Local AI vs Cloud Break-Even Calculator
Use this page when the decision is not which GPU fits a model, but whether buying local hardware beats paying every month for cloud or subscription AI.
Local vs Cloud Break-Even Calculator
Compare a one-time hardware purchase against an ongoing cloud AI subscription, including the electricity to run your rig.
Defaults compare a typical $20/month plan against an $800 used-GPU rig. Replace every value with your own.
This is a planning estimate. It counts hardware as a one-time cost plus electricity to run it, and treats cloud as a flat monthly fee. It does not model resale value, hardware that you would have bought anyway, or heavy API usage that costs far more than a flat plan. Power uses board TDP as a ceiling — real inference draw is usually lower.
What you enter
- Monthly cloud cost
- Hardware cost
- GPU preset or watt draw
- Hours per day
- Utility rate
What it returns
- Local power cost per month
- Monthly savings
- Break-even month
- Three-year local vs cloud cost
Unique value
This page is unique because it models the ownership decision rather than raw electricity cost or model memory fit.