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Short answer: neither Azure nor AWS can be called cheaper for this workload without matching current quotes. For a VM that encodes or relays one live feed to YouTube, compare the same region, VM resources, powered-on hours, outbound data and account terms. Both providers state a 100 GB/month internet-egress allowance, but their overage rates and billing terms differ.
Here, “VOD livestream” could mean a live gaming broadcast that YouTube later archives as a video-on-demand replay, or prerecorded gameplay streamed as live. The comparison below covers the live feed sent from a cloud VM to YouTube; it does not estimate separate VOD hosting. The prices and terms cited were checked on October 3, 2026 and can change.
What actually determines the bill?
For a single stream from a cloud VM to YouTube, the main costs are VM runtime and outbound data. YouTube handles viewer playback in this setup, so you generally should not price a separate cloud distribution service as if the VM were serving every viewer.
- Compute runtime: compare equivalent operating systems and CPU/memory configurations, powered on for the same number of hours. A VM left running continuously can cost more than one started only for scheduled streams.
- Outbound data: estimate the stream’s bitrate multiplied by live hours, then check the provider’s regional egress tiers and allowance. This is traffic from your VM to YouTube, not traffic from YouTube to viewers.
- Other resources: include any required disk, public IP, snapshots, monitoring and reserved or static resources. The published pricing information cited here does not establish a complete comparable monthly quote for these items.
- Commercial terms: account discounts, taxes, duties, currency conversion and negotiated agreements affect the bill. Microsoft says its estimates are not quotes and can vary with agreement, date and exchange rates; AWS says listed prices exclude applicable taxes and duties.
How much data does a gaming stream send?
YouTube’s current encoder guidance recommends 17 Mbps for H.264 at 1080p and 60 fps. At a constant 17 Mbps, one hour sends approximately 7.65 decimal GB: 17 megabits per second × 3,600 seconds ÷ 8 ÷ 1,000. This is a calculation from YouTube’s recommended bitrate, not a published usage statistic. Actual usage can differ with audio, protocol overhead, variable bitrate behaviour and the number of hours streamed.
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For another resolution, frame rate or codec, use YouTube’s encoder table rather than carrying the 17 Mbps figure over. YouTube lists 12 Mbps for 1080p60 using AV1 or H.265/HEVC. Its guidance recommends RTMPS, CBR and a two-second keyframe interval, not exceeding four seconds; it supports H.264, H.265/HEVC or AV1 video and up to 60 fps. Test a representative workload and monitor stream health.
Azure and AWS: what the published pricing establishes
| Cost item | Azure | AWS |
|---|---|---|
| Initial internet egress allowance | Microsoft’s bandwidth pricing page states the first 100 GB/month is free across Azure regions. | AWS’s EC2 On-Demand pricing page states 100 GB/month of internet data transfer out is free, aggregated across AWS services and regions, with stated China and GovCloud exceptions. |
| Visible Asia-origin overage information | The page lists $0.12/GB for the next 10 TB through Microsoft’s Premium Global Network and $0.11/GB for the corresponding tier via its transit ISP routing preference. These are estimates, not personalized quotes. | The reviewed EC2 pricing page confirmed the allowance and aggregation rule, but did not establish the applicable India/Asia overage rate for this comparison. |
| Compute and all-in bill | Depends on the selected VM, operating system, runtime, resources and account terms; obtain a current calculator estimate. | Depends on the selected VM, operating system, runtime, resources and account terms; obtain a current calculator estimate. |
The allowances are separate provider terms; they do not mean all stream traffic is free or that total costs are equal. Do not assume allowances stack across accounts or that every traffic category is treated identically. Verify current terms and calculator results for the selected region and route. In particular, Azure’s visible Asia tier cannot establish that Azure beats AWS when the matching AWS overage rate and the compute configuration have not been compared.
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A fair way to compare your own deployment
- Define the workload: specify whether the VM only relays an already encoded stream or also encodes gameplay, the operating system, video settings and the number of streams.
- Choose the region: select the same practical region for each provider, taking account of where the VM will run and the route to YouTube ingest.
- Match the VM: compare equivalent CPU and memory, storage and any other resources you actually need. Use the same expected powered-on hours.
- Estimate data sent: multiply bitrate by stream hours and convert bits to decimal GB; include reasonable headroom for audio and protocol overhead. Apply each provider’s current allowance and regional tiers to that volume.
- Use current calculators: enter the same workload in the AWS and Azure pricing calculators, then check public IP, disk, snapshots, monitoring, taxes and any account-specific discounts or agreements.
- Recheck before committing: save the assumptions with the estimates and revisit them if your stream hours, quality, region or account terms change.
Do you need a cloud VM for YouTube viewers?
Not just to distribute the stream to viewers. With a VM-to-YouTube relay, the VM sends one outgoing feed to YouTube; YouTube handles playback and its own transcoding. A general-purpose VM that encodes or relays that feed is the relevant basic architecture for this cost comparison.
AWS Interactive Video Service (IVS) is a different managed live-video service. Its official pricing is based on viewer-hours and video quality, including India delivery rates, rather than just a VM and one outgoing feed to YouTube. AWS announced India edge locations in Mumbai and Chennai on April 22, 2021. IVS is worth evaluating only if you need a separately managed interactive streaming service; its pricing is not a like-for-like alternative to a YouTube relay.
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If your goal is to keep prerecorded gameplay looping as a YouTube live stream, StreamNeo is an alternative to running your own VM. Upload the recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live; it loops uploaded videos from the cloud. Nothing has to stay on at home. Every slot streams the upload as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. The monthly price is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo for details, or start the free first day.
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