Cloud data platforms charge for compute and storage:
Compute costs:
- Right-size warehouses (don't use XL for small queries)
- Auto-suspend idle resources
- Schedule heavy jobs during off-peak
- Optimize slow queries before scaling up
Storage costs:
- Set retention policies (do you need years of raw logs?)
- Compress data (Parquet vs CSV)
- Delete intermediate tables after use
- Use tiered storage for cold data
Monitor costs weekly. Set budgets and alerts. A runaway query can cost thousands. Cost awareness impresses your interviewer.