azurerm_postgresql_server cost estimation
The legacy PostgreSQL Single Server, billed per vCore plus storage. A 2-vCore GP server with 50 GB is ~$70/month — but Single Server is retired, so migrate to Flexible Server.
An azurerm_postgresql_server is the older PostgreSQL Single Server deployment. Cost is per vCore-hour (~$0.0438 on General Purpose Gen5) plus storage (~$0.115/GB-month). A 2-vCore server with 50 GB is ~$63.95 compute + $5.75 storage ≈ $70/month.
The headline isn't the price — it's that Single Server is retired. Microsoft has ended support for Azure Database for PostgreSQL Single Server, steering all workloads to Flexible Server, which is generally cheaper and more capable: burstable tiers for dev/test, stop/start to pause compute, better reserved pricing, and zone-redundant HA. For any existing Single Server, migration to Flexible Server is the decision that matters.
Within the runtime cost the usual levers apply — right-size vCores, right-size storage — but the strategic move is migrating off the retired platform, where Flexible Server's burstable and stop/start options can cut a comparable workload's cost substantially.
c3x prices the server from its vCores and storage, useful for comparing against the Flexible Server migration target.
Terraform example
A minimal but realistic configuration that C3X can estimate.
resource "azurerm_postgresql_server" "db" {
name = "app-postgres"
location = azurerm_resource_group.main.location
resource_group_name = azurerm_resource_group.main.name
sku_name = "GP_Gen5_2"
storage_mb = 51200
version = "11"
administrator_login = "pgadmin"
administrator_login_password = var.db_password
ssl_enforcement_enabled = true
}Pricing dimensions
What you actually pay for when you provision azurerm_postgresql_server.
| Dimension | Unit | What's being charged |
|---|---|---|
| vCores (General Purpose) | per vCore-hour | Per vCore-hour on the GP tier, billed continuously. $0.0438/vCore-hour → 2 vCores ≈ $63.95/month |
| Storage | per GB-month | Provisioned storage, billed per GB-month. $0.115/GB-month → 50 GB = $5.75/month |
Sample C3X output
A 2-vCore General Purpose Single Server with 50 GB, 24/7:
azurerm_postgresql_server.db
├─ vCores (GP Gen5, 2 vCore) 1460 vCore-hours $63.95
└─ Storage 50 GB-month $5.75
Monthly $69.70Optimization tips
Common ways to reduce azurerm_postgresql_server cost without changing the workload.
Migrate to PostgreSQL Flexible Server
Access to burstable/stop-start savingsSingle Server is retired. Flexible Server is the successor — generally cheaper, with burstable tiers for dev/test, stop/start to pause compute, and better reserved pricing. Migrating off the retired platform is the key cost (and support) decision.
Right-size vCores
Difference between vCore countsCompute scales with vCores. Monitor CPU/memory and step down over-provisioned servers; on Flexible Server, the burstable tier suits low-traffic databases for far less.
Right-size storage
Per GB-month avoidedStorage bills per provisioned GB. Provision to actual data size with headroom rather than over-allocating.
FAQ
How is Azure PostgreSQL Single Server billed?
Per vCore-hour (~$0.0438 on General Purpose Gen5) plus storage (~$0.115/GB-month). A 2-vCore server with 50 GB is ~$70/month. Note that Single Server is retired — Flexible Server is the supported successor.
Isn't PostgreSQL Single Server retired?
Yes — Microsoft has ended support for Azure Database for PostgreSQL Single Server, steering workloads to Flexible Server (cheaper, burstable tiers, stop/start, better HA). Existing Single Servers should migrate; that's the decision beyond runtime cost.
How does c3x estimate the cost?
From vcores and storage_mb, pricing compute per vCore-hour and storage per GB-month — useful for comparing against a Flexible Server migration target.
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 azurerm_postgresql_server.