Tile prices depend mainly on six things: fuel cost, the tile body, size and thickness, finish, grade, and the terms of your order. Fuel moves the whole market, while the other five decide where your tile sits within it.
This guide explains each one so you can read a quote. It gives no price figures. Prices move with gas and freight, and a real quote comes from a factory looking at your specification.
Fuel
Firing tiles takes a great deal of heat, so fuel is one of the largest production costs for a tile plant. Morbi kilns run on natural gas and propane and switch between them on price. When fuel rises, quotes rise across the cluster, often within weeks. This is why many quotes carry a short validity period. Our deep dive on gas prices and Morbi tile costs explains the mechanism and the 2026 changes.
Body type
A ceramic wall tile has a lighter, more porous body and fires at lower temperatures. A porcelain or vitrified tile, group BIa under ISO 13006, uses a denser body and fires harder. Double-charge and full-body porcelain use more prepared material through the thickness of the tile. Denser bodies generally cost more to make.
Size and thickness
Larger formats need bigger presses, slower firing and more careful handling. More of them crack or warp, so the yield of saleable tiles is lower. Thicker tiles use more material and more fuel per square metre. Size also changes freight per square metre, because a container fills by weight, often around 26 to 28 tonnes. Heavier tiles mean fewer square metres per container.
Finish
- A matt or satin glaze is the simplest finish to produce.
- A polished glazed vitrified tile (PGVT) adds a polishing stage, which adds time, power and wear parts.
- Special effects such as textured, carved or metallic glazes need extra materials and slower lines.
- Rectified edges, cut square after firing, add a machining step and some lost material.
Grade
Morbi factories sort output into Premium (sometimes called Export or AAA), Standard and Commercial or Economy. Premium carries the fewest defects per box and costs the most. The definitions vary by factory, so two Premium quotes may not describe the same product. Ask for the written grade definition. Our guide to tile grades explains what to ask.
Freight and duty
Two costs sit outside the factory price but decide what you pay in the end. Sea freight is quoted per container, so it falls per square metre when the container carries more square metres. Weight sets that limit, so heavy formats carry more freight per square metre.
Duty depends on your market and on the exporter. As of October 2026, Indian tiles face anti-dumping duties in the EU and the GCC and countervailing duties in the US, and the rates differ by exporter. A factory with its own lower rate can beat a lower ex-factory quote from a plant on the residual rate. Our guide to anti-dumping duties on Indian tiles explains how to check, and your customs broker should confirm the rate before you order.
Order terms
Ready stock and made-to-order designs are priced differently. Private-label boxes, custom designs, special pallets and mixed loads can all add cost. Incoterms such as FOB or CIF change what the quote includes. Payment terms and order size also affect what a factory will offer.
Next step
We collect quotes for the same specification from audited factories, so you can compare like with like. Book a free sourcing review to get real figures for your range.