Injection Molding Cost Guide 2026: Why US Buyers Are Moving Production to Vietnam

If you're a procurement manager or engineer sourcing custom injection molded parts, you've felt the squeeze: domestic US molding costs have risen 12–18% since 2023 (labor, energy, resin), while China — still the default for many — now carries 25% Section 301 tariffs on most plastic components. Vietnam has emerged as the sweet spot: tooling costs 30–50% below US shops, no tariff surcharges, and a rapidly maturing supplier base.

This guide breaks down real 2026 injection molding costs from Vietnam and shows you exactly how to evaluate whether offshoring your plastic parts makes financial sense.

Tooling Costs: The Upfront Investment

Mold tooling is where Vietnam's cost advantage starts. These are real 2026 prices from our audited factory network:

Prototype Molds (Aluminum, 1K–10K shots)

For design validation and low-volume production:

• Vietnam: $1,500–$5,000
• China: $2,000–$6,000
• US domestic: $5,000–$15,000
• Xometry/Fictiv (instant quote): $4,000–$12,000

Production Molds — P20 Steel (100K–500K shots)

• Simple (1 cavity, no slides): Vietnam $3,000–$8,000 | US $12,000–$30,000
• Medium (2–4 cavities, side actions): Vietnam $8,000–$25,000 | US $25,000–$65,000
• Complex (8+ cavities, hot runner): Vietnam $20,000–$60,000 | US $60,000–$150,000

High-Volume Molds — H13/S136 (500K–2M+ shots)

• Multi-cavity (8–16 cav, hot runner): Vietnam $35,000–$90,000 | US $80,000–$200,000+

Quality note: Vietnamese mold shops now use Makino, Sodick, and Mitsubishi EDM machines — same brands as top-tier Chinese and Japanese toolmakers. Surface finishes to SPI A-2 and mold tolerances of ±0.01 mm are standard at our partner factories.

Per-Part Costs: Real 2026 Benchmarks

Machine Hour Rates

• Small press (50–100T): Vietnam $12–$20/hr | US $45–$80/hr
• Medium press (150–300T): Vietnam $18–$30/hr | US $60–$110/hr
• Large press (400–800T): Vietnam $28–$50/hr | US $80–$150/hr

Small Parts (<50g shot weight)

Connectors, clips, buttons — ABS or PP, 2-cavity mold, 15–25s cycle:

• 1,000 pcs: $0.25–$0.60/part
• 10,000 pcs: $0.12–$0.35/part
• 100,000 pcs: $0.06–$0.18/part

Medium Parts (50–200g)

Enclosures, housings, brackets — ABS+PC or PA66+GF, 25–45s cycle:

• 1,000 pcs: $0.60–$1.80/part
• 10,000 pcs: $0.30–$0.90/part
• 100,000 pcs: $0.15–$0.50/part

Large Parts (200g–1kg)

Automotive panels, equipment housings — ABS, PP+GF, 45–90s cycle:

• 1,000 pcs: $1.50–$4.50/part
• 10,000 pcs: $0.80–$2.50/part
• 100,000 pcs: $0.45–$1.50/part

Total Landed Cost: Vietnam to Your US Warehouse

Here's the real comparison that matters — total landed cost for a medium-complexity part (150g ABS+PC housing, 50,000 units/shipment):

• Vietnam molding cost: $0.42/unit
• Packaging + palletizing: $0.03/unit
• Ocean freight (HCMC → Long Beach, ~21 days): $0.08/unit
• US customs (most plastic parts duty-free HTS 3926): $0.01/unit
• Last mile delivery: $0.02/unit
• Vietnam total landed: $0.56/unit

Compare: US domestic $0.85–$1.20/unit. China $0.35 + 25% tariff + freight ≈ $0.55/unit. Vietnam matches tariffed China and saves 40–50% vs domestic.

Resin Pricing in Vietnam (2026)

Key engineering resins available from Vietnam molders:

• PP: $1.10–$1.40/kg (locally produced)
• ABS: $1.60–$2.20/kg (LG Chem, Lotte imports from South Korea)
• PC: $2.80–$3.60/kg (Covestro, SABIC)
• ABS+PC: $2.40–$3.20/kg
• PA66+30%GF: $4.00–$5.80/kg (BASF Ultramid, DuPont Zytel)
• POM: $2.60–$3.40/kg (DuPont Delrin, Polyplastics Duracon)

Important: Always specify resin manufacturer and grade in your RFQ. "Covestro Makrolon 2407" — not just "PC." Without this, you may get substituted resin that won't meet UL or mechanical requirements.

How Vietnam Compares to Xometry & Fictiv

Online quoting platforms like Xometry and Fictiv are convenient for prototypes and low volumes. But for production runs, Vietnam offers significant advantages:

• Tooling: Xometry charges $4,000–$12,000 for a simple production mold. Vietnam: $3,000–$8,000 for the same spec.
• Per-part at volume: Online platforms add 30–60% markup over factory-direct pricing. At 10,000+ units, you're paying significantly more.
• Secondary ops: Vietnam factories handle pad printing, assembly, ultrasonic welding, and packaging in-house. Online platforms often outsource these, adding cost and lead time.
• Relationship: With Dewin, you get a dedicated factory relationship — DFM feedback, engineering changes, quality escalation — not a faceless upload portal.

When Xometry/Fictiv still makes sense: Prototype quantities (<100 pcs), US-domestic lead time requirements (<2 weeks), or one-off parts where tooling amortization doesn't pencil.

Cost Reduction Tips for Your RFQ

• Optimize wall thickness: Every extra 0.5 mm adds 3–5 seconds to cycle time and 15–25% more material. Target 1.5–3.0 mm uniform walls.
• Loosen non-critical tolerances: Standard ±0.1 mm/25 mm is free. Tightening to ±0.05 mm costs +15–30% on tooling.
• Choose the right surface finish: SPI B-1 (semi-gloss) is standard. Mirror polish (SPI A-1) adds $2,000–$8,000 to mold cost.
• Consider family molds: If you have 3–4 small related parts, a family mold saves 30–40% vs separate tools.
• Design for the process: Add 1–2° draft on all vertical walls. Radius all internal corners (≥0.5 mm). Core out thick sections.

Your Injection Molding RFQ Checklist

1. 3D CAD (STEP format) — not just 2D drawings
2. Material & grade — e.g., "SABIC Cycoloy C6600 ABS+PC" with acceptable equivalents
3. Annual volume & batch size — drives cavity count and mold steel selection
4. Critical tolerances (GD&T) — only on mating/functional surfaces
5. Surface finish — SPI class or Mold-Tech texture number + color (Pantone/RAL)
6. Certifications — UL94 flammability, RoHS, REACH, FDA contact
7. Secondary ops — printing, welding, assembly, insert molding
8. Incoterms — FOB Ho Chi Minh City or DDP to your warehouse

Get Competitive Quotes in 48 Hours

Dewin connects US buyers with factory-audited injection molding partners in Vietnam. Every supplier is quality-scored, and we manage T1 sample approval before production starts. Upload your STEP file — we handle the rest.