The Azure Cost Calculator: Your Ballpark Buddy!

Tired of Azure cost estimates that feel like they were pulled from a magic hat? We get it. The official calculators are powerful, but sometimes you just need a quick, no-fuss number to get the conversation started.

Say hello to the Azure Data & ML Platform Cost Calculator!

🚀 Launch the Calculator Now!

What’s a “Ballpark” Calculator?

Let’s be crystal clear: this little app is your ballpark buddy. It’s not designed to replace the official Azure pricing tools, which are for when you’re ready to sign on the dotted line. This tool is for the early stages—for the architects, the product owners, and the engineers who need a solid, defensible estimate to plan their budget and get stakeholder buy-in.

It gives you a great starting point by focusing on the complex, high-cost components of a modern data and machine learning platform, including:

• AKS (Azure Kubernetes Service)
• Databricks (DBU and VM costs)
• Storage (ADLS Gen2)
• Security (Entra ID, Key Vault, Defender)
• Networking (Application Gateway, Data Transfer)

It even lets you factor in multiple environments (Dev, QA, Prod) with different cost multipliers, so you can see the true TCO of your multi-stage deployment.

What’s Missing? (The Fine Print)

To keep this a true “ballpark buddy,” we had to focus on the core, high-cost drivers. This means we’ve intentionally omitted some other high-cost components that you’ll need to budget for in a real-world deployment. For example, if you plan to expose your Databricks functionality as a secure API to external consumers, you’ll need to budget for:

• Azure API Management (APIM): The dedicated tool for API governance, security, and publishing. A production-ready instance can add a significant fixed cost (hundreds to thousands of dollars per month) to your bill.
• Azure DevOps/GitHub Actions: The cost of your CI/CD pipelines for automated deployment.
• Monitoring and Logging: Advanced tools like Azure Monitor Log Analytics beyond the free tier.

This calculator is your starting line, not the finish line! Use the estimate here, then be sure to add these other critical services to your final budget.

From Ballpark to Blueprint

Getting your cloud architecture right from the start is crucial. A good estimate is just the first step; a solid foundation is what saves you money and headaches down the road. If you’re struggling with the big picture of leading and aligning IT with principles, agility, and AI, you might want to check out my book:

• IT’s not magic, it’s architecture - Leading, Aligning, and Innovating IT & Business with Principles, Agility, and AI

And for those of you who are specifically building out a serious MLOps pipeline on Azure, you know how quickly Databricks and related services can rack up costs. For a deep dive into building production-grade systems and understanding the underlying cost drivers, my other book has you covered:

• MLOps with Databricks on Azure End-to-End - Building production-grade MLOps systems

Ready to Crunch the Numbers?

Stop guessing and start estimating with confidence. Get your initial cost assessment in minutes!

🔗 Launch the Azure Cost Calculator!

Disclaimer: This is a simplified, high-level estimate. Actual costs will vary based on your specific configuration, region, and negotiated rates. Always consult the official Azure Pricing Calculator for final figures.