CDN Bandwidth Cost Calculator

CDN bandwidth charges can dominate costs for media-heavy and global traffic. Use this calculator to estimate monthly CDN bandwidth spend (cost per GB) using your own $/GB assumptions and compare baseline vs peak traffic.

Maintained by CloudCostKit Editorial Team. Last updated: 2026-02-07. Editorial policy and methodology.

Best next steps

Use this calculator for the first estimate, then validate the answer with the closest guide or companion tool.

Guide: CDN cost breakdown Guide: CDN cost per GB Guide: Estimate GB/month CloudFront vs Cloudflare cost

When bandwidth dominates (and how to avoid under-budgeting)

  • Large objects (images/video) and global audiences push bandwidth up fast.
  • Compression and image optimization can change GB/month materially.
  • Peak events can add a "second month" of bandwidth in a few days.

Inputs

CDN bandwidth (GB / month)
Avg throughput: 12.18 Mbps.
Avg throughput (Mbps)
Est 24,624 GB/month.
Pricing mode
Use tiered mode when pricing changes by volume.
CDN price ($ / GB)
Enter your provider's effective $/GB for the region/path/tier.
Scenario presets

Results

Estimated monthly cost
$240.00
Egress
4,000 GB
Price
$0.06 / GB

Estimate GB/month from Mbps (quick conversion)

If you start from average throughput, convert Mbps to GB/month first, then paste the result into the calculator. Use Units Converter for a precise conversion and to avoid GB vs GiB mixups.

If you have a traffic curve (p50/p95), run two scenarios and save them so you can compare a typical month vs a peak month.

Tip: use the "Save scenario" button in the calculator to keep a baseline and a peak link you can revisit.

CDN bandwidth cost is an edge-delivery volume problem, not a generic transfer estimate

This page should stay focused on what the CDN serves to end users at the edge. The biggest mistakes happen when teams mix this with origin backhaul, internal transfers, or request-heavy effects that belong on other pages.

  • Delivered GB: the direct edge output to viewers, not the cache-fill path back to origin.
  • Rate mix: the effective $/GB changes with region, traffic tiers, and commercial plan terms.
  • Traffic shape: object size, video share, and compression settings move this bill more than request tuning.

Where CDN bandwidth estimates usually drift

  • Average throughput is converted once, but launch days or media events compress a large share of the month into a short window.
  • Traffic mix shifts toward larger assets, poorer compression, or more international delivery after the estimate was made.
  • Origin traffic is accidentally blended in, making the CDN bill look larger or smaller than it really is.
  • One global effective rate is used even though top geographies have meaningfully different economics.

What to review before trusting the bandwidth baseline

  • Separate edge delivery from origin egress and cache-fill traffic before choosing the price assumption.
  • Check object-size trends and compression wins because they matter more than small request optimizations here.
  • Model a peak event month explicitly if launches, streaming, or large downloads are part of the business.
  • Use a rate that matches the actual region mix rather than one marketing headline number.

Baseline vs media-heavy bandwidth scenarios

Scenario GB/month Rate Drivers
Baseline Expected Blended Normal traffic
Peak High Same Launch/event

How to review the first real CDN bandwidth month

  • Check whether the miss came from delivered GB growth, regional mix, or accidental origin leakage before changing every assumption.
  • Review peak windows separately because that is where hidden bandwidth multipliers usually show up first.

Next steps

Guides All calculators Guide: CDN cost breakdown Guide: Estimate GB/month CloudFront vs Cloudflare cost CDN request cost CDN origin egress

Example scenario

  • If your CDN serves 4,000 GB/month at $0.06/GB, estimated bandwidth cost is $240/month.
  • If you serve 30 TB/month at $0.05/GB, estimated bandwidth cost is about $1,536/month.

Included

  • Bandwidth-only CDN cost estimate from GB/month and $/GB pricing.
  • Use for planning and comparing pricing tiers/regions.
  • Baseline vs peak comparison for traffic spikes.

Not included

  • CDN request fees (use CDN Request Cost Calculator).
  • Origin egress and cache fill traffic (model separately if applicable).

How we calculate

  • Monthly cost = CDN egress GB x price per GB.
  • Enter your provider's effective bandwidth $/GB (consider region/tier).
  • If pricing is tiered, use a blended $/GB (or run multiple scenarios).
  • Model a peak month if launches or incidents spike traffic.
  • This calculator is bandwidth-only; add request fees and origin egress separately if you pay them.

FAQ

Is CDN bandwidth the same as origin egress?
Not necessarily. CDN providers bill bandwidth at the edge; origin egress may be separate if the CDN pulls from your origin.
What about request charges?
Many CDNs charge per request (e.g., per 10k). This calculator is bandwidth-only.
How do I estimate GB per month?
Use traffic analytics (bytes transferred) if you have it. If you only have throughput, use the Units Converter to convert Mbps to GB/month.
Does cache hit rate change bandwidth billed by the CDN?
The CDN edge bandwidth to end users is still billed as bandwidth. Cache hit rate mainly changes your origin egress and origin request volume.
Should I include cache fill / prefetch traffic?
If your CDN pulls large objects from origin, you may pay origin egress for cache fill. Model that separately with the Data Egress calculator.
What about free bandwidth tiers?
If your plan includes free allowances, subtract them from GB/month before applying $/GB, or use an effective blended rate.

Related tools

Guide: CDN cost breakdown Guide: CDN cost per GB Guide: Estimate GB/month CloudFront vs Cloudflare cost CDN request cost CDN origin egress Origin egress cost Units converter

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Disclaimer

Educational use only. Not legal, financial, or professional advice. Results are estimates based on the inputs and assumptions shown on this page. Verify pricing and limits with your providers and documentation.

Last updated: 2026-02-07. Reviewed against CloudCostKit methodology and current provider documentation. See the Editorial Policy .