Azure Bandwidth Pricing Explained
Microsoft Azure calls it "bandwidth" rather than egress, but the concept is identical: data leaving Azure's network costs money. Azure's pricing structure uses five tiers that drop from $0.087/GB down to $0.04/GB at scale, and introduces zone-based pricing that charges different rates for different geographies. This page breaks down every Azure data transfer cost so you can plan architectures that minimize unnecessary spending.
Azure Internet Egress Pricing Tiers (Zone 1)
Azure uses five-tier pricing for internet egress from most services including Blob Storage, Virtual Machines, App Service, and Azure Functions. The first 100 GB per month is free. Zone 1 (North America and Europe) rates shown below.
Source: Azure Bandwidth Pricing
All Azure Data Transfer Types
Azure charges vary significantly based on the transfer type and destination. Understanding the difference between internet egress, cross-region, and private connectivity pricing is essential for cost optimization.
| Transfer Type | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Internet egress (Zone 1 - NA/EU) | $0.087/GB | First 5TB, tiered down with volume |
| Internet egress (Zone 2 - APAC) | $0.12/GB | Higher base rate for Asia Pacific |
| Azure CDN egress | $0.065/GB | Cheaper than direct egress + caching |
| Cross-region (same continent) | $0.02/GB | E.g., West Europe to North Europe |
| Cross-region (intercontinental) | $0.05-$0.08/GB | E.g., Europe to Asia |
| ExpressRoute (metered) | $0.025/GB | Private connectivity, predictable pricing |
| ExpressRoute (unlimited) | Flat monthly fee | No per-GB charges |
| Same region (private endpoint) | Free | Internal VNet traffic |
Azure vs AWS: Where Azure Wins
Azure's five-tier structure reaches its lowest rate ($0.04/GB) at 50 TB/month, while AWS requires 150 TB/month to reach its bottom tier ($0.05/GB). For enterprise workloads in the 50-150 TB range, Azure can save 20-44% on egress costs compared to AWS. Azure also offers more flexible ExpressRoute options and better Private Link coverage for PaaS services.
However, Azure's zone-based pricing means that workloads in Asia Pacific or South America pay significantly more than Zone 1 rates. See the full provider comparison
How to Reduce Azure Egress Costs
Azure bandwidth charges can surprise teams that have not planned for them. Here are proven strategies to cut your data transfer bill.
Azure CDN for content delivery
Azure CDN provides lower egress rates than direct Blob Storage or VM bandwidth. Caching reduces total bytes transferred from your origin, and the Verizon and Akamai CDN options offer excellent global coverage.
ExpressRoute for hybrid workloads
ExpressRoute provides private connectivity at $0.025/GB (metered) or flat monthly rate (unlimited). For organizations transferring large, predictable volumes to on-premises infrastructure, ExpressRoute typically pays for itself within months.
Private Link and private endpoints
Use Azure Private Link to access PaaS services over Microsoft's backbone rather than the public internet. This eliminates egress charges for traffic between Azure services in the same region and improves security.
Consider zero-egress alternatives
For egress-heavy storage workloads, Cloudflare R2 and Wasabi offer zero egress fees with Azure Blob-compatible APIs. Migrating archival data or CDN origin content can dramatically reduce your bandwidth bill.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Azure charge for egress?
Azure charges $0.087 per GB for the first 5 TB/month of internet egress from Blob Storage, VMs, App Service, and most other services. Rates drop to $0.083/GB for the next 5 TB, $0.07/GB for the next 10 TB, $0.05/GB up to 50 TB, and $0.04/GB above 50 TB. The first 100 GB per month is free.
Is Azure egress cheaper than AWS?
Azure starts slightly cheaper ($0.087/GB vs AWS $0.09/GB) and becomes notably cheaper at scale ($0.04/GB at 50TB+ vs AWS $0.05/GB at 150TB+). However, Azure reaches its lowest tier sooner (50TB vs AWS 150TB), making it better for high-volume enterprise workloads.
How can I reduce Azure bandwidth costs?
Route traffic through Azure CDN (lower rates plus caching), use Private Link to keep traffic on Microsoft's backbone, leverage ExpressRoute for predictable large-volume transfers, consider Cloudflare R2 for egress-heavy storage workloads, and use private endpoints between Azure services.
Does Azure charge for egress between regions?
Yes. Cross-region transfer within the same continent costs approximately $0.02/GB. Intercontinental transfers cost $0.05-$0.08/GB. Intra-region transfer between Azure services using private endpoints is free.
What are Azure bandwidth zones?
Azure groups regions into zones for pricing. Zone 1 includes North America and Europe with standard egress rates. Zone 2 includes Asia Pacific, Japan, and Australia with slightly higher rates. Zone 3 includes Brazil, South Africa, and Middle East with the highest rates.
Related Resources
Prices verified from Azure official documentation. Last updated March 2026.