Governance, Cost & Compliance

Resource type, consumption (usage), the region/location where it runs, and network traffic (bandwidth) such as egress.

Each resource type has its own pricing model and meters, and settings or configuration choices (such as VM size or storage tier) for that type change the generated charges.

Prices vary by region because of differences in local power, labor, taxes, and fees, so the same resource can cost different amounts in different regions.

You are billed only for the resources you actually use (pay-as-you-go), so costs scale up and down with usage instead of requiring a fixed upfront purchase.

Inbound data transfer is generally free, but outbound data transfer (egress) leaving an Azure region or zone is typically charged, so bandwidth direction matters.