Vector Database Storage Cost Comparison
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Compare vector database provider costs
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Detailed Cost Breakdown
Deep dive into single provider costs
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Formula
Storage (GB) = (Vectors × Dimensionality × 4 bytes + Metadata) / (1024 × 1024 × 1024)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which vector database is cheapest?
For <1M vectors: Milvus (self-hosted). For 1-10M: Pinecone Pod ($70-200/mo). For >10M: Milvus or self-hosted Weaviate. Managed services (Pinecone, Weaviate Cloud) charge premium for operational ease.
How much storage does a vector take?
4 bytes per dimension minimum (float32) + metadata overhead. 1536-dim embedding ≈ 6-8KB stored. 1M vectors ≈ 6-8GB storage roughly.
Should I self-host or use managed service?
Managed: <1M vectors or need global availability. Self-hosted: >5M vectors or cost-sensitive. Break-even: ~3-5M vectors depending on team capacity.
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