Contabo vs Azure (AKS): Kubernetes Cost Comparison (2026)
Contabo is 62% cheaper than Azure (AKS) for a 3-node Kubernetes cluster (€27 vs €72/mo)
At the cluster level, Contabo runs 62% cheaper, roughly €45/mo less than its competitor. Storage IOPS differ by ~69×, with Azure (AKS) ahead — relevant if your workload relies on persistent volumes. Block storage costs ~15× less on Contabo. Choose Contabo for cost-efficient Kubernetes on a budget; choose Azure (AKS) for IOPS-intensive stateful applications.
Moving off Azure (AKS) could save ~€45/mo on a 3-node cluster.
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 Contabo |  Azure (AKS) | |
|---|---|---|
| HQ / Country | Germany | United States |
| Managed Kubernetes | No (DIY) | Yes |
| Control Plane Cost | Self-managed | Free |
| Cheapest Node | €4.50/mo 4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM | €23.95/mo 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM |
| 3-Node Cluster* | ~€27.00/mo | ~€71.85/mo |
| 6-Node HA Cluster* | ~€40.50/mo | ~€143.70/mo |
| Egress | 32 TB free | €0.080/GB |
| S3 Storage | €0.010/GB | €0.018/GB |
| Certifications | None listed | 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.
Data freshness: Contabo as of Jan 2026, Azure (AKS) as of May 2026.
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