GCP (GKE) vs Gcore: Kubernetes Cost Comparison (2026)
Gcore is 78% cheaper than GCP (GKE) for a 3-node Kubernetes cluster (€37 vs €166/mo)
At the cluster level, Gcore runs 78% cheaper, roughly €129/mo less than its competitor. GCP (GKE) delivers ~39× the storage IOPS, which matters for write-heavy workloads like etcd or database operators. Gcore wins on network egress — unlimited egress vs paid. Choose Gcore for cost-efficient Kubernetes on a budget; choose GCP (GKE) for IOPS-intensive stateful applications.
Moving off GCP (GKE) could save ~€129/mo on a 3-node cluster.
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 GCP (GKE) |  Gcore | |
|---|---|---|
| HQ / Country | United States | Luxembourg |
| Managed Kubernetes | Yes | Yes |
| Control Plane Cost | €73/mo | Free |
| Cheapest Node | €34.37/mo 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM | €12.32/mo 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM |
| 3-Node Cluster* | ~€165.95/mo | ~€36.96/mo |
| 6-Node HA Cluster* | ~€269.06/mo | ~€73.92/mo |
| Egress | €0.103/GB | Unlimited |
| S3 Storage | €0.017/GB | €0.040/GB |
| Certifications | ISO27001, SOC2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS | ISO27001, SOC2, PCI-DSS |
| CLOUD Act Exposure | Yes (US-owned) | No |
* 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, Gcore as of May 2026.
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