How Much Does an Exhibition Stall Cost? What Actually Determines the Price

Ask five exhibition companies for a per-square-metre rate and you'll get five different numbers — and none of them will hold once you actually brief a project. That's not evasiveness; it's because stall cost is driven by a set of independent variables, and two 18 sqm stands can cost very different amounts depending on how those variables combine.

The Variables That Actually Determine Exhibition Stall Design Cost

• Stall size — larger footprints need more structure, material, and labour.
• Design complexity — multi-level structures and curved forms cost more than flat-panel construction.
• Structure type — fully custom-built stands price differently than modular builds or shell-scheme upgrades.
• Materials — laminates, veneers, acrylic, metal, and specialty finishes sit at different price points.
• Printing and graphics — format, finish, and the amount of branded surface area.
• Furniture — rental vs custom-built, and how much is needed for meetings, storage, and display.
• Lighting — standard fixtures vs feature and accent lighting on displays.
• AV requirements — screens, sound, and demo equipment add cost and installation complexity.
• Product displays — custom plinths, cases, or demo counters built to fit specific products.
• Transport — distance to venue and volume of material being shipped.
• Installation requirements — labour, timeline, and venue-specific access constraints.
• Venue requirements — organiser rules on rigging, height, and fire safety can add cost.
• Timeline — compressed production or installation windows increase labour and logistics cost.
• Location — city, venue, and whether the project needs multi-city logistics.
• Special fabrication — anything outside standard build methods.

Why We Don't Publish Fixed Pricing

A fixed price list would either be so padded it overcharges simple projects, or so tight it can't absorb a genuinely complex one. Instead, we scope every project against the variables above during the proposal stage of our process. The fastest way to get an accurate number is to share a real brief.

The more of these variables you can answer upfront, the tighter the first proposal will be. If you're still at the concept stage, our exhibition stall design service is usually where that scoping conversation starts.