Exoscale vs GCP (GKE): Kubernetes Cost Comparison (2026)
Exoscale is 45% cheaper than GCP (GKE) for a 3-node Kubernetes cluster (€91 vs €166/mo)
At the cluster level, Exoscale runs 45% cheaper, roughly €75/mo less than its competitor. GCP (GKE) delivers ~70× the storage IOPS, which matters for write-heavy workloads like etcd or database operators. For outbound traffic, Exoscale is more cost-effective: €0.020/GB vs €0.103/GB (5.2× cheaper). Choose Exoscale for cost-efficient Kubernetes on a budget; choose GCP (GKE) for IOPS-intensive stateful applications.
IOPS figures from the providers' documentation: Exoscale, GCP (GKE).
Cheapest server with 2 vCPU / 4 GB
- Exoscale: Medium (2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 10 GB disk) for €34.06/mo
- GCP (GKE): e2-standard-2 (2 vCPU, 8 GB RAM) for €47.13/mo
Monthly list prices excl. VAT. More sizes in the instance finder.
We tested it
- Exoscale SKS Review: Fast, Flexible, and Waiting for VPC — hands-on review with benchmarks, Mar 2026
Based on last-fetched pricing, Exoscale runs roughly €50–100/mo less than GCP (GKE) for a 3-node cluster. Prices may have changed.
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 Exoscale |  GCP (GKE) | |
|---|---|---|
| HQ / Country | Switzerland | United States |
| Managed Kubernetes | Yes | Yes |
| Control Plane Cost | Free | €73/mo |
| Cheapest Node | €17.03/mo 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM | €34.37/mo 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM |
| 3-Node Cluster* | ~€91.24/mo | ~€165.95/mo |
| 6-Node HA Cluster* | ~€142.33/mo | ~€269.06/mo |
| Egress | €0.020/GB | €0.103/GB |
| S3 Storage | €0.020/GB | €0.017/GB |
| Certifications | ISO27001, FINMA | 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: Exoscale as of May 2026, GCP (GKE) as of May 2026.
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