U-Haul storage: the 12-month rate lock, and what it is worth
U-Haul is the only major US storage chain offering a 12-month rate guarantee, and that is the thing worth understanding about it. Everywhere else the advertised rate is an acquisition price that gets reviewed a few months in, so the lock changes the lifetime cost rather than the headline. Insurance is optional here rather than compulsory, which is the second difference. The monthly figures this page used to lead with came off on 7 September 2026, because nothing supported them.
What the figures on this page are, and are not
Every dollar figure below is ours, not U-Haul's published rate card. They are an editorial estimate held in this page's own code. They are not a survey result, and no free primary source publishes US self-storage rates by market and unit size. We withdrew the national price bands from this site's main pages on 7 September 2026 for exactly that reason; this page has not yet been rebuilt, so the numbers are still here and still unsupported. Read them as an ordering of dearer and cheaper markets at best, never as a price, and get a live quote before you budget anything.
What this site can show you with a source behind it is on the home page: the US Bureau of Labor Statistics producer price index for self-storage operators, and Public Storage's FY2025 Form 10-K. Neither is a quote for a unit here.
What U-Haul storage actually costs in 2026
U-Haul operates roughly 2,100 storage locations across the United States, second only to the combined Extra Space-Life Storage portfolio and Public Storage by location count. Their 2026 pricing for a 10x10 standard unit averages $88 to $182 per month nationally, with climate-controlled at $115 to $237. The headline rate is competitive with CubeSmart and meaningfully below Public Storage and Extra Space in matched submarkets.
U-Haul is privately held by AMERCO (now U-Haul Holding Company, NYSE: UHAL), which limits the public financial detail available. Their published rate cards and consumer-facing pricing are the cleanest source for analysis. The two distinguishing features versus chain competitors are the 12-month price guarantee and the optional insurance policy. Both meaningfully lower the lifetime cost of a U-Haul rental versus the rate-managed insurance-required model used by PSA, EXR, and CubeSmart.
U-Haul facility quality varies widely. Their newer Indoor Storage product, deployed in major metros over the past decade, is comparable to chain-storage standards (climate-controlled, well-lit, secure, app-accessible). Their older properties, particularly the gas-station and dealership-attached units in smaller markets, are often basic at best. The implication is that you cannot evaluate U-Haul on chain-average characteristics; check the specific facility's reviews and amenities before booking.
U-Haul pricing by unit size
5x5
Standard
$42 to $82
Climate
$55 to $107
5x10
Standard
$58 to $108
Climate
$76 to $141
10x10
Standard
$88 to $182
Climate
$115 to $237
10x15
Standard
$112 to $232
Climate
$146 to $302
10x20
Standard
$142 to $292
Climate
$185 to $380
10x30
Standard
$192 to $392
Climate
$250 to $510
U-Haul 10x10 prices in 10 representative US cities
U-Haul 10x10 / 2026
| City | 10x10 monthly | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Houston, TX | $88 to $128 | Heavy U-Haul TX presence |
| Phoenix, AZ | $92 to $132 | Sun Belt growth |
| Atlanta, GA | $98 to $142 | Mid-band |
| Tampa, FL | $102 to $148 | Climate mix |
| Chicago, IL | $112 to $162 | Cook County |
| Denver, CO | $118 to $168 | Mountain West |
| Boston, MA | $152 to $208 | Northeast premium |
| Los Angeles, CA | $172 to $232 | California premium |
| San Diego, CA | $162 to $222 | Coastal CA |
| New York, NY | $178 to $238 | NYC outer boroughs |
The 12-month price-lock math
12-month cost compare / 10x10 / Atlanta
Public Storage
Month 1: $129 (promo)
Months 2-3: $129 (asking rate)
Months 4-12: $162 (post-promo)
$1,845
12-month total
U-Haul (price-locked)
Month 1: $119 (promo or full)
Months 2-12: $119 (locked)
Year 2 increase: $124
$1,428
12-month total, $328 saved vs PSA
The price-lock advantage compounds for any rental over six months. For a one-month or two-month move-bridge rental, the lock is irrelevant and the comparison is on headline rate alone. For a year-plus storage horizon, U-Haul typically beats the rate-managed competitors by $200 to $500 over the first 12 months, before factoring in the optional-insurance savings.