Colocation pricing per kW, by metro
What data center space costs a month in 10 North American metros, from broker surveys, company filings, operators’ price lists and the EIA, each linked to its source.
Asking rates by metro
Per kW of contracted capacity a month, highest first, for the smallest wholesale block. Canadian metros in C$.
| Metro | Smallest block | Change | 10 MW or more | Power, cents per kWh | Other public prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon Valley | $200-275250-500 kW, CBRE H1 2026 | +4% vs H2 2025 | $175-210 | 16.0-27.1Market rate, CBRE | Hurricane Electric: $600 per cabinet |
| Northern Virginia | $190-235250-500 kW, CBRE H1 2026 | 0% vs H2 2025 | $160-185 | 7.0-10.0Market rate, CBRE | Psychz Networks: $907-2,332 per cabinet |
| Chicago | $195-225250-500 kW, CBRE H1 2026 | +2% vs H2 2025 | $165-175 | 7.8-8.5Market rate, CBRE | GigeNET: $1,400 per cabinet |
| Phoenix | $175-215250-500 kW, CBRE H1 2026 | +3% vs H2 2025 | $130-160 | 6.0-7.0Market rate, CBRE | Cloudnium: $1,299 per cabinet |
| Atlanta | $185-200250-500 kW, CBRE H1 2026 | +10% vs H2 2025 | $150-165 | 7.5-11.0Market rate, CBRE | Cyber Wurx: $1,299 per cabinet |
| Houston | $165-195250+ kW, CBRE H1 2026 | +7% vs H2 2025 | - | 7.5-9.5Market rate, CBRE | Logix (via QuoteColo): $675-990 per cabinetLayerhost: $1,350-1,360 per cabinet |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | $160-185250-500 kW, CBRE H1 2026 | +10% vs H2 2025 | $125-145 | 7.0-8.5Market rate, CBRE | Cloudnium: $729 per cabinetCloudnium: $999-1,099 per cabinetPsychz Networks: $608-1,058 per cabinet; 2 more on the metro page |
| Austin and San Antonio | $160-185250+ kW, CBRE H1 2026 | -1% vs H2 2025 | - | - | Core Scientific: $115 per kW |
| Montreal and Quebec | C$240-350250-500 kW, CBRE H1 2025 | - | C$175-195 | 5.2-6.2Market rate, CBRE | WhiteFiber: $196 per kWLeaseweb (via WHTop): C$1,670-3,034 per cabinet |
| Toronto | C$210-250250-500 kW, CBRE H1 2025 | - | C$180-190 | 12.0-14.0Market rate, CBRE | HIVE Digital Technologies: $150 per kW |
Asking rates are what landlords advertise, before discounts and escalators.
Benchmarks by deal size
Price a GPU server by the kW it needs. An 8-GPU HGX B300 server draws about 15-16 kW, so a cabinet built for 5 kW holds none. A few servers pay retail all-in rates, ballpark $240-325 per kW a month, or about $4-5K a month for one B300 server.
| Measure | Per kW a month | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Retail, under 250 kW, all-in | $327 | JLL, H1 2025 |
| Wholesale asking rate, 250-500 kW | $205 | CBRE, H1 2026 |
| Wholesale asking rate, 500 kW-3 MW | $184 | CBRE, H1 2026 |
| Wholesale asking rate, 3-10 MW | $175 | CBRE, H1 2026 |
| Wholesale asking rate, 10+ MW | $165 | CBRE, H1 2026 |
| Signed new leases, 0-1 MW (Americas) | $293 | Digital Realty, Jul 2026 |
| Signed new leases, over 1 MW (Americas) | $156 | Digital Realty, Jul 2026 |
| Signed new and expansion leases | $205 | Iron Mountain, Aug 2026 |
| Lease renewals | $382 | Iron Mountain, Aug 2026 |
Broker figures are North American primary-market averages; signed rents are from the operators’ quarterly filings.
Before you sign
The rate is the easy part to compare. The agreement decides who pays for an outage, how fast the power rate can rise, and who keeps the servers in a default.
Free PDF · October 2026 · Not legal advice
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Colocation pricing questions
- What is the difference between wholesale and retail colocation?
- Wholesale is a block of power, usually 250 kW or more, leased for several years, often with power billed on top. Retail is cabinets or a cage in a shared hall, often priced all-in. Retail costs more per kW.
- Does the rate include power?
- It depends on the contract. Some rates are all-in per kW; others charge for capacity plus metered power at the utility rate times the facility’s PUE. Ask which one a quote is before comparing it with these figures.