Google Compute Engine (GCE) VM Pricing Calculator
Estimate the monthly cost of a Google Compute Engine Virtual Machine based on common usage parameters. This calculator provides an approximation for a standard N1 machine type running Linux in the us-central1 region, without considering Sustained Use Discounts (SUDs), Committed Use Discounts (CUDs), or the free tier.
Specify the number of virtual CPUs for your VM instance.
Enter the amount of RAM in Gigabytes for your VM.
Total hours the VM is expected to run per month (e.g., 730 for 24/7).
Amount of standard persistent disk storage attached to the VM.
Estimated data transfer out of the region per month.
Estimated Monthly GCE VM Cost
"; resultsHTML += "vCPU Cost: $" + vcpuCost.toFixed(2) + ""; resultsHTML += "Memory Cost: $" + memoryCost.toFixed(2) + ""; resultsHTML += "Persistent Disk Cost: $" + diskCost.toFixed(2) + ""; resultsHTML += "Network Egress Cost: $" + networkCost.toFixed(2) + ""; resultsHTML += "Total Estimated Monthly Cost: $" + totalMonthlyCost.toFixed(2) + ""; resultsHTML += "Note: These are illustrative rates for us-central1 (N1 standard, Linux) and do not include Sustained Use Discounts, Committed Use Discounts, or the free tier. Actual costs may vary."; resultDiv.innerHTML = resultsHTML; }Understanding Google Compute Engine Pricing
Google Compute Engine (GCE) is Google Cloud's Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offering, allowing you to run virtual machines (VMs) on Google's infrastructure. Understanding its pricing model is crucial for cost optimization.
Key Factors Influencing GCE Costs:
- Machine Type (vCPUs & Memory): The core of your VM's cost comes from its processing power (vCPUs) and memory (RAM). Different machine types (e.g., N1, N2, E2, C2) have varying performance characteristics and corresponding hourly rates. The calculator uses illustrative rates for a standard N1 machine type.
- Usage Duration: GCE charges for VMs based on how long they run, typically per second, with a minimum charge. Our calculator uses monthly usage hours to estimate this component.
- Persistent Disk Storage: Storage attached to your VM instances (e.g., Standard Persistent Disk, SSD Persistent Disk) is charged per Gigabyte per month, regardless of whether the VM is running. Different disk types have different performance and cost profiles.
- Network Egress: Data transfer out of a Google Cloud region (egress) incurs charges. The cost varies depending on the destination (e.g., within the same continent, to another continent, or to the internet). Ingress (data into GCP) is generally free.
- Operating System: While Linux distributions often have no additional licensing fees, Windows Server and other premium OS images incur extra hourly charges. This calculator assumes a Linux OS.
- Region: Pricing for vCPUs, memory, and storage can vary significantly between different Google Cloud regions due to local infrastructure costs and demand. This calculator uses rates illustrative of the
us-central1region.
Cost Optimization Opportunities (Not included in this calculator):
- Sustained Use Discounts (SUDs): GCE automatically provides discounts for instances that run for a significant portion of the month (e.g., 25% for 75% usage, up to 30% for full month usage).
- Committed Use Discounts (CUDs): For predictable workloads, you can commit to using a certain amount of vCPUs and memory for 1-year or 3-year terms, offering substantial discounts (up to 57%).
- Preemptible VMs: These are very low-cost, short-lived instances that can be terminated by GCP at any time, ideal for fault-tolerant batch jobs.
- Free Tier: Google Cloud offers a free tier for certain services, including a small f1-micro VM instance per month in specific regions.
This calculator provides a basic estimate to help you budget for your GCE VM instances. For precise pricing, always refer to the official Google Compute Engine pricing page and use the official Google Cloud Pricing Calculator.