IIoT, SCADA & Edge Connectivity worked example

MQTT Data Cost at 35% share of telemetry over billed network: a worked example

This scenario runs the mqtt data cost calculation on the strong side: 35% share of telemetry over billed network, with every other input held at its documented default. Use it when an OT or cloud architect is sizing a cellular or cloud MQTT bill before signing the platform contract, or when a CFO asks for the variable network cost per connected machine.

The inputs for this scenario

  • MQTT messages published per month: 4,500,000 messages / mo (unchanged)
  • Average MQTT payload size: 0.4 KB / message (unchanged)
  • Share of telemetry over billed (cellular/egress) network: 35 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 30)
  • Fixed broker subscription or hosting cost: 850 $ / mo (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Variable MQTT data cost per month = messages per month × average payload size in KB × share over billed network (the engine treats average payload size as the per-message cost weight)) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 630,850 $ for total mqtt data cost per month, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 0.14 $ / piece for cost per million mqtt messages.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 630,000 $ for variable mqtt data cost per month.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 850 $ for fixed broker subscription or hosting cost.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where share of telemetry over billed network sits at 30% and the headline result is 540,850 $, this scenario comes in 16.64% above the baseline at 630,850 $.
  • Use it when sizing a new IIoT rollout, comparing a self-hosted broker against managed cloud MQTT, or diagnosing why a connected-asset pilot blew its data budget. Treat this as a target state: the delta against the baseline quantifies what the improvement is worth before you commit to chasing it.

Results at a glance

  • Total MQTT data cost per month: 630,850 $ (headline result)
  • Cost per million MQTT messages: 0.14 $ / piece
  • Variable MQTT data cost per month: 630,000 $
  • Fixed broker subscription or hosting cost: 850 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live MQTT Data Cost calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.