GCP (GKE) vs Azure (AKS): Kubernetes Cost Comparison (2026)
Azure (AKS) is 57% cheaper than GCP (GKE) for a 3-node Kubernetes cluster (€72 vs €166/mo)
Azure (AKS) costs 57% less — a saving of ~€94/mo on a standard 3-node cluster. Azure (AKS) provides a free control plane; GCP (GKE) charges €73/mo for the managed control plane. Choose Azure (AKS) for cost-efficient Kubernetes on a budget; choose GCP (GKE) for GCP (GKE)'s specific capabilities.
EU cloud providers cost significantly less than US hyperscalers for equivalent Kubernetes clusters.
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 GCP (GKE) | Azure (AKS) | |
|---|---|---|
| HQ / Country | United States | United States |
| Managed Kubernetes | Yes | Yes |
| Control Plane Cost | €73/mo | Free |
| Cheapest Node | €34.37/mo 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM | €23.95/mo 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM |
| 3-Node Cluster* | ~€165.95/mo | ~€71.85/mo |
| 6-Node HA Cluster* | ~€269.06/mo | ~€143.70/mo |
| Egress | €0.103/GB | €0.080/GB |
| S3 Storage | €0.017/GB | €0.018/GB |
| Certifications | ISO27001, SOC2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS | ISO27001, SOC2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS |
| CLOUD Act Exposure | Yes (US-owned) | 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: GCP (GKE) as of May 2026, Azure (AKS) as of May 2026.
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