Export AWS Cost & Usage Data

This guide walks you through exporting AWS cost and billing data if you prefer not to grant read-only access.

If you want the most complete analysis, use AWS Read-Only IAM Role Setup instead.

This option works well, but provides slightly less detailed insights than direct access.

Option 1: Use Cost Explorer (Quickest)

This is the fastest way to export usable cost data.

Step 1: Open Cost Explorer

Sign in to the AWS Console
Search for Cost Explorer
Click Cost Explorer

Step 2: Set Time Range

Set the time range to:
- Last 2–3 months (recommended)
- Minimum: Last 30 days

Providing multiple months of data allows us to identify trends, growth patterns, and recurring inefficiencies.

Step 3: Group Costs

Click Group by and select:

Service

(Optional, but helpful):

Add additional grouping:
- Usage Type
- Region

Step 4: Filter (Optional)

If your account is large, you can filter to:

Key services like:
- AWS Lambda
- API Gateway
- DynamoDB

Step 5: Export Data

Click Download as CSV
Save the file

Step 6: Send the File

Send the exported CSV file via:

Email reply, or
File upload (if provided)

Option 2: Enable Cost & Usage Report (Most Detailed)

This provides the most detailed data, but requires setup.

Step 1: Open Billing Console

Go to Billing → Cost & Usage Reports
Click Create report

Step 2: Configure Report

Report name:

CostAuditReport

Include:
- ✅ Resource IDs
- ✅ Hourly granularity

Step 3: Configure Delivery

Create or select an S3 bucket
Format:
- Parquet or CSV (either is fine)

Step 4: Wait for Data

AWS may take several hours to generate the first report
Once available, download and share the file

Option 3: Export Billing Dashboard Data (Simple Fallback)

If Cost Explorer is unavailable:

Go to Billing → Bills
Select recent months
Export or screenshot key sections

What We Use This Data For

We analyze this data to:

Identify your highest cost services
Detect patterns in usage and spend
Track how costs are changing over time
Find areas of potential waste
Estimate savings opportunities

Recommended Option

Option	Effort	Detail	Recommended
Cost Explorer Export	Low	Medium	✅ Best for most users
Cost & Usage Report	Medium	High	Good for advanced users
Billing Dashboard	Very Low	Low	Fallback only

Important Notes

Billing Access

If you don’t see Cost Explorer:

Go to Billing → Account Settings
Enable:
- IAM access to billing

Data Quality

For best results:

Provide 2–3 months of data when possible
Avoid partial or heavily filtered exports
Include all major services

Need Help?

If you’re unsure which option to use, we can walk through this during your onboarding call.

For help deciding, see Which Option Should I Choose?.