Google Cloud · analytics
BigQuery query cost, per TiB scanned.
Convert the bytes a query processes into a monthly on-demand bill, with the free first terabyte.
On-demand cost = (TiB processed per month − 1 free TiB) × $6.25. Each query is billed at least 10 MB per table referenced, and rounded up to the nearest MB.
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Estimate
Method and limits
Use the bytes figure shown by a dry run or the query validator, not the table size: BigQuery bills the columns a query reads, even when a LIMIT clause is set. Billed bytes per query are rounded up to the nearest MB (1 MB = 1,048,576 bytes here) with a minimum of 10 MB per table referenced. Monthly TiB is billed bytes × queries ÷ 1,099,511,627,776; the first TiB each month is free.
Not included: storage (active and long-term logical or physical), streaming inserts, capacity (slot) pricing in the Standard, Enterprise and Enterprise Plus editions, BigQuery Omni at $9.125 per TiB, BigQuery ML, and cached queries, which are free. A query that fails is not charged. Confirm the price for your location on the pricing page, since the tool uses the single on-demand rate listed there.
Sources, retrieved October 2026: BigQuery pricing (on-demand queries $6.25 per TiB with the first 1 TiB per month free; charges rounded up to the nearest MB with a minimum of 10 MB per table referenced and 10 MB per query; no charge for queries that error or return cached results). Estimates only: this is not a provider quote, and list prices change. Check the linked pages and your own account before committing spend.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a BigQuery query cost?
On-demand queries cost $6.25 per TiB of data processed, after the first 1 TiB each month. A query that processes 100 GiB costs about $0.61 before the free tier is applied.
Does LIMIT reduce BigQuery cost?
No. You are charged for the data processed in the columns you select even when you set an explicit LIMIT. Partitioning, clustering and selecting fewer columns reduce bytes processed.
What is the minimum charge per query?
Google lists a minimum of 10 MB processed per table referenced by the query and 10 MB per query, with usage rounded up to the nearest MB.
When does capacity pricing beat on-demand?
Capacity (slot) pricing is predictable and suits steady heavy workloads. This tool only prices on-demand queries; compare with the editions on the BigQuery pricing page.