Description:
We are currently investigating how Azure Advisor calculates cost-saving recommendations for Virtual Machines (VMs) and why these may differ from estimates shown in the Azure Pricing Calculator.

As an example, for a subscription with billing currency in AUD, Azure Advisor recommended a VM resize from Standard D4s_v3 to Standard E2s_v3 in the Australia Southeast region, showing a projected monthly savings of USD $131. However, when we used the same parameters in the Azure Pricing Calculator, the estimated savings came out to be A$103.

Issue:
The cost savings shown in Azure Advisor may not always match the savings calculated manually via the Azure Pricing Calculator, even when using the same region and SKU values.

This mismatch has been observed particularly in subscriptions billed in USD and AUD, and can lead to confusion when comparing CoreStack's "Optimize Usage" recommendations with the Azure Calculator.

Action Taken:
We raised a support ticket with Microsoft Azure to better understand this inconsistency.

Response from Azure:
At this point, the product team is aware of the feedback regarding the discrepancy between Azure Advisor and the Pricing Calculator, and it is under review. However, there is currently no ETA or confirmed plan to align the two tools.

Impact:
When these Azure Advisor-based recommendations are shown under "Optimize Usage" in CoreStack, customers may notice a difference in cost savings when compared against calculations done using the Azure Pricing Calculator.

Recommendation:
Please be aware that this discrepancy is expected behavior for now, and is a known gap in the Azure ecosystem.