How do I install the Azure Pricing skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add vinayaklatthe/azure-pricing in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

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Which AI agents work with Azure Pricing?

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Is Azure Pricing free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free. This skill is licensed under MIT.

Who published Azure Pricing?

vinayaklatthe (@vinayaklatthe) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Azure Pricing by vinayaklatthe — Agent Skill

Name: Azure Pricing
Author: vinayaklatthe

Azure Pricing

Guidance for estimating and reasoning about the cost of Azure security services — using the Azure Pricing Calculator, understanding key cost drivers (Sentinel ingestion, Defender plans, Key Vault operations), and cost-optimization levers. WHEN: Azure security pricing, estimate cost, Sentinel cost, Defender for Cloud pricing, pricing calculator, cost drivers, optimize security spend, ingestion cost, licensing vs consumption, budget for security.

vinayaklatthe Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Azure Security Pricing & Cost Estimation

Security services on Azure mix consumption-based (e.g., data ingestion, transactions) and per-resource/seat pricing. This skill helps reason about and estimate costs and identify optimisation levers. Always confirm current rates on official pricing pages.

When to use

Producing a cost estimate or optimising spend for a security solution.

Key cost drivers

Microsoft Sentinel — Driven mainly by data ingestion (per GB) and retention. Use Commitment Tiers, route low-value logs to Auxiliary/Basic logs or ADX, and avoid duplicate ingestion.
Defender for Cloud — Foundational CSPM is free; Defender plans are per-resource (e.g., per server/hour, per 10K transactions, per vCore). Enable plans where risk justifies.
Microsoft Defender XDR / Purview / Entra ID P2 — Largely per-user licensing (E5 / add-ons) rather than consumption.
Key Vault — Per-operation (secrets/keys/certs) and HSM pool charges (Managed HSM).
Azure Firewall / Front Door / DDoS — Deployment + data processing charges.

Approach

List components and identify which are consumption vs licensed.
Estimate quantities — e.g., Sentinel daily GB, number of protected servers/resources.
Use the Pricing Calculator to model the estimate; add it to the workload TCO.
Apply optimisation — commitment tiers, log tiering, right-size Defender plan coverage, remove unused resources.
Validate licensing — Confirm whether E5/add-ons already cover a capability before adding consumption cost.

Guardrails

Pricing changes — always verify against the live pricing page and your agreement (EA/MCA/CSP).
Sentinel ingestion is the most common cost surprise — plan log tiering up front.
Don't disable needed protection purely for cost; optimise scope instead.

Example prompts

Estimate the cost of Microsoft Sentinel and Defender for Cloud for my environment.
What are the main cost drivers for Microsoft security services?
How do I optimise security spend across licensing and consumption?
Help me budget for security ingestion and per-resource Defender plans.

Microsoft Learn

Azure Pricing Calculator: https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/calculator/
Sentinel pricing/billing: https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/sentinel/billing
Defender for Cloud pricing: https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/details/defender-for-cloud/
Cost management: https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/cost-management-billing/costs/

---name: azure-pricingdescription: Guidance for estimating and reasoning about the cost of Azure security services — using the Azure Pricing Calculator, understanding key cost drivers (Sentinel ingestion, Defender plans, Key Vault operations), and cost-optimization levers. WHEN: Azure security pricing, estimate cost, Sentinel cost, Defender for Cloud pricing, pricing calculator, cost drivers, optimize security spend, ingestion cost, licensing vs consumption, budget for security.license: MIT---# Azure Security Pricing & Cost EstimationSecurity services on Azure mix **consumption-based** (e.g., data ingestion, transactions) and**per-resource/seat** pricing. This skill helps reason about and estimate costs and identifyoptimisation levers. Always confirm current rates on official pricing pages.## When to useProducing a cost estimate or optimising spend for a security solution.## Key cost drivers- **Microsoft Sentinel** — Driven mainly by **data ingestion** (per GB) and retention. Use **Commitment Tiers**, route low-value logs to **Auxiliary/Basic logs** or ADX, and avoid duplicate ingestion.- **Defender for Cloud** — Foundational **CSPM is free**; **Defender plans** are per-resource (e.g., per server/hour, per 10K transactions, per vCore). Enable plans where risk justifies.- **Microsoft Defender XDR / Purview / Entra ID P2** — Largely **per-user licensing** (E5 / add-ons) rather than consumption.- **Key Vault** — Per-operation (secrets/keys/certs) and HSM pool charges (Managed HSM).- **Azure Firewall / Front Door / DDoS** — Deployment + data processing charges.## Approach1. **List components** and identify which are consumption vs licensed.2. **Estimate quantities** — e.g., Sentinel daily GB, number of protected servers/resources.3. **Use the Pricing Calculator** to model the estimate; add it to the workload TCO.4. **Apply optimisation** — commitment tiers, log tiering, right-size Defender plan coverage, remove unused resources.5. **Validate licensing** — Confirm whether E5/add-ons already cover a capability before adding consumption cost.## Guardrails- Pricing changes — always verify against the live pricing page and your agreement (EA/MCA/CSP).- Sentinel ingestion is the most common cost surprise — plan log tiering up front.- Don't disable needed protection purely for cost; optimise scope instead.## Example prompts- `Estimate the cost of Microsoft Sentinel and Defender for Cloud for my environment.`- `What are the main cost drivers for Microsoft security services?`- `How do I optimise security spend across licensing and consumption?`- `Help me budget for security ingestion and per-resource Defender plans.`## Microsoft Learn- Azure Pricing Calculator: https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/calculator/- Sentinel pricing/billing: https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/sentinel/billing- Defender for Cloud pricing: https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/details/defender-for-cloud/- Cost management: https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/cost-management-billing/costs/

Frequently asked questions