Kubernetes Cost Optimization#

Most Kubernetes clusters run at 15-30% actual CPU utilization but are billed for the full provisioned capacity. The gap between what you reserve and what you use is pure waste. This article covers the practical workflow for finding and eliminating that waste.

The Cost Problem: Requests vs Actual Usage#

Kubernetes resource requests are the foundation of cost. When a pod requests 4 CPUs, the scheduler reserves 4 CPUs on a node regardless of whether the pod ever uses more than 0.1 CPU. The node is sized (and billed) based on what is reserved, not what is consumed.