Azure Calculator

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Azure Cloud Cost Calculator
Pay-As-You-Go (Standard)1-Year Reserved (Approx. 40% Savings)3-Year Reserved (Approx. 60% Savings)Spot Instance (Up to 90% Savings)
Estimated Monthly Total:
$ 0.00
function calculateAzureCost(){var hours=parseFloat(document.getElementById('hours').value);var rate=parseFloat(document.getElementById('instance_rate').value);var storage=parseFloat(document.getElementById('storage_gb').value);var sRate=parseFloat(document.getElementById('storage_rate').value);var bw=parseFloat(document.getElementById('bandwidth').value);var bwRate=parseFloat(document.getElementById('bandwidth_rate').value);var model=document.getElementById('instance_type').value;var hybrid=document.getElementById('hybrid_benefit').checked;if(isNaN(hours)||isNaN(rate)||isNaN(storage)||isNaN(sRate)||isNaN(bw)||isNaN(bwRate)){alert('Please enter valid numeric values');return;}var multiplier=1.0;if(model==='ri1′){multiplier=0.60;}else if(model==='ri3′){multiplier=0.40;}else if(model==='spot'){multiplier=0.15;}if(hybrid){rate=rate*0.6;}var computeTotal=hours*rate*multiplier;var storageTotal=storage*sRate;var bandwidthTotal=bw*bwRate;var total=computeTotal+storageTotal+bandwidthTotal;document.getElementById('resultValue').innerHTML=total.toLocaleString(undefined,{minimumFractionDigits:2,maximumFractionDigits:2});document.getElementById('breakdown').innerHTML='Compute: $'+computeTotal.toFixed(2)+' | Storage: $'+storageTotal.toFixed(2)+' | Bandwidth: $'+bandwidthTotal.toFixed(2);}

How to Use the Azure Calculator

The Azure calculator is a specialized tool designed for cloud architects, IT managers, and developers to estimate the monthly recurring costs of Microsoft Azure services. Unlike static pricing sheets, this calculator allows you to adjust variables like runtime hours, storage requirements, and data egress to find the most cost-effective configuration for your workload.

To get an accurate estimate, you will need to know your expected Virtual Machine (VM) runtime and the specific price per hour for the instance type you intend to use. Most standard months are calculated at 730 hours for 24/7 operation.

Usage Hours
The number of hours the service runs per month. A typical month has 730 hours.
Compute Rate
The hourly price of the Azure VM instance (e.g., B2s, D2v3). You can find these in the Azure Portal.
Managed Disk Storage
The amount of persistent storage in GB attached to your instance. Azure charges for the size of the disk provisioned, not just data used.

How the Azure Calculation Works

Azure billing is granular, often calculated per second but billed per hour. The formula used by this azure calculator aggregates the three primary pillars of cloud cost: Compute, Storage, and Networking.

Total Monthly Cost = (Compute Hours × Hourly Rate × Discount Multiplier) + (Storage GB × Storage Rate) + (Data Transfer GB × Egress Rate)

  • Discount Multiplier: This accounts for Reserved Instances (1 or 3 years) or Spot pricing which can reduce compute costs by up to 90%.
  • Azure Hybrid Benefit: If you already own Windows Server or SQL Server licenses, you can apply them to Azure to waive the licensing component of the hourly rate.
  • Data Transfer: While inbound data transfer is free in Azure, outbound data (egress) is charged after the first 5GB.

Azure Cost Estimation Example

Scenario: You want to host a web application on a standard D2s v3 instance (approx. $0.096/hr) running 24/7, with 256GB of Premium SSD storage and 50GB of outbound data transfer per month.

Step-by-step solution:

  1. Compute: 730 hours × $0.096 = $70.08
  2. Storage: 256 GB × $0.04 (approx. rate) = $10.24
  3. Bandwidth: 50 GB × $0.08 = $4.00
  4. Total: $70.08 + $10.24 + $4.00 = $84.32 per month

Common Questions

What is a Reserved Instance?

A Reserved Instance (RI) allows you to commit to a 1-year or 3-year term for a specific VM type in a specific region. In exchange for this commitment, Microsoft provides a significant discount compared to Pay-As-You-Go pricing.

Are Azure storage costs separate from compute?

Yes. In Azure, Virtual Machines and the Managed Disks attached to them are billed as separate line items. Even if you turn off the VM (deallocated), you will still be charged for the storage as the data persists.

How can I lower my Azure bill?

You can use this azure calculator to experiment with "Spot Instances" for non-critical workloads or use the "Azure Hybrid Benefit" if your organization has existing on-premises licenses. Shutting down VMs during non-business hours using auto-scaling is another effective strategy.

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