azure-cost▌
microsoft/GitHub-Copilot-for-Azure · updated Apr 8, 2026
MDX-style export adds YAML metadata + attribution linking explainx.ai and this canonical listing URL.
Unified Azure cost management: query historical costs, forecast future spending, and optimize to reduce waste. WHEN: \"Azure costs\", \"Azure spending\", \"Azure bill\", \"cost breakdown\", \"cost by service\", \"cost by resource\", \"how much am I spending\", \"show my bill\", \"monthly cost summary\", \"cost trends\", \"top cost drivers\", \"actual cost\", \"amortized cost\", \"forecast spending\", \"projected costs\", \"estimate bill\", \"future costs\", \"budget forecast\", \"end of month co
| name | azure-cost |
| description | "Unified Azure cost management: query historical costs, forecast future spending, and optimize to reduce waste. WHEN: \"Azure costs\", \"Azure spending\", \"Azure bill\", \"cost breakdown\", \"cost by service\", \"cost by resource\", \"how much am I spending\", \"show my bill\", \"monthly cost summary\", \"cost trends\", \"top cost drivers\", \"actual cost\", \"amortized cost\", \"forecast spending\", \"projected costs\", \"estimate bill\", \"future costs\", \"budget forecast\", \"end of month costs\", \"how much will I spend\", \"optimize costs\", \"reduce spending\", \"find cost savings\", \"orphaned resources\", \"rightsize VMs\", \"cost analysis\", \"reduce waste\", \"unused resources\", \"optimize Redis costs\", \"cost by tag\", \"cost by resource group\", \"AKS cost analysis add-on\", \"namespace cost\", \"cost spike\", \"anomaly\", \"budget alert\", \"AKS cost visibility\". DO NOT USE FOR: deploying resources, provisioning infrastructure, diagnostics, security audits, or estimating costs for new resources not yet deployed." |
| license | MIT |
| metadata | author: Microsoft version: "1.0.0" |
Azure Cost Management Skill
Unified skill for all Azure cost management tasks: querying historical costs, forecasting future spending, and optimizing to reduce waste.
When to Use This Skill
Activate this skill when user wants to:
- Query or analyze Azure costs (how much am I spending, show my bill, cost breakdown)
- Break down costs by service, resource, location, or tag
- Analyze cost trends over time
- Forecast future Azure spending or project end-of-month costs
- Optimize Azure costs, reduce spending, or find savings
- Find orphaned or unused resources
- Rightsize Azure VMs, containers, or services
- Generate cost optimization reports
Quick Reference
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Query API Endpoint | POST {scope}/providers/Microsoft.CostManagement/query?api-version=2023-11-01 |
| Forecast API Endpoint | POST {scope}/providers/Microsoft.CostManagement/forecast?api-version=2023-11-01 |
| MCP Tools | azure__documentation, azure__extension_cli_generate, azure__get_azure_bestpractices |
| CLI | az rest, az monitor metrics list, az resource list |
| Required Role | Cost Management Reader + Monitoring Reader + Reader on scope |
MCP Tools
| Tool | Description | Parameters | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
azure__documentation | Search Azure documentation | query (Required): search terms | Research Cost Management API parameters and options |
azure__extension_cli_generate | Generate Azure CLI commands | intent (Required): task description, cli-type (Required): "az" | Construct az rest commands for cost queries |
azure__get_azure_bestpractices | Get Azure best practices | intent (Required): optimization context | Inform query design with cost management best practices |
azure__extension_azqr | Run Azure Quick Review compliance scan | subscription (Required): subscription ID, resource-group (Optional): resource group name | Find orphaned resources and cost optimization opportunities |
azure__aks | Azure Kubernetes Service operations | varies by sub-command | AKS cost analysis: list clusters, get node pools, inspect configuration |
💡 Tip: Prefer MCP tools over direct CLI commands. Use
az restonly when MCP tools don't cover the specific operation.
Routing
Read the user's request and follow the appropriate workflow below.
| User Intent | Workflow | Example Prompts |
|---|---|---|
| Understand current costs | Cost Query Workflow | "how much am I spending", "cost by service", "show my bill" |
| Reduce costs / find waste | Cost Optimization Workflow | "optimize costs", "find orphaned resources", "reduce spending" |
| Project future costs | Cost Forecast Workflow | "forecast costs", "end of month estimate", "how much will I spend" |
| Full cost picture | All three workflows combined | "give me the full picture of my Azure costs" |
Important: When optimizing costs, always present the total bill and cost breakdown alongside optimization recommendations.
Scope Reference (Shared Across All Workflows)
| Scope | URL Pattern |
|---|---|
| Subscription | /subscriptions/<subscription-id> |
| Resource Group | /subscriptions/<subscription-id>/resourceGroups/<resource-group-name> |
| Management Group | /providers/Microsoft.Management/managementGroups/<management-group-id> |
| Billing Account | /providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/<billing-account-id> |
| Billing Profile | /providers/Microsoft.Billing/billingAccounts/<billing-account-id>/billingProfiles/<billing-profile-id> |
💡 Tip: These are scope paths only — not complete URLs. Combine with the API endpoint and version.
Part 1: Cost Query Workflow
For the full cost query workflow (scope selection, report types, timeframes, dataset configuration, API calls, pagination, guardrails, examples, and error handling), see:
Part 2: Cost Optimization Workflow
For the full cost optimization workflow (prerequisites, best practices, Redis/AKS-specific analysis, Azure Quick Review, resource discovery, cost queries, pricing validation, utilization metrics, and report generation), see:
Part 3: Cost Forecast Workflow
For the full cost forecast workflow (scope selection, time period rules, dataset configuration, forecast-specific options, API calls, response interpretation, guardrails, and error handling), see:
Data Classification
- ACTUAL DATA = Retrieved from Azure Cost Management API
- ACTUAL METRICS = Retrieved from Azure Monitor
- VALIDATED PRICING = Retrieved from official Azure pricing pages
- ESTIMATED SAVINGS = Calculated based on actual data and validated pricing
Best Practices
- Always query actual costs first — never estimate or assume
- Always present the total bill alongside optimization recommendations
- Validate pricing from official sources — account for free tiers
- Use REST API for cost queries (more reliable than
az costmanagement query) - Save audit trail — include all queries and responses
- Include Azure Portal links for all resources
- For costs < $10/month, emphasize operational improvements over financial savings
- Never execute destructive operations without explicit approval
Common Pitfalls
- Assuming costs: Always query actual data from Cost Management API
- Ignoring free tiers: Many services have generous allowances
- Using wrong date ranges: 30 days for costs, 14 days for utilization
- Not showing the bill: Always present cost breakdown alongside optimization recommendations
- Cost query failures: Use
az restwith JSON body, notaz costmanagement query
Safety Requirements
- Get approval before deleting resources
- Test changes in non-production first
- Provide dry-run commands for validation
- Include rollback procedures
SDK Quick References
- Redis Management: .NET
How to use azure-cost on Cursor
AI-first code editor with Composer
Prerequisites
Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:
- ›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
- ›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with
node --version) - ›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add azure-cost
Execute installation command
Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:
The skills CLI fetches azure-cost from GitHub repository microsoft/GitHub-Copilot-for-Azure and configures it for Cursor.
Select Cursor when prompted
The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:
Verify installation
Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:
Reload or restart Cursor to activate azure-cost. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /azure-cost) or your agent's skill management interface.
Security & Verification Notice
We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.
Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.
List & Monetize Your Skill
Submit your Claude Code skill and start earning
Use Cases▌
Task Automation & Efficiency
Automate repetitive workflows and reduce manual effort
Example
Generate reports, summarize documents, draft communications
Save 3-5 hours per week on routine tasks
Knowledge Enhancement
Learn new skills, understand complex topics, get expert guidance
Example
Explain concepts, provide examples, suggest learning resources
Accelerate learning and skill development by 2x
Quality Improvement
Enhance output quality through reviews, suggestions, and refinements
Example
Review drafts, suggest improvements, catch errors
Improve work quality by 30-40% with less effort
Implementation Guide▌
Prerequisites
- ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client with skill support
- ›Clear understanding of task or problem to solve
- ›Willingness to iterate and refine outputs
Time Estimate
15-45 minutes depending on use case complexity
Installation Steps
- 1.Install skill using provided installation command
- 2.Test with simple use case relevant to your work
- 3.Evaluate output quality and relevance
- 4.Iterate on prompts to improve results
- 5.Integrate into regular workflow if valuable
Common Pitfalls
- ⚠Expecting perfect results without iteration
- ⚠Not providing enough context in prompts
- ⚠Using skill for tasks outside its intended scope
- ⚠Accepting outputs without review and validation
Best Practices▌
✓ Do
- +Start with clear, specific prompts
- +Provide relevant context and constraints
- +Review and refine all outputs before using
- +Iterate to improve output quality
- +Document successful prompt patterns
✗ Don't
- −Don't use without understanding skill limitations
- −Don't skip validation of outputs
- −Don't share sensitive information in prompts
- −Don't expect skill to replace human judgment
💡 Pro Tips
- ★Be specific about desired format and style
- ★Ask for multiple options to choose from
- ★Request explanations to understand reasoning
- ★Combine AI efficiency with human expertise
When to Use This▌
✓ Use When
Use when skill capabilities match your task, clear ROI on time saved, and you can validate outputs. Best for repetitive tasks, learning, and quality improvement.
✗ Avoid When
Avoid when task requires deep expertise you can't validate, involves sensitive decisions, or when learning process is more valuable than speed of completion.
Learning Path▌
- 1Familiarize yourself with skill capabilities and limitations
- 2Start with low-risk, non-critical tasks
- 3Progress to more complex and valuable use cases
- 4Build expertise through regular use and experimentation
Discussion
Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)- No comments yet — start the thread.
Ratings
4.7★★★★★44 reviews- ★★★★★Henry Sethi· Dec 24, 2024
azure-cost fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
- ★★★★★Pratham Ware· Dec 20, 2024
azure-cost is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
- ★★★★★Henry Sanchez· Dec 20, 2024
azure-cost has been reliable in day-to-day use. Documentation quality is above average for community skills.
- ★★★★★Olivia Gill· Dec 20, 2024
azure-cost is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
- ★★★★★Henry Garcia· Nov 15, 2024
We added azure-cost from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.
- ★★★★★Layla Choi· Nov 15, 2024
Registry listing for azure-cost matched our evaluation — installs cleanly and behaves as described in the markdown.
- ★★★★★Sakshi Patil· Nov 11, 2024
Keeps context tight: azure-cost is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.
- ★★★★★Layla Park· Nov 11, 2024
azure-cost reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.
- ★★★★★Layla Huang· Nov 11, 2024
Keeps context tight: azure-cost is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.
- ★★★★★Henry Flores· Oct 6, 2024
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: azure-cost is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
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