Hetzner vs AWS EKS: Kubernetes Cost Comparison (2026)
 Hetzner |  AWS (EKS) | |
|---|---|---|
| HQ / Country | Germany | United States |
| Managed Kubernetes | No (DIY) | Yes |
| Control Plane Cost | Self-managed | €73/mo |
| Cheapest Node | €3.49/mo 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM | €12.89/mo 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM |
| 3-Node Cluster* | ~€20.94/mo | ~€105.83/mo |
| 6-Node HA Cluster* | ~€31.41/mo | ~€144.50/mo |
| Egress | 20 TB free | €0.083/GB |
| S3 Storage | €0.005/GB | €0.021/GB |
| Certifications | ISO27001 | ISO27001, SOC2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS |
| CLOUD Act Exposure | No | Yes (US-owned) |
* Estimated using cheapest available node. DIY providers include 3 additional control plane nodes. Use the calculator for exact pricing with your specs.
Who Should Use Which?
Hetzner costs 60-80% less than AWS EKS for equivalent workloads but requires self-managed Kubernetes. Choose AWS if you need the full ecosystem (ALB, RDS, IAM) and are willing to pay a premium. Choose Hetzner for cost-sensitive workloads where you can manage infrastructure with K3s or Talos.
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