Kubernetes cost model beyond nodes: the checklist most teams miss
A Kubernetes cost calculator often starts with node spend because compute is usually the biggest line item. But for many real clusters, everything around nodes adds up. This guide is a checklist for those missing costs so your budget is closer to reality.
Beyond-nodes cost inputs
- Control plane: managed control plane hourly fees if applicable.
- Ingress/LB: count load balancers and estimate data processed.
- Observability: log GB/day and metrics series growth by workload.
1) Nodes (compute)
The baseline: size your node count from workload requests, then apply a blended $/hour. Tools: Requests & Limits and Kubernetes Node Cost.
2) Managed control plane
Many managed Kubernetes products charge a fixed hourly control plane fee. It is small compared to a large cluster, but it can be meaningful for small clusters (especially dev/test).
3) Load balancers, gateways, and ingress
External load balancers, L7 gateways, and their data processing charges can dominate certain workloads. Even if the nodes are stable, traffic patterns can make this line item spiky.
If your traffic exits the cloud or crosses regions, model egress separately with Data Egress Cost.
4) Persistent storage
Persistent volumes (block storage), snapshots, and object storage buckets all have their own pricing models. For S3-like object storage, use Storage Pricing Calculator. For growth over time, use DB Storage Growth as a simple estimator.
5) Logs and metrics
Observability is a common "surprise" cost. Logs are often billed by ingestion volume, and metrics are often billed by active series. Tools:
6) Data egress
Outbound traffic is not only "internet egress". It can include cross-region replication, cross-zone transfer, and service-to-service data movement depending on your architecture. Model it explicitly using Data Egress Cost and Cross-region Transfer.
Suggested workflow (fast but accurate enough)
- Estimate node count from requests (baseline capacity).
- Apply blended $/hour and uptime assumptions (average, not peak).
- Add control plane fee.
- Add storage (PV + object storage) and expected growth.
- Add observability (logs + metrics).
- Add egress and cross-region transfer if applicable.
Compare managed Kubernetes services
If you're deciding between providers, compare the same line items and swap assumptions: EKS vs GKE vs AKS cost comparison.
Related tools
Kubernetes cost calculator Log ingestion Storage pricing