ubuntu

Installing Ubuntu Desktop on EC2 with 20GB of storage costs more than a Server version. Here's why, and how to pay less.

Why the bill is higher

Ubuntu Desktop is larger. It includes a graphical interface GNOME, XFCE, etc. that consumes more resources. The EBS disk is larger. You need to upgrade to 20GB instead of the default 8GB. AWS charges for storage continuously. Even if the instance is powered off, the 20GB costs you approximately $2 USD/month, in addition to the price of the instance itself. How to reduce the bill

Choose a lightweight desktop environment. Install Ubuntu Server with XFCE or LXDE. This is sufficient for Selenium and much less resource-intensive. Keep your disk small. 8–10GB is enough for Chrome, Selenium, and your scripts. Clean up your system. Regularly empty the working folders processed outputs, input, base to prevent the disk from overflowing. In summary

Ubuntu Desktop + 20GB = more storage + more resources = higher bill.

To save money, stick with Ubuntu Server + a lightweight desktop environment, with a minimal EBS volume. You'll keep a useful graphical interface without paying for an overly resource-intensive environment.