How Much Does Mini Excavator Hire Cost?

A mini excavator advertised at $170 a day is not necessarily cheaper than one at $250 a day. By the time you add the attachments you actually need, delivery, GST and possibly another hire day, the cheaper-looking machine can cost more overall.

So if you’re comparing mini excavator hire prices, don’t look at the daily rate on its own. Look at what you need to pay to get the job finished.

How much does mini excavator hire cost?

As a rough Australian guide, 1–2 tonne machines are often advertised around $220–$320 plus GST a day, while 2–3 tonne machines are often around $320–$420 plus GST a day. Individual suppliers can be below or above those ranges.

That’s useful for setting a rough budget, but the advertised rate is only the starting point. Before deciding one hire is cheaper than another, check what attachments are included, what delivery costs, whether GST is added and how long you’re likely to need the machine.

The cheapest daily rate isn’t always the cheapest job

The smallest excavator will usually have the lowest daily rate, but that doesn’t automatically make it the cheapest machine for the job.

For example, Digger2Hire Northern Rivers & Tweed currently offers the Kubota K008-3 0.9T at $200 per day and the Kubota U17-3 1.7T at $250 per day.

If you’ve only got enough access for the K008, then the smaller machine may be exactly what you need. But if both machines can safely get into the job and have enough room to work, saving $50 on the daily rate shouldn’t be the only consideration.

The U17 is a larger, more capable excavator. Depending on the job, that can make a difference when you’re digging, reaching, loading spoil or working in firmer ground. If the more capable machine helps you avoid an extra hire day, paying a little more per day can end up costing less overall.

A good rule is to use the largest suitable machine that can safely access and work in the area — not automatically the smallest or the biggest. If you’re unsure, our mini excavator size guide and Mini Excavator Size & Project Calculator can help.

What will you actually pay?

Once you’ve found a machine that suits the job, look beyond the advertised rate and work out what’s included.

Start with the attachments. Some hire businesses include selected buckets but charge extra for augers, grabs, rippers or other attachments. If you’re going to need them, those charges belong in your comparison, so it helps to choose the attachments your job actually needs first.

Digger2Hire’s U17-3 and U25-3 packages include three buckets, a ripper, Auger Torque X2000, 300 mm and 450 mm augers and a hydraulic rock grabber in the advertised machine hire rate.

Northern Rivers & Tweed U17/U25 packages also include a sleeper grab. The K008 package includes three buckets and a sleeper grab. You can see the current packages on our Equipment & Attachments page.

Then check transport. Some suppliers charge delivery each way, some quote a return charge and others calculate it according to distance. Two machines with similar daily rates can end up with quite different totals once transport is included.

For eligible Digger2Hire 0.9T, 1.7T and 2.5T plant-trailer machines, standard delivery and collection is currently $150 return within approximately 20 km where applicable. Longer distances are quoted individually. The 5.5T ViO55-6B requires suitable flatbed transport, so its transport is quoted according to the job location.

Approved customer collection can avoid the delivery charge on eligible machines, but the tow vehicle and collection setup need to meet the requirements for that machine. If you’re weighing up the two options, our guide can help you decide whether collection or delivery suits your setup. Our Delivery & Pickup page explains the current requirements.

And check the GST. If one supplier advertises $220 plus GST, the amount payable is $242. Don’t compare the $220 headline with another supplier’s GST-inclusive or no-GST-added price as though they’re the same.

Digger2Hire’s current advertised hire prices have no GST added. You can check our current machine rates on the Pricing page.

Dry hire and wet hire are different cost comparisons

Digger2Hire is dry hire, which means you hire the excavator without an operator. Wet hire includes an operator and is normally priced differently, so comparing the advertised rates directly doesn’t tell you much. If you’re deciding between the two, our Dry Hire vs Wet Hire guide goes through the differences.

What about longer hires?

A longer hire can sometimes reduce the effective daily rate, but that only helps if you actually need the machine for that long. A seven-day deal isn’t much of a saving if the job could have been finished in two or three days.

If you need a Digger2Hire machine for several days, ask us about the actual hire period. We don’t publish one blanket weekly discount because longer hires are confirmed individually for the machine and dates you need.

What would two days with a U17 cost?

Here’s a simple Digger2Hire example. Where the standard delivery area applies, two days of U17-3 hire is currently $250 × 2 = $500. Add $150 return delivery and the indicative total is $650.

The published U17 attachment package is included in that rate, so there is no additional daily attachment charge.

That’s the sort of total you want to compare with another quote — not simply $250 against whatever daily rate appears in the other ad. Your actual total will depend on the machine, location, hire period and transport arrangement.

Before you book, compare these six things

• Machine: will it fit the access and suit the work?
• Attachments: are the ones you need included or extra?
• Transport: what will delivery and collection actually cost?
• GST: are you comparing the amounts actually payable?
• Other charges: check the supplier’s fuel, cleaning, bond and other applicable charges.
• Hire time: how many days are you realistically likely to need the machine?

Work out which machine your job needs

Not sure whether you need a 0.9T, 1.7T, 2.5T or something larger? Start with our Mini Excavator Size & Project Calculator. It will help narrow down the machine based on your job and access.

If you already know what you’re dealing with, use Instant Quote to see a likely machine and hire estimate.

Sources

• Hireseeking — Australian mini excavator hire rate guide
• Kubota Australia — U17-3 specifications

Pricing reviewed: September 2026. Market rates and supplier policies change. Check Digger2Hire’s current Pricing page before booking.

Like our hire guides?

Add Digger2Hire as a preferred source on Google to find our practical guides more easily.