Direct answer: at Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server public list prices on 10 November 2026 (eastus, USD, excluding tax and discounts), compute bills per vCore-hour: B1ms $0.017/h (about $12.41 for 730h), B2s $0.068 ($49.64), B2ms $0.136 ($99.28), B4ms $0.272 ($198.56); General Purpose Ddsv5 $0.089/vCore-hour (2/4/8 vCores: $129.94/$259.88/$519.76 per month); Memory Optimized Edsv5 $0.125/vCore-hour (2/4/8: $182.50/$365.00/$730.00). Storage is $0.115/GiB-month; backup storage is free up to 100% of provisioned storage, then $0.095/GiB-month, doubled for GRS; Premium SSD v2 extra IOPS $0.02/IOPS-month and throughput $0.08/MBps-month; Ultra is $0.135/GB + $0.09/IOPS + $0.6/MBps. Examples: B1ms + 32GB = $16.09/month; B2s + 128GB = $64.36; GP 4 vCore + 512GB = $318.76; MO 4 vCore + 512GB = $423.88; GP 8 vCore + 1TB = $637.52. Stopping a server stops compute but not storage: B2s + 128GB still costs $14.72/month stopped. Backup overage: 512GB primary + 1TB backup adds $48.64 (GRS $97.28).
This guide is for architects, DBAs, platform/SRE, finance and procurement selecting, migrating or renewing Azure PostgreSQL. It separates official price facts, editorial calculations and exclusions, covering Burstable/GP/MO, storage and IOPS, backup, stop/HA/replicas, hidden costs and a 90-day checklist. Prices come from the PostgreSQL Flexible Server pricing page, Azure Retail Prices API and Microsoft Learn (10 November 2026). This is not procurement advice.
(1) Billing is vCore-hours plus provisioned storage; stopping a server stops compute but storage keeps billing. (2) Backup is not unlimited-free: up to 100% of provisioned storage, then $0.095/GiB-month, doubled for GRS. (3) Scaling within an hour bills the higher tier; deleting within five minutes still bills one full hour, so even short tests incur compute.
Compute: B, GP and MO unit prices
Burstable B is cheapest: B1ms $0.017/h, B2s $0.068, B2ms $0.136, B4ms $0.272, suited to low-baseline/intermittent work. General Purpose Ddsv5 is a flat $0.089/vCore-hour for most business databases; Memory Optimized Edsv5 is $0.125/vCore-hour for high concurrency/large memory. For 730 hours: B1ms $12.41, B2s $49.64, B4ms $198.56; GP 2/4/8 vCores $129.94/$259.88/$519.76; MO 2/4/8 $182.50/$365.00/$730.00. The v6 series (Ddsv6 $0.112, Edsv6 $0.149/vCore-hour) uses the same formula.
| SKU | vCore/RAM | Hourly | 730h compute |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1ms | 1 / 2 GiB | $0.017 | $12.41 |
| B2s | 2 / 4 GiB | $0.068 | $49.64 |
| B4ms | 4 / 16 GiB | $0.272 | $198.56 |
| GP Ddsv5 2 | 2 / 8 GiB | $0.178 | $129.94 |
| GP Ddsv5 4 | 4 / 16 GiB | $0.356 | $259.88 |
| GP Ddsv5 8 | 8 / 32 GiB | $0.712 | $519.76 |
| MO Edsv5 2 | 2 / 16 GiB | $0.250 | $182.50 |
| MO Edsv5 4 | 4 / 32 GiB | $0.500 | $365.00 |
| MO Edsv5 8 | 8 / 64 GiB | $1.000 | $730.00 |
Sources: PostgreSQL Flexible Server pricing page and Retail API (eastus, 10 November 2026). v6 series GP $0.112, MO $0.149/vCore-hour; excludes storage, backup, HA, replicas, tax and discounts.
Four scenarios: from dev to production
Adding compute and storage: dev B1ms + 32GB = $16.09/month; small B2s + 128GB = $64.36; production GP 4 vCore + 512GB = $318.76; memory-optimized MO 4 vCore + 512GB = $423.88; larger production GP 8 vCore + 1TB = $637.52. Storage share changes with scale: 23% for the dev B1ms, 18% for GP 4/512 and GP 8/1TB; compute dominates, but storage above 4TB quickly approaches or exceeds a small compute tier.
| Scenario/month | Compute | Storage | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1ms + 32GB | $12.41 | $3.68 | $16.09 |
| B2s + 128GB | $49.64 | $14.72 | $64.36 |
| GP 4 vCore + 512GB | $259.88 | $58.88 | $318.76 |
| MO 4 vCore + 512GB | $365.00 | $58.88 | $423.88 |
| GP 8 vCore + 1TB | $519.76 | $117.76 | $637.52 |
Editorial calculation: 730 hours/month, storage $0.115/GiB-month, 1TB = 1,024GiB; excludes backup, IOPS add-ons, HA, replicas, tax and discounts. Actual billing is hourly and prorated for partial months.
Storage: $0.115/GiB-month, pick capacity before IOPS
Flexible Server bills provisioned storage at $0.115/GiB-month: 32GB $3.68, 128GB $14.72, 512GB $58.88, 1TB $117.76, 2TB $235.52, 4TB $471.04, up to 64TiB. Default Premium SSD IOPS scales with size/tier; choose Premium SSD v2 or Ultra when you need independent IOPS/throughput. Storage can grow but not shrink, so plan for data growth, indexes, WAL and temp files rather than buying exactly today's data size.
| Provisioned storage | Monthly | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 32 GiB | $3.68 | Minimum dev |
| 128 GiB | $14.72 | Small database |
| 512 GiB | $58.88 | Production start |
| 1 TiB | $117.76 | 1,024GiB |
| 2 TiB | $235.52 | 2,048GiB |
| 4 TiB | $471.04 | 4,096GiB |
Sources: PostgreSQL pricing page and Retail API (eastus, 10 November 2026). Premium SSD at $0.115/GiB-month; Premium SSD v2/Ultra storage and IOPS/throughput are separate; storage cap is 64TiB.
IOPS and throughput: v2 vs Ultra add-ons
Premium SSD v2 storage is $0.115/GiB-month; disks up to 399GiB include 3,000 IOPS, disks 400GiB or larger include 12,000; throughput includes 125MB/s and 500MB/s respectively. Extra IOPS is $0.02/IOPS-month, extra throughput $0.08/MBps-month. 512GB + 8,000 extra IOPS + 500MB/s = $58.88 + $160 + $40 = $258.88/month. Ultra storage is $0.135/GB, IOPS $0.09/IOPS-month, throughput $0.6/MBps-month: 512GB + 20,000 IOPS + 500MB/s = $69.12 + $1,800 + $300 = $2,169.12/month. Confirm the default Premium SSD is insufficient before paying for extra IOPS.
| Configuration | Monthly | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Premium SSD v2 512GB | $58.88 | Includes 12,000 IOPS/500MBps |
| v2 + 8,000 IOPS | +$160.00 | $0.02/IOPS |
| v2 + 500 MB/s | +$40.00 | $0.08/MBps |
| Ultra 512GB | $69.12 | $0.135/GB |
| Ultra + 20,000 IOPS | +$1,800.00 | $0.09/IOPS |
| Ultra + 500 MB/s | +$300.00 | $0.6/MBps |
Sources: PostgreSQL pricing page and Retail API (eastus, 10 November 2026). v2 included allowances depend on ≤399GiB/≥400GiB; Ultra bills all provisioned IOPS/throughput; excludes compute, backup, tax and discounts.
Backup: 100% free allowance, then $0.095/GiB
Automated backups retain 7–35 days (default 7). Backup storage is free up to 100% of provisioned storage; excess bills at $0.095/GiB-month, and GRS doubles both capacity and price. Examples: 512GB primary + 700GB backup, 188GB excess → $17.86/month; 512GB + 1TB, 512GB excess → $48.64, GRS $97.28; 1TB primary + 1.5TB backup, 476GB excess → $45.22. Longer retention increases backup volume; stopped servers retain and bill backups.
| Primary | Backup usage | Excess cost | GRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 512 GiB | 700 GiB | $17.86 | $35.72 |
| 512 GiB | 1 TiB | $48.64 | $97.28 |
| 1 TiB | 1.5 TiB | $45.22 | $90.44 |
Editorial calculation: free allowance = 100% of primary; excess $0.095/GiB-month; GRS 2×; retention 7–35 days; excludes compute, IOPS, tax and discounts.
Stop, HA and read replicas
Stop: stopping the server stops compute; storage and backup beyond 100% keep billing. B2s + 128GB stopped = $14.72/month. HA: same-zone or zone-redundant HA deploys a standby with compute/storage similar to the primary, and the portal shows the increase at enablement; budgeting two identical footprints puts GP 4 vCore + 512GB at about $637.52/month (an upper estimate; whether storage is billed twice follows the bill). Read replica: a separate server with its own compute/storage, adding about $318.76/month for GP 4/512. Creating and deleting within five minutes still bills one full hour; scaling within an hour bills the higher tier.
| Scenario | Monthly | Note |
|---|---|---|
| B2s + 128GB stopped | $14.72 | Storage only |
| GP 4/512 HA (2× estimate) | $637.52 | Standby same spec |
| GP 4/512 + 1 read replica | $637.52 | Replica has own compute/storage |
| Create, delete after 5 min | 1 hour compute | Full hour |
| Scale 4→8 vCore within an hour | 8 vCore | Higher tier |
Editorial calculation: HA estimated as two identical footprints (upper bound); actual follows the portal and bill; replicas are separate servers; stop keeps storage/backup; excludes tax and discounts.
Selection and hidden costs
Match the workload: dev/test/low-frequency use B1ms/B2s and stop when idle; stable small databases use B2ms or GP 2 vCore; production general use GP 4/8; high concurrency/large memory use MO 4/8; independent IOPS use Premium SSD v2, extreme IO use Ultra. Seven hidden costs: storage cannot shrink, backup above 100%, GRS 2×, HA/replicas add another footprint, extra IOPS/throughput, five-minute tests still bill an hour, and egress/logs/monitoring. 90 days: weeks 1–2 inventory data size, peak connections/IOPS, backup retention and HA needs; weeks 2–4 run real workloads on B/GP; weeks 4–6 size storage and IOPS without overbuying; weeks 6–8 test stop/restore and replica lag; weeks 8–10 load-test IOPS/connections; weeks 10–12 reconcile vCore-hours, storage, backup and add-ons against the bill.
FAQ
How is Azure Database for PostgreSQL billed?
Flexible Server bills compute vCore-hours plus provisioned storage: B1ms $0.017/h, B2s $0.068, GP Ddsv5 $0.089/vCore-hour, MO Edsv5 $0.125/vCore-hour; storage $0.115/GiB-month; backup above 100% of primary $0.095/GiB-month; IOPS/throughput, HA, replicas and tax are additional.
Burstable or General Purpose?
B is for low-baseline/intermittent work (dev, test, small sites): B1ms $12.41/month, B2s $49.64. Sustained CPU/connections or production SLA use GP (4 vCores $259.88) or MO (4 vCores $365.00). B-series running flat out will throttle—don't force it into production.
How much does storage cost?
$0.115/GiB-month: 32GB $3.68, 128GB $14.72, 512GB $58.88, 1TB $117.76, 2TB $235.52, 4TB $471.04, up to 64TiB. Storage only grows; Premium SSD v2/Ultra bill IOPS/throughput separately.
Is backup charged?
Free up to 100% of provisioned storage; excess is $0.095/GiB-month, doubled for GRS. 512GB primary + 1TB backup has $48.64 excess (GRS $97.28). Retention is 7–35 days; longer retention means more backup; stopped servers still bill backup.
Am I charged while stopped?
Compute stops, storage and backup beyond 100% continue. B2s + 128GB stopped is $14.72/month. Good for dev/test; confirm connection and recovery time before stopping production.
How is HA priced?
HA deploys a standby with compute/storage similar to the primary; the portal shows the increase. Budgeting two identical footprints puts GP 4 vCore + 512GB at about $637.52/month; whether storage is billed twice follows the bill. Zone-redundant HA is not supported on Burstable.
How do I add IOPS?
Premium SSD v2 includes 3,000 IOPS up to 399GiB and 12,000 at 400GiB+, with extra at $0.02/IOPS-month and $0.08/MBps-month. Ultra is $0.09/IOPS and $0.6/MBps. 512GB v2 + 8,000 IOPS + 500MB/s = $258.88/month; the Ultra equivalent is about $2,169.12.
How do I reduce cost?
Five steps: (1) use B-series and stop dev/test; (2) reserve storage for growth, not one-shot maximum; (3) keep backup retention at the compliance minimum to avoid excess; (4) confirm default Premium SSD is insufficient before buying IOPS; (5) enable HA/replicas from real RPO/RTO, not by default.
Research method and limitations
Official facts (pricing page, Retail API, Learn): B1ms $0.017, B2s $0.068, B2ms $0.136, B4ms $0.272; GP Ddsv5 $0.089/vCore-hour, MO Edsv5 $0.125; storage $0.115/GiB-month; backup $0.095/GiB-month, 100% free, GRS 2×; v2 extra IOPS $0.02, throughput $0.08; Ultra $0.135/GB + $0.09/IOPS + $0.6/MBps; stop keeps storage/excess backup; five-minute delete bills an hour; intra-hour scaling bills the higher tier. Editorial calculations: 730 hours/month, 1TB = 1,024GiB, HA estimated as two identical footprints.
Eight limitations: (1) only eastus public list prices, excluding tax/CSP/enterprise discounts/reservations; (2) data size, connections and IOPS are editorial assumptions; (3) excludes egress, logs/monitoring, Defender and tax; (4) no real IOPS/connection/recovery benchmark; (5) actual HA storage multiplier follows the portal/bill; (6) replica lag/read scaling is not tested; (7) v5/v6 and other SKU generations are not compared one by one; (8) prices and features change—recheck official pages and bills before purchase.
Sources and basis
- Microsoft Azure, Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server Pricing: azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/postgresql/flexible-server. B/GP/MO, storage, IOPS, backup, stop, HA/replicas. Accessed 10 November 2026.
- Azure Retail Prices API (productName contains PostgreSQL, eastus): prices.azure.com/api/retail/prices. $0.017/$0.068/$0.136/$0.272, $0.089, $0.125, $0.115/GiB, $0.095/GiB, $0.02/$0.08, $0.135/$0.09/$0.6. Accessed 10 November 2026.
- Microsoft Learn, Backup and restore in Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server: backup-restore/concepts-backup-restore. 7–35 day retention, 100% free allowance, GRS/LRS/ZRS. Accessed 10 November 2026.
- Microsoft Learn, High availability in Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server: high-availability/concepts-high-availability. Primary/standby, same-zone/zone-redundant, 99.95%/99.99% SLA. Accessed 10 November 2026.
Data cut-off 10 November 2026; prices/availability follow Microsoft official pages and bills; this is not procurement, commercial or legal advice.