IT Services
Cloud Migration Services: Planning, Process & Cost (2026)
What does a cloud migration actually cost, and what drives the number? A clear 2026 guide to the process, the cost drivers, and how to budget on total cost of ownership — not a single sticker price.
Why choose ConsultingCrafts
Senior-led delivery, security-first, and built to scale with your business.
Expert Teams
Seasoned consultants and engineers who embed with your team and deliver from day one.
Proactive Security
Security and compliance built into every engagement, not bolted on at the end.
Scalable Solutions
Architectures and processes designed to grow with your business without rework.
What a cloud migration really costs
There's no single price for a cloud migration — and anyone who quotes one before understanding your environment is guessing. The honest answer is a range driven by a handful of factors: how many workloads move, how much data, how much you re-architect versus lift-and-shift, and how much downtime you can tolerate. This guide breaks down the process and those drivers so you can budget on total cost of ownership — the migration project plus the running cost and the risk it removes — rather than a number on a slide. For a figure tied to your own headcount and current spend, use our ROI & TCO calculator.
The migration process, in five stages
1. Assess — inventory apps, data, and dependencies; decide what moves, retires, or stays. 2. Plan — pick a strategy per workload (see below), sequence waves, set success and rollback criteria. 3. Prepare — landing zone, identity, networking, security baseline. 4. Migrate — move in waves, validate each before the next. 5. Optimize — right-size, automate, and tune cost once you're running. Most cost overruns come from skipping stage 1 — an honest assessment is the cheapest insurance you'll buy.
What drives the cost up or down
Number of workloads
more apps/servers = more migration effort and testing.
Data volume & gravity
large or tightly-coupled data is slower and costlier to move.
Re-host vs re-architect
lift-and-shift is cheaper up front; re-architecting costs more but cuts run-cost later.
Downtime tolerance
near-zero-downtime cutovers need more engineering than a weekend window.
Compliance & security
regulated data (HIPAA, GDPR, SOC 2) adds controls and validation.
Tooling & licensing
migration tooling, dual-running during cutover, and new platform licences.
The 6 R's: pick a strategy per workload
Not everything migrates the same way. The common options — the "6 R's" — are Rehost (lift-and-shift), Replatform (minor tweaks), Refactor (re-architect for cloud), Repurchase (move to SaaS), Retire (switch off the unused), and Retain (leave it where it is for now). Cost follows the choice: rehosting is cheapest to execute, refactoring costs most up front but usually wins on long-term run-cost. A good plan mixes them per workload rather than forcing one approach.
Budget on total cost of ownership, not the project price
The migration project is one line; the cost that matters is what you pay to run the result over three years — compute and storage, licences, support, and the downtime or security risk you've removed. A migration that costs more to execute but halves your run-cost and outage risk is usually the cheaper decision. That's why we frame cloud migration the same way we frame managed IT: total cost of ownership, with the project cost set against the savings and risk reduction it buys.
How we keep the cost predictable
ConsultingCrafts runs migrations remote-first and assessment-led: we scope before we quote, migrate in validated waves with clear rollback, and right-size afterwards so you're not paying for idle capacity. You get a transparent estimate tied to your actual environment — no surprise true-ups. Start with the calculator for a ballpark, then book a free consultation for a scoped estimate. See our cloud & data migration services.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a cloud migration cost?
- It depends on the number of workloads, data volume, how much you re-architect, downtime tolerance, and compliance needs — so it's a range, not a fixed price. Budget on total cost of ownership and get a scoped estimate; our calculator gives a starting figure.
- Is it cheaper to lift-and-shift or re-architect?
- Lift-and-shift (rehost) is cheaper to execute; re-architecting (refactor) costs more up front but usually lowers your ongoing run-cost. The right answer is per-workload — most migrations mix both.
- What hidden costs should I watch for?
- Dual-running during cutover, data egress, new platform licences, post-migration right-sizing, and the cost of downtime if the cutover isn't planned. An assessment surfaces these before they surprise you.
- How long does a migration take?
- Anywhere from weeks to several months depending on scope and wave count. Phased, validated waves reduce risk versus a single big-bang cutover.
- How do I avoid budget overruns?
- Start with a real assessment (stage 1), choose a strategy per workload, set rollback criteria, and right-size after cutover. Skipping the assessment is the most common cause of overruns.
Get ahead of the curve
Let's talk about how the right IT strategy can move your business forward. Our team is ready to help.