Operational Cost Analysis
Data Center OPEX Calculator
Comprehensive operational expenditure analysis with 30+ countries, climate-adjusted calculations, and flexible staffing models
CAPEX gets the boardroom attention. OPEX is what actually kills the margin — year after year, silently.
Energy alone can eat 40–60% of your annual operating budget, and that's before you factor in staffing models, maintenance contracts, climate-driven cooling penalties, and the 30+ country-specific variables that turn a "simple" cost projection into a guessing game. This calculator maps all of it: pick your country, set your IT load, choose between in-house, hybrid, or outsourced staffing, and see how geography and climate reshape the numbers. It won't replace a full financial model — but it will show you where the real cost drivers hide, before they show up in your P&L.
30+ countries with local rates
3 staffing models
Climate-adjusted PUE
Full cost breakdown
General-purpose estimate — actual OPEX varies with contract terms, utility tariffs, and operational maturity. Need a tailored projection? Let's talk.
Location
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Labor: 1.00x | Energy: $0.075/kWh
Facility Parameters
Climate & System Config
Cooling Energy: 1.00x | Free Cooling: 0 hrs/yr
Staffing Model
Staffing Model
Choose how to staff your data center operations.
| Model | Effect |
|---|---|
| In-House | Full headcount, lower per-person cost |
| Partial (Hybrid) | Blended efficiency |
| Full Contractor | ~30% fewer FTE, higher per-person rate, net 10-15% savings |
Contractor: fewer staff (multi-skilled), no training/cert cost, but higher OEM maintenance rates. Management stays in-house.
In-House
100% Own Staff
Full In-House Model
All operations staff are direct employees on your payroll.
| FTE Count | Full headcount (~23 FTE for 1MW Tier 3) |
| Cost Factor | 1.42x base salary (BPJS, THR, leave, overhead) |
| Training | Owner funds all: K3 Listrik, manufacturer certs, safety training |
| Spare Parts | Owner manages & funds 100% of critical spare parts inventory |
| Maintenance | In-house labor = baseline cost (no OEM premium) |
Partial
Hybrid Mix
Partial (Hybrid) Model
Blend of in-house management + outsourced technical staff.
| Management | Biased toward in-house (+20% above slider) |
| Technicians | Split per slider; contractor portion gets efficiency benefit |
| Support | Biased toward contractor (-20% below slider) |
| Spare Parts | Shared: ~55% owner-managed, rest under contractor scope |
| Maintenance | Blended OEM factor based on contractor percentage |
Use the slider to adjust the in-house / contractor ratio (10%-90%).
Contractor
100% Outsource
Full Contractor Model
All technical operations outsourced to a maintenance contractor (All-Risk contract).
| FTE Reduction | ~30-35% fewer people (multi-skilled workers) |
| Cost Factor | 1.75x base salary (margin, overhead, profit) |
| Training | Contractor handles all: K3, manufacturer certs, LOTO, etc. |
| Spare Parts | Contractor holds 85% under All-Risk warranty; owner keeps 15% buffer |
| Maintenance | OEM premium (1.8-2.5x) but contractor absorbs corrective risk |
Management (Facility Mgr, Maintenance SPV) stays in-house for oversight. 1 Contract Admin added for permit/work order management.
In-House: 70%
Contractor: 30%
ANNUAL OPEX SUMMARY
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Indonesia
$1,245,000
Total Annual Operational Expenditure
Total OPEX
Annual operational expenditure including staffing, maintenance, energy, insurance, and other recurring costs to run the facility.
$103.8K
Per Month
Monthly OPEX
Total annual OPEX divided by 12 months. Useful for budgeting and cash flow planning.
$1,245
Per kW/Year
OPEX per kW/Year
Industry benchmark: Total OPEX ÷ IT Load. Typical range: $800-2,000/kW/year depending on location and tier level.
$0.14
Per kWh
Effective $/kWh
Total OPEX divided by annual energy consumption. Combines electricity cost with all other operating costs per kWh delivered.
24
Total FTE
Full-Time Equivalent
Total staff headcount required. Includes management, engineers, technicians, operators, and support staff. Covers 24/7 shift operations.
Cost Breakdown
Category Comparison
Detailed Cost Breakdown
OPEX Cost Categories
Comprehensive breakdown of all annual operational costs.
| Category | Includes |
|---|---|
| Energy | IT load + cooling + overhead electricity |
| Staffing | Salaries, benefits (BPJS/THR), contractor fees |
| Maint & Spares | Preventive/corrective maintenance + critical spare parts inventory |
| Software | DCIM, BMS, CMMS, monitoring, cybersecurity licenses |
| Insurance | Property, business interruption, cyber + compliance certs |
| Utilities | Water, diesel fuel, telecom, security systems, consumables |
| Other | Staff training (in-house only), miscellaneous |
$/kW/Year = category cost divided by IT Load. Industry benchmark for total OPEX: $800-2,000/kW/yr.
| Category | Annual Cost | % of Total | $/kW/Year | Distribution |
|---|
Staffing Breakdown
Staffing Cost Detail
Full personnel breakdown by role, split between in-house and contractor staff.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| FTE | Full-Time Equivalents (actual headcount after efficiency) |
| In-House | Your direct employees (salary × 1.42x for BPJS, THR, leave, etc.) |
| Contractor | Outsourced staff (salary × 1.75x for margin, overhead, profit) |
| Annual Cost | Total cost = In-House cost + Contractor cost per role |
Contractor model: Multi-skilled workers reduce FTE by ~30-35%. Management (Facility Manager, Maintenance Supervisor) always stays in-house for oversight.
Full In-House
| Role | FTE
Full-Time Equivalent
Total headcount for this role after contractor efficiency adjustments. In-House: full count. Contractor: ~65-85% of base count due to multi-skilled workers covering multiple roles.
|
In-House
In-House Staff
Direct employees on your payroll. Cost includes: base salary × 13 months (THR), BPJS (health + employment), annual leave provision, and overhead (1.42x multiplier).
|
Contractor
Contractor Staff
Outsourced to maintenance contractor. Rate includes: contractor margin (15-20%), worker insurance, PPE, tools, supervision, and profit (1.75x multiplier). Contractor handles their own training, K3 certifications, and manufacturer courses.
|
Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 24 | 24 | 0 | $485,000 |
Maintenance & Spare Parts Breakdown
Maintenance & Spare Parts
Preventive/corrective maintenance costs and critical spare parts inventory budget.
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Scheduled PM (monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual) + corrective repairs |
| OEM Factor | In-House: baseline. Contractor: 1.8-2.5x premium (OEM parts, travel, SLA guarantees) |
| Spare Parts | Critical spares inventory: UPS modules, chiller parts, generator components, switchgear |
| Contract Model | In-House: owner holds 100% spares. Contractor All-Risk: only 15% buffer needed |
Facility age significantly impacts cost: New (0.6x), Mid-life (1.0x), Aging (1.5x). Generator config also affects frequency and cost.
N+1 | Water-Cooled
| System | Annual Cost | $/kW/Year | Frequency | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL MAINTENANCE | $420,000 | $420 | - | - |
Utilities & Consumables Breakdown
Utilities & Consumables
Non-electricity recurring costs for facility operations.
| Utility | Detail |
|---|---|
| Water | Cooling tower/chiller makeup water. Climate-adjusted (tropical = higher evaporation) |
| Diesel Fuel | Monthly generator load-bank testing + fuel reserve storage costs |
| Telecom | Internet circuits, MPLS for monitoring, redundant WAN links |
| Security | CCTV, access control, intrusion detection system maintenance |
| Consumables | Air filters, battery replacements, cleaning chemicals, misc supplies |
Electricity cost is NOT included here — it's under the Energy category. Water cost varies significantly with cooling type and climate zone.
| Utility Type | Annual Cost | $/kW/Year | Notes | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL UTILITIES | $78,000 | $78 | - | - |
Insurance & Compliance Breakdown
Insurance & Compliance
Annual insurance premiums and regulatory compliance costs.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Property Insurance | ~0.25% of estimated CAPEX value |
| Business Interruption | ~0.10% of CAPEX, covers revenue loss during downtime |
| Cyber Insurance | OT/IT security breach coverage, increasingly required |
| Compliance (ID) | K3 Listrik, AMDAL, SLO, Izin Operasi, BNSP certifications |
| Compliance (Intl) | ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI-DSS, Uptime Tier certification |
Indonesia: K3 Listrik (Ahli K3 Listrik) certification is mandatory for all electrical installations above 197 kVA. Renewal is typically annual or biennial.
Indonesia Standards
| Item | Annual Cost | Notes | Renewal | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL INSURANCE & COMPLIANCE | $63,000 | - | - | - |
Staffing Model Comparison
Quick Staffing Comparison
Live comparison of total OPEX under each staffing model, using your current configuration (country, IT load, tier, cooling, etc.).
| Model | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|
| In-House | Full headcount, lower rate/person, owner manages all spares & training |
| Partial 70/30 | Management in-house, operations/technicians partially outsourced |
| Contractor | ~30-35% fewer FTE, higher rate/person, contractor holds spare parts & training |
This is a quick comparison only. Use "Save Scenario A" + change inputs for a full side-by-side comparison with different configurations.
Full In-House
In-House Baseline
All staff on payroll (1.42x multiplier). Full headcount, owner manages spares & training. OEM maintenance at baseline cost. This is the reference point for comparison.
$1,312,000
Baseline
Partial (70/30)
Partial Model
70% in-house, 30% contractor (fixed for this comparison). Management biased in-house. Contractor portion benefits from FTE efficiency. Shared spare parts responsibility.
$1,245,000
-5.1% vs In-House
Full Contractor
All-Risk Contractor
~30% fewer FTE (multi-skilled), 1.75x rate, but contractor absorbs: training, K3 certs, 85% spare parts, corrective maintenance risk. OEM premium on maintenance. Net: typically 8-15% cheaper total OPEX.
$1,198,000
-8.7% vs In-House