RAG workloads

LLM API pricing for RAG workloads

RAG workloads skew input-heavy with repeated context chunks. The RAG preset sets a realistic token mix — refine with your analytics average after a pilot week.

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Related: Cached Input Pricing Comparison · Cheapest Llm Api

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Step 1

Review your assumptions

These are estimates, not measured usage. Edit the inputs or choose a preset.

Synced Oct 7, 2026
Edit assumptions · 50,000 requests/month · 800 tokens/request · 82% input · 55% of input cached

50K requests / mo

800 tokens avg

Step 2

Lowest estimated cost

Top 5 models for this workload (unreviewed and conditional tariffs excluded)

General intelligence is not a task-specific quality guarantee. Test shortlisted models on your own examples. Source reviewed — exact offer checked on its provider page. Needs review — missing, stale or conflicting evidence; excluded from default recommendations. Estimates cover input/cache-read/output tokens only. Cache writes, storage, tools, search fees, taxes and unconfigured billing conditions are additional. Include billed reasoning tokens in your output estimate.

Selected model: cost breakdown

Estimate

Lowest estimated cost

AWS Bedrock · Amazon Nova Micro (standard)

From monthly cost (USD)

From $1.68

Based on: 50K requests · 656 input tokens/request · 144 output tokens/request · 55% of input from cache

Input $0.67 Cached 18.04M tok Output $1.01
Total tokens40.00M
Per 1k requests$0.03
Rank#1

Token costs only. Tool calls, search, storage, regional pricing, commitment discounts, and taxes may be excluded.

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Step 3

All priced models

Jump to any of 62 models for this workload

Pick a model to focus the estimate above, or browse the ranked list.

How costs are calculated

Prices from ai-provider-pricing-validated.json, validated Wednesday 7th October 2026. Confirm on official provider pages before billing decisions. Dataset contains 95 offer records, including archived entries and offers that require additional billing inputs or price evidence. Only reviewed offers appear in this calculator. See excluded offers and reasons

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Model Cost Comparison · Built by Lazige · Methodology

How we calculate cost

Monthly estimate = (input tokens × input $/MTok) + (cached tokens × cached $/MTok when published) + (output tokens × output $/MTok), scaled to your message volume. See the methodology for validation sources and update cadence.

Topic scenarios

LLM API pricing for RAG workloads

RAG workloads skew input-heavy with repeated context chunks. The RAG preset sets a realistic token mix — refine with your analytics average after a pilot week.

“Start with a preset that matches product shape, then adjust volume after a week of real traffic.”
Planning baselinerag preset
“Compare supported cache scenarios for RAG and agents, then validate the assumptions against actual usage.”
Cache-sensitive appsAdvanced token assumptions
“Use the ranked list to shortlist two to three models, then validate quality on your eval set.”
Model shortlistLowest estimated cost cards
“Re-run when traffic grows or vendors publish new tiers; check the dataset validation date and official rates.”
Quarterly reviewCheck source freshness