Honestly, it depends on what you mean by “decent” and where the bin is going. For a standard residential or small urban outdoor bin—something sturdy, weather-resistant, and around 30–50 gallons—I’d expect to pay about $60–$150. You can find cheaper models, but you’ll usually lose out on lid fit, UV resistance, or wheel quality.
If you’re outfitting a sidewalk, plaza, apartment courtyard, or small commercial frontage, streetscape bins tend to run $200–$500. That range generally buys heavier steel or powder-coated aluminum, a locking liner, and better resistance to tipping or graffiti. For busy public areas, commercial-grade bins with custom panels or ashtray tops can hit $500–$900.
Smart solar compacting bins are a different budget entirely—usually $1,000–$4,000 per unit depending on capacity, sensors, and connectivity. They can cut collection trips, but they only make sense where pickup labor is expensive or overflow is a real problem.
So the going rate for a decent urban trash bin these days is roughly $80–$200 for a good basic outdoor bin, $250–$600 for a solid streetscape model, and $1,000+ if you go smart. My advice is to price the liner and replacement parts too, not just the shell—that’s where cheap bins get expensive.