Azure · Free tool
Azure Cosmos DB cost calculator
Manual provisioned, Autoscale, and Serverless on the same workload. Region count and multi-region writes are priced inline, so the tipping point is on the page instead of hidden in a spreadsheet.
Side-by-side: same workload, three pricing models
Manual provisioned
$0
peak RU/s x regions
Autoscale
$0
max RU/s x util
Serverless
$0
total RUs / mo
Cheapest model for this workload
Autoscale
$0/mo, $0/yr
Selected breakdown
If your Cosmos DB bill looks high, check these first
- Manual containers below 50 percent utilization.
- Multi-region writes enabled when only one region writes.
- Unused free tier on the wrong account.
- Production replicated to more regions than failover requires.
- Continuous backup on dev data that reseeds weekly.
- Indexing all paths instead of only hot query fields.
The three pricing knobs
Cosmos DB pricing has three knobs and one trap. The knobs are throughput model, region count, and multi-region writes. The trap is that the wrong model can cost two to four times the right one.
The RUs versus storage tradeoff post covers the autoscale tipping point, serverless break-even, and the indexing audit that often cuts RU consumption before pricing changes.
Run this on your real account
Free 14-day audit, read-only Reader role, one-page CFO summary.
We pull every Cosmos account, identify Manual containers below 50 percent utilization, multi-region writes that should be single-write, unapplied free tier, and indexing policies that burn RUs on cold paths.
Frequently asked
Manual, Autoscale, or Serverless?
Manual is cheapest for steady workloads above roughly 65 percent utilization. Autoscale is the safer default for variable workloads. Serverless wins below about 50 million RUs per month or on very bursty access patterns.
How does multi-region pricing actually work?
Each replicated region multiplies throughput cost. Multi-region writes doubles the per-region rate on top of that, so a three-region multi-write account can cost six times the single-region single-write rate.
When does Serverless break?
Serverless caps at 5000 RU/s per container and 50 GB storage. It also does not support multi-region replication, so replicated production workloads are on Provisioned or Autoscale.
Should I use the free tier?
Yes, on every subscription that has not used it. The free tier gives 1000 RU/s and 25 GB permanently on one Cosmos account, often worth about $58 per month.
How much does continuous backup cost?
Continuous backup at 7-day retention is around $0.20 per GB per month. Continuous 30-day retention is around $0.40 per GB per month. It is worth it on production, wasteful on short-lived dev data.
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