Why Kubernetes Is Driving Up Your Cloud Bill And When It Is Worth It

Short summary

Kubernetes doesn't inherently increase costs—it amplifies infrastructure mistakes through inflated resource requests and weak cost feedback loops. Real costs come from fear-driven padding causing autoscalers to over-provision expensive capacity based on inaccurate signals. Kubernetes is worth it at scale with strong platform discipline; for simple deployments or teams without cost ownership, simpler infrastructure usually makes more financial sense.

• •Kubernetes amplifies infrastructure mistakes through inflated resource requests and cascading waste across services
• •Real costs come from fear-driven padding (double memory 'just in case') causing autoscalers to overprovision
• •Only worth it with organizational scale and strong platform discipline; simpler stacks work better for small teams

Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.