GPU Cloud TCO & Returns Model
GPU total cost of ownership, unit economics, and a simplified 3-statement return model for a GPU-as-a-Service operator
Runs entirely client-side in your browser. All figures are illustrative planning assumptions, not vendor quotes.
1. GPU & Cluster
GPU / system type
Cluster size
All-in capex per GPU ($)
Fully-loaded system cost per GPU: compute tray, NVLink/switch fabric, networking, local storage, integration. GB200 figure is rack price ÷ 72.
IT power draw per GPU (W, all-in)
Includes host CPU/DRAM/NIC/storage share, not just GPU TDP.
VRAM per GPU (GB)
Used to size the platform licensing fee below.
2. Power & Facility Cost
Colocation
Owned facility
All-in power + facility cost ($/kW-month)
Bundled power + space + cooling per kW of critical IT load.
Electricity rate ($/kWh)
Facility PUE
Annual cost = IT load (kW) × 8,760 hrs × PUE × electricity rate.
3. Financing
Debt % of capex
All-in debt interest rate
Debt term (years)
4. Depreciation & Useful Life
Accounting/economic useful life (years)
Residual/salvage value (% of capex)
Straight-line depreciation to salvage value.
5. Revenue & Pricing
Rental price ($/GPU-hr, Year 1)
Steady-state utilization
Year-1 ramp (% of steady-state util.)
Annual rental price decline
GPU rental $/hr tends to fall over time as newer accelerators arrive and supply catches up with demand.
6. Opex & Tax
Maintenance / support (% capex, per yr)
Insurance & other (% capex, per yr)
SG&A (% of revenue)
Effective tax rate
7. Multi-Tenancy Platform
With Platform
Without Platform
Toggle sets which scenario drives the Financial Statements & Returns tabs. Both are always compared side-by-side in the "Multi-Tenancy ROI" tab.
GPU overcommit / multi-tenancy ratio
Multi-tenant pooling lets you sell more vGPU-hours than physical GPU-hours exist.
Virtualized service price premium
Platform allocation fee ($/GB-hr)
Platform utilization fee ($/GB-hr)
Platform minimum monthly fee ($)
Monthly license = MAX(minimum, VRAM managed × 720hr × alloc. fee + VRAM managed × 720hr × utilization% × util. fee).
8. Horizon & Discount Rates
Analysis period (years)
WACC / discount rate — project
Cost of equity — equity NPV
TCO Build-Up
Financial Statements
Returns & Cash Flow
Multi-Tenancy ROI