AWS vs. Microsoft Azure: 2026 Cloud Pricing, Compute & Enterprise Comparison
AWS and Microsoft Azure offer closely matched list prices across standard Linux compute and object storage, but Azure yields up to 40% savings on Windows Server and SQL Server workloads through Azure Hybrid Benefit (AHB).
Within 2-5% (Azure Cheaper with AHB)
Standard on-demand list pricing comparison for general purpose memory and vCPU tiers.
Up to 35% Savings on Azure SQL (AHB)
PostgreSQL and MySQL database clusters with high availability and automated daily backups.
Enterprise Tier Egress Rates
Both hyperscalers charge standard enterprise tier egress (~$0.08–$0.09/GB) with volume-tiered discounts starting above 10 TB/month.
Direct Head-to-Head Configuration Shootout
Monthly prices based on 730 hours/month on-demand consumption.
| Workload Profile | AWSSKU & Rate | Microsoft AzureSKU & Rate | Cost Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
General Purpose (2 vCPU / 8 GB) 2 vCPU • 8 GB RAM • General Purpose | t3.large ($0.0832/hr) $60.74/mo | Standard_D2s_v5 ($0.096/hr) $70.08/mo | Microsoft Azure saves 13% |
Production Compute (4 vCPU / 16 GB) 4 vCPU • 16 GB RAM • Intel Xeon / AMD EPYC | m5.xlarge ($0.192/hr) $140.16/mo | Standard_D4s_v5 ($0.192/hr) $140.16/mo | Microsoft Azure saves 0% |
Managed Relational Database PostgreSQL / MySQL • 100 GB SSD Storage | db.m5.large RDS ($138.00/mo) $138.00/mo | Flexible Server D2ds_v5 ($132.00/mo) $132.00/mo | Microsoft Azure saves 4% |
Object Storage (10 TB) 10,000 GB Capacity Hot Tier Storage | Amazon S3 Standard ($0.023/GB) $230.00/mo | Azure Blob Hot ($0.018/GB) $180.00/mo | Microsoft Azure saves 22% |
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View AllThis comparative benchmark between AWS and Microsoft Azure was originally published on January 15, 2026 and last audited against current vendor catalog APIs on October 2026.
Cloud service providers frequently introduce new compute instance shapes, updated region availability, feature parity upgrades, and revised pricing schedules without advance notice. While Compare Cloud Costs continuously updates figures via automated ingestion pipelines from public APIs and published rate cards, unit rates, specifications, and vendor capabilities may change.
All prices shown reflect standard pay-as-you-go (on-demand) public list pricing and directional comparisons. They do not constitute formal binding quotes, commercial offers, or contractual guarantees from Compare Cloud Costs or the respective cloud providers. Actual costs may vary substantially based on enterprise discount programs (EDP / PPA), private pricing agreements, sustained or committed use discounts, custom networking topology, and negotiated software licenses. Always confirm current rates and feature availability on each provider's official calculator before finalizing commercial purchasing decisions. For full methodology, see our Terms of Use and Documentation.