aws_dx_connection cost estimation
A dedicated physical network link to AWS, billed per port-hour by speed plus data transfer out. A 1 Gbps port is ~$219/month before egress.
An aws_dx_connection is a dedicated, physical network connection between your network and AWS — used for consistent, high-throughput, lower-latency connectivity that bypasses the public internet. Cost has two parts: a port-hour fee set by the port speed (a 1 Gbps port is ~$0.30/hour, ~$219/month; 10 Gbps and 100 Gbps cost more), plus Direct Connect data transfer out, billed per GB at rates well below standard internet egress.
The port fee is the standing cost — charged continuously once the connection is provisioned, whether or not traffic flows. The data-transfer-out rate is the payoff: for high-volume egress to your own network, DX DTO is significantly cheaper than internet egress, which is often the financial justification for the connection.
The cost decisions are the port speed (match to sustained throughput), whether you need a second connection for resilience (doubling the port fee), and routing high-volume egress over DX to capture the cheaper DTO rate. There may also be a cross-connect/colo fee from the location provider, separate from AWS.
c3x prices the connection from its bandwidth (port speed), so the standing port cost is visible before deployment; data transfer is usage-driven.
Terraform example
A minimal but realistic configuration that C3X can estimate.
resource "aws_dx_connection" "primary" {
name = "datacenter-link"
bandwidth = "1Gbps"
location = "EqDC2"
}Pricing dimensions
What you actually pay for when you provision aws_dx_connection.
| Dimension | Unit | What's being charged |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Connect port | per hour | Port-hour fee by speed, charged continuously regardless of traffic. ~$0.30/hour for 1 Gbps → ~$219/month; 10 Gbps and 100 Gbps cost more |
| Data transfer out | per GB | Egress over Direct Connect, billed per GB at rates well below internet egress. Usage-based. |
Sample C3X output
A 1 Gbps dedicated connection, 24/7 (port fee only; add DTO):
aws_dx_connection.primary
└─ Direct Connect port (1 Gbps) 730 port-hours $219.00
Monthly $219.00Optimization tips
Common ways to reduce aws_dx_connection cost without changing the workload.
Right-size the port speed
Difference between port speedsThe port fee scales with speed — 10 Gbps costs far more than 1 Gbps. Provision the speed your sustained throughput needs; you can add connections or use link aggregation later rather than over-buying a 10 Gbps port for 1 Gbps of traffic.
Route high-volume egress over DX to capture the cheaper DTO rate
Per-GB egress vs internet rateDirect Connect data transfer out is well below internet egress. For workloads moving large volumes to your own network, routing that egress over DX is often what justifies the port fee — make sure the traffic actually uses it.
Balance resilience against cost
~$219/month per redundant 1 Gbps port avoidedProduction often runs two connections (or a LAG) for redundancy, doubling the port fee. Right for critical connectivity; for non-critical links, a single connection halves the standing cost.
Consider hosted connections for sub-1G needs
Avoids full-port over-commitmentDirect Connect partners offer hosted connections at smaller capacities (50 Mbps–500 Mbps) without a full dedicated port, fitting smaller hybrid needs more cost-effectively.
FAQ
How is AWS Direct Connect billed?
A port-hour fee by speed (~$0.30/hour for 1 Gbps, ~$219/month; more for 10/100 Gbps), charged continuously, plus data transfer out over the connection at per-GB rates well below internet egress. A colo cross-connect fee from the location provider is separate.
Why use Direct Connect if it has a standing fee?
Consistent throughput, lower latency, and — financially — cheaper data transfer out than internet egress. For high-volume egress to your own network, the DX DTO savings often justify the port fee; it also avoids the variability of internet-based connectivity.
How does c3x estimate the cost?
From the bandwidth (port speed), pricing the standing port-hour fee. Data transfer out is usage-driven and modelled separately, as is any colo cross-connect fee.
Related resources
Estimate this resource in your own Terraform
Free, open source, no API key. C3X parses your Terraform and shows line-item cost for every resource, including aws_dx_connection.