For one continuous stream, multiply its average bitrate in megabits per second (Mbps) by the number of seconds it runs, then divide by 8,000 to estimate decimal gigabytes (GB). For a 30-day month, the shortcut is Mbps × 324 = decimal GB. This estimates the stream’s data volume before network overhead, retransmissions, restarts, or other server traffic; it is not a hosting-cost quote.
Calculate monthly data transfer from bitrate and runtime
Use the stream’s average or configured bitrate, not its resolution by itself. The calculation is:
Decimal GB = Mbps Ă— seconds streamed Ă· 8 Ă· 1,000
The division by 8 converts bits to bytes; division by 1,000 converts bytes to decimal gigabytes. For continuous streaming, the month’s length determines the multiplier:
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| Streaming period | Seconds | Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| 28 days | 2,419,200 | Mbps Ă— 302.4 = decimal GB |
| 30 days | 2,592,000 | Mbps Ă— 324 = decimal GB |
| 31 days | 2,678,400 | Mbps Ă— 334.8 = decimal GB |
For example, at 4 Mbps for 30 days: 4 Ă— 324 = 1,296 decimal GB. These are arithmetic estimates of payload volume, rather than measured transfers.
30-day examples
| Continuous bitrate | Decimal GB | Approximate GiB |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mbps | 324 GB | 302 GiB |
| 4 Mbps | 1,296 GB | 1,207 GiB |
| 10 Mbps | 3,240 GB | 3,017 GiB |
| 15 Mbps | 4,860 GB | 4,526 GiB |
GB here uses decimal units; GiB uses binary units. A hosting dashboard or plan may use either, so check its unit definitions before comparing your estimate with an allowance.
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Choose the right bitrate for the estimate
If you know the encoder’s configured or observed average bitrate, use that value. Resolution alone is not enough: frame rate, codec, image complexity, and encoder settings all affect bitrate. YouTube’s live encoder guidance lists these recommended H.264 ingest settings: YouTube Help: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions.
| Resolution and frame rate | YouTube-recommended H.264 bitrate | 30-day volume if continuous |
|---|---|---|
| 240p–720p at 30 fps | 4 Mbps | 1,296 decimal GB |
| 720p at 60 fps | 6 Mbps | 1,944 decimal GB |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 10 Mbps | 3,240 decimal GB |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 12 Mbps | 3,888 decimal GB |
These are YouTube’s recommended encoder settings, not measured monthly averages or a guarantee of the bitrate your stream will sustain. For a more useful budget, use the value shown by your streaming setup and account for any downtime or variation. YouTube also advises streamers to test before going live and monitor stream health.
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Separate the cloud-to-YouTube feed from viewer delivery
“Bandwidth for a cloud-hosted YouTube stream” can describe more than one network leg. If a cloud machine sends a single contribution feed to YouTube, calculate that outbound transfer using the feed’s bitrate and runtime. YouTube says it transcodes live streams into multiple output formats for viewers, so the cloud source feed should not be treated as though your server itself is delivering every viewer’s copy.
If your cloud service also serves viewers directly
Estimate that traffic separately using the average delivered bitrate per viewer and total viewing time:
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Viewer delivery volume = viewers Ă— average delivered Mbps per viewer Ă— viewing seconds Ă· 8
Then convert the resulting bytes to GB or GiB. The actual total depends on viewer-hours, which bitrate each viewer receives, the delivery architecture, and caching. For adaptive-bitrate streaming, do not multiply one viewer’s transfer by every rendition in the ladder: a viewer typically receives one selected rendition at a time. If the cloud system ingests or packages several renditions at once, however, add their bitrates to estimate that service leg.
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AWS illustrates the distinction in its MediaPackage pricing example: five renditions totaling 9.5 Mbps are calculated as 4.175 GB per hour. That is an example for its service and stated unit conversions, not a universal YouTube-stream figure. Its Live Streaming on AWS deployment guide separately models viewer traffic using viewer count and average Mbps per viewer. Its 1.8 Mbps average-per-viewer and 791 GB/hour for 1,000 viewers are assumptions in that AWS cost example, not typical rates for all audiences.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why data volume does not equal a cloud bill
The bitrate formula estimates transfer volume only. A cloud bill may also include encoding, ingest, packaging or origination, storage, and CDN or internet egress. Which charges apply depends on whether viewers watch through YouTube, a separately hosted player or CDN, or both, as well as on provider, region, caching, and current rates.
AWS’s deployment examples specify their service choices, regions, viewer assumptions, and cache-hit ratios, and note that prices can change. Its MediaPackage pricing page provides a provider-specific 24/7 live-linear example; it is useful for understanding one architecture, not as a universal estimate for a YouTube feed or another cloud provider. An AWS for M&E FAQ published in 2019 described a 15 Mbps 1080p contribution feed and an 11.76 GB/hour channel-output example. Treat that as a historical configuration example, not current pricing or a general rule: AWS for M&E Blog FAQ.
What to check when comparing hosting plans
- Included monthly transfer, the unit used (GB or GiB), and overage rates.
- Whether the estimate covers cloud egress, CDN delivery, or both.
- Region, expected viewer-hours, average delivered bitrate, and cache-hit assumptions.
- Any separate encoding, ingest, packaging, or storage fees.
- Whether you are estimating only the cloud source feed sent to YouTube or direct delivery to viewers too.
Confirm current prices and transfer terms with the provider before choosing a plan; a volume estimate alone cannot establish the bill.
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