📖 Overview
Calculate baseline monthly server costs based on your compute memory and storage requirements.
🧪 Example Scenarios
Use these default and higher-pressure example inputs to explore how sensitive this calculator is before using your real numbers.
| Input | Base Case | Higher Pressure Case |
|---|---|---|
| CPU Cores | 4 | 4.6 |
| RAM (GB) | 16 | 18.4 |
| Storage (GB) | 100 | 115 |
| Expected Bandwidth (TB) | 1 | 1.15 |
⚙️ How It Works
Provides a ballpark monthly cloud infrastructure cost estimate based on vCPU, RAM, SSD storage, and outbound bandwidth requirements, representing typical baseline pricing from major cloud providers.
The Formula
Total = (vCPUs × Rate) + (RAM × Rate) + (Storage × Rate) + (Bandwidth × Rate)
💡This calculator is scenario-based. Better input quality leads to better decision quality.
Quick Reference
| Input | Example Value |
|---|---|
| CPU Cores | 4 |
| RAM (GB) | 16 |
| Storage (GB) | 100 |
| Expected Bandwidth (TB) | 1 |
When To Use This
- Use this tool when you need a fast decision during active planning or execution.
- Use this before committing money, time, or tradeoffs that are hard to reverse.
- Use this to compare options using the same assumptions across scenarios.
Edge Cases To Watch
- Results can be misleading if key inputs are missing, stale, or unrealistic.
- Very small or very large values may amplify rounding effects and interpretation risk.
- If assumptions change mid-decision, recalculate before acting.
Practical Tips
💡 Outbound bandwidth costs are often underestimated and can become a significant expense at scale.
💡 Reserved Instances and Savings Plans on AWS/Azure/GCP can reduce compute costs by 40–70% vs on-demand.
💡 This tool gives a starting estimate — actual bills will depend on region, tier, and usage patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Will this match my actual cloud bill?
No. Cloud pricing varies by region, usage tier, instance type, and contract. Treat this as a directional estimate.
❓ Should I include database costs?
Not in this tool. Managed database services (RDS, Cloud SQL) are billed separately and can be significant.