Networking Costs in AWS per GB | Overview.

An Overview of Networking Costs in AWS Per GB.

Intro:

• AWS networking costs vary significantly based on the data's origin & destination.
• AWS networking costs also vary significantly based on the specific AWS services involved, generally ranging from free (inbound) to around $0.09/GB for internet egress.
• Data transfer within the same Availability Zone (AZ) is typically free, while cross-AZ and cross-region transfers incur charges.

Scope:

•        Key AWS Networking Costs per GB,
•        Cost Considerations,
•        Cost Optimization.

Key AWS Networking Costs per GB

Scenario	Cost per GB (approx., USD)	Notes
Data Transfer In (Ingress)	Free	Inbound data from the internet or other regions into AWS is generally free.
Internet Egress (Outbound to Internet)	$0.05 - $0.09	Tiered pricing applies; the first 100 GB/month is free, followed by $0.09/GB for the first 10 TB, with rates decreasing with volume. Rates can also vary by region.
Inter-AZ (Within same Region)	$0.01 - $0.02	Data transfer between services in different AZs within the same region typically costs around $0.01/GB in each direction (for services like EC2, RDS, etc.).
Inter-Region (Between Regions)	$0.02 - $0.05	The cost varies by source and destination regions, but a common rate is around $0.02/GB (e.g., between US regions).
AWS Direct Connect Outbound	$0.02 - $0.06	Offers lower, more predictable rates for data leaving AWS over a private connection compared to internet egress.
NAT Gateway Processing	~$0.045	A processing charge of $0.045/GB applies to data passing through a NAT Gateway, in addition to standard internet egress charges (if applicable).
CloudFront (CDN) Outbound	$0.02 - $0.12	CloudFront uses edge locations and has different, often lower, pricing tiers than standard EC2 egress, with the first 1 TB/month often free.

 Cost Considerations

Service-Specific Pricing:

•        While general rules exist, some services have unique pricing. For example, data transfer between EC2 and S3 within the same region is free, but S3 egress to the internet follows standard tiered pricing. Some services like Amazon DynamoDB or Amazon ECR may charge internet egress rates for cross-region data transfer.

IP Address Type:

•         Using public IPv4 addresses for communication between instances, even in the same AZ, results in a cross-zone charge. Using private IPs within the same AZ is free.

Cost Optimization:

Co-locate Resources:

•     Place frequently communicating resources (e.g., EC2 and RDS instances) within the same AZ to leverage free data transfer.

Use Private IPs/Endpoints:

•    Minimize the use of public IPs and utilize VPC endpoints for communication with services like S3 or DynamoDB to avoid NAT gateway charges or inter-AZ fees.

Leverage CloudFront:

•    For high-volume static content delivery, use Amazon CloudFront to benefit from lower egress rates and the generous free tier.

Monitor and Analyze:

•    Use tools like AWS Cost Explorer to monitor usage patterns and identify potential areas of unexpected cost.

NB:

• For precise and up-to-date costs, it is recommended to use the AWS Pricing Calculator or check the specific service pricing pages on the official AWS website, as rates and tiers can change or vary by specific regions.