climate-controlled buildings at $80 to $145. Newer, multi-story buildings cost more to build, which is one reason an indoor unit can carry a different price than a ground-level drive-up.
Climate-controlled versus standard units
In a Texas summer, temperature and humidity matter for wood furniture, electronics, instruments, photographs, documents and mattresses. The good news is the premium is usually modest. UnitSight puts the climate-controlled premium at about 3% over standard pricing. StorageCafe's averages show a wider gap on larger units: its 10x10 climate-controlled average is $106 against $97 for a standard unit, and its 10x20 is $189 against $172.
So expect a few dollars extra on small units and perhaps $10 to $20 more on big ones. If you are storing anything you would not leave in a parked car in August, it is worth paying.
One caution: "climate controlled" is not a regulated term, and facilities define it differently. Before paying extra, read our piece on climate-controlled storage and humidity logs so you know what to ask for.
RV, boat and vehicle storage
Vehicle storage is priced differently, and it is taxed differently. Rates depend on length, whether the space is covered or open, and the access you need.
The tax point surprises people. The Texas Self Storage Association explains that sales tax is not collected on self-storage unit rent, but must be collected on all rent and charges for vehicle or trailer parking or storage. The same source gives the Texas state rate of 8.25% for those vehicle charges, so budget for it on top of the quoted rent.
If you own an RV or boat, look at our RV storage and boat storage pages for the spaces we offer in South San Antonio.
The real first-month cost
The street rate is the smallest part of surprise bills. Texas industry guidance is clear that every fee has to be written into the rental agreement to be enforceable, including late charges, administrative fees and lock-cutting charges. The same guidance warns that low web rates often leave out items like required protection plans, setup fees and lock purchases. The association's lease essentials explain that the lease lists the dollar amounts due on move-in day and any that could apply later.
Before you sign anything, build this line-by-line:
| Item | Ask this |
|---|---|
| Monthly rent | Is this the promo rate or the standard rate? When does it change? |
| Admin or setup fee | Is it one-time, and is it listed separately from rent? |
| Insurance or protection plan | Is it required? Can I use my own renter's or homeowner's coverage? |
| Lock | Do I have to buy one, and is a disc lock required? |
| Late and overlock fees | What are the amounts and the grace period? |
| Sales tax | Does it apply (vehicles) or not (units)? |
| Move-out | How much notice is required, and is rent prorated? |
Add the first-month total and compare facilities on that number, not on the headline.
Ways to pay less without cutting corners
Pick the right size, not the biggest. Measure your pile, then stack vertically. Ceiling height is free space.
Rent online. With digital discounting widespread in this market, the web rate is usually the lowest one you will see. Our Touchless Rentals™ system lets you reserve and rent without visiting first, and our 24-hour contactless kiosk handles access afterward.
Go month-to-month. Short-term storage, such as a summer break or a renovation, should not lock you into a long contract. Month-to-month leases let you leave when the project ends.
Cut the packing bill. Boxes add up. If you only need them for a short stretch, renting moving boxes can cost less than buying new ones, and you avoid storing flattened cardboard afterward.
Declutter first. Every box you sell or donate before the move is rent you do not pay. Even moving from a 10x10 to a 5x10 saves real money over a year.
Compare facilities on equal terms. Same size, same climate setting, same access type (drive-up or indoor), same insurance assumptions.
Who pays what: four common scenarios
These are illustrative sizing examples using the averages above, not quotes from us.
- College student, summer break: a 5x5 for a dorm's worth of belongings. At the $36 to $41 average, that is a few months of rent in the low hundreds of dollars, before fees.
- Family renovating a kitchen: a 10x10 for furniture and boxes. At $70 to $97 a month, a three-month project is roughly $210 to $291 in rent, before fees.
- Small business with inventory: a 5x10 or 10x10. Our guide to what a 5x10 can hold helps you check before you rent.
- New homeowner between closings: a 10x15 or 10x20 for a household. At StorageCafe's averages of $135 and $172, two months run $270 to $344 in rent.
Our perspective on storage pricing
We run a storage facility in South San Antonio, and the pricing conversation we find most useful is the one about total cost, not the ad price. A low headline number means little if the first bill includes fees nobody mentioned.
That is why we built our rental flow around transparency and convenience. You can pick a size online, rent from your phone through Touchless Rentals™, and use the kiosk at any hour. Our facility features gated access, video surveillance, drive-up access, open parking, ADA-accessible spaces and climate-controlled units, so you can match the unit to what you are storing rather than defaulting to the cheapest tier.
Our advice: choose by what you store and how long. If it is furniture and electronics through a Texas summer, pay the small climate premium. If it is tools and outdoor gear for six weeks, a standard drive-up unit is plenty. And always read the lease before you pay.
— Ian
Rent a unit in South San Antonio
If you have a size in mind, you can see our available units, from lockers and 5x5s up to 10x30s, on our self-storage page. You can also start at our home page or visit the Roosevelt location page. For big loads, see our 10x20 and 10x30 units.
FAQ
How much does a storage unit cost in San Antonio?
Most renters pay about $36 to $41 a month for a 5x5, $70 to $97 for a 10x10 and $123 to $172 for a 10x20, based on September 2026 data from UnitSight and StorageCafe. Add fees, lock and any insurance for your true first-month cost.
How much is a 10x10 storage unit in San Antonio?
The average 10x10 runs about $70 to $97 a month depending on the tracker. Climate-controlled versions average closer to $106 in StorageCafe's data. Promotions can lower the first month.
Is sales tax charged on storage in Texas?
Not on ordinary self-storage unit rent. Vehicle and trailer storage is different: the Texas Self Storage Association says sales tax applies to those charges. For a tax question about your own situation, ask the facility or a Texas tax professional.
Are San Antonio storage prices going up or down?
They are drifting down. A wave of new supply has pushed online rates down about 18.2% year over year in StorTrack's review, and StorageCafe shows a 3% annual dip for 10x10 units. Ask about future rent increases before you commit.
Sources
- UnitSight: San Antonio, TX self storage prices
- StorageCafe: San Antonio self storage statistics
- List Self Storage: StorTrack Market of the Month, San Antonio
- Terrapin: Self-storage construction in San Antonio
- TXSSA: Sales tax on parking and storage
- TXSSA: Lease essentials