AWS EC2 + NAT Gateway vs DigitalOcean / Vultr
Estimate what moving from AWS EC2 + NAT Gateway to DigitalOcean / Vultr costs over 12 to 36 months, including the one-time switch. Then remap your exported CSV headers.
Why teams look at this switch: Unpredictable $0.09/GB egress bandwidth bills & NAT gateway charges
Cost calculator
CSV header mapper
Rename exported AWS EC2 + NAT Gateway column headers to the names DigitalOcean / Vultr expects. It runs in your browser. Only headers change and values are kept.
Renamed headers do not make a file import-ready. Compare the result with DigitalOcean / Vultr's import template and create any custom fields there first.
| AWS EC2 + NAT Gateway column | DigitalOcean / Vultr column | Field type |
|---|---|---|
| InstanceId | droplet_name | Suggested |
| InstanceType | size_slug | Suggested |
| VpcId | vpc_uuid | Suggested |
| SecurityGroupId | firewall_id | Suggested |
When moving to DigitalOcean / Vultr makes sense
- Your main cost driver is Unpredictable $0.09/GB egress bandwidth bills & NAT gateway charges, and your volume is past the break-even point above.
- Your team can finish the CSV import and onboarding within the switching budget you entered.
- You have checked that DigitalOcean / Vultr's plan covers the integrations and compliance rules you need.
When staying on AWS EC2 + NAT Gateway is the better call
- The one-time migration, re-integration or retraining cost is larger than 12 to 24 months of savings.
- You are inside a multi-year AWS EC2 + NAT Gateway contract with early-termination fees.
- Your workflow relies on add-ons or features DigitalOcean / Vultr does not support yet.
How the result changes with volume
Twelve-month totals at half, default and double volume, using the default pricing model and a $150 switching cost.
| Volume (Monthly Outbound Traffic (TB)) | AWS EC2 + NAT Gateway | DigitalOcean / Vultr | 12-month difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50% volume (5) | $525/mo | $74/mo | +$5,262 |
| Default volume (10) | $985/mo | $124/mo | +$10,182 |
| 200% volume (20) | $1,905/mo | $224/mo | +$20,022 |
Questions
How is the total cost of AWS EC2 + NAT Gateway and DigitalOcean / Vultr compared?
Each side's monthly cost is multiplied by the months in the horizon, and the one-time switching cost is added to DigitalOcean / Vultr. At the default volume (Monthly Outbound Traffic (TB): 10), the model gives about $985 per month for AWS EC2 + NAT Gateway and $124 per month for DigitalOcean / Vultr.
How do AWS EC2 + NAT Gateway CSV headers map to DigitalOcean / Vultr?
The mapper renames AWS EC2 + NAT Gateway columns (InstanceId, InstanceType, VpcId, SecurityGroupId) to DigitalOcean / Vultr columns (droplet_name, size_slug, vpc_uuid, firewall_id) in your browser. Custom fields must exist in DigitalOcean / Vultr before you import.
When should a company stay on AWS EC2 + NAT Gateway?
Stay if the one-time switching, integration or contract-exit cost is larger than the savings over the horizon you care about. The calculator shows that case as a negative result.