Azure Cost Management Client Library

4.0.1 · active · verified Tue Apr 14

The Microsoft Azure Cost Management Client Library for Python allows developers to manage Azure cost and usage data programmatically. It provides access to features like querying cost data, managing budgets, and working with dimensions and exports. Currently at version 4.0.1, it follows the Azure SDK release cadence, with updates often tied to new API versions and general SDK guidelines.

Warnings

breaking Version 3.0.0 introduced a complete rewrite of the SDK following new Azure SDK guidelines. The main client class was renamed to `CostManagementClient`, and all models and operations moved under `azure.mgmt.costmanagement.models` and `azure.mgmt.costmanagement.operations`. Asynchronous operations are now available via `azure.mgmt.costmanagement.aio`.
Fix: Update import paths and client instantiation logic. Refer to the official Azure SDK documentation for the new API surface.
breaking In version 4.0.0, the `QueryDefinition` model had two new required parameters added: `time_period` and `type`. Calls using `QueryDefinition` without these parameters will fail.
Fix: Ensure that `time_period` and `type` are always provided when constructing `QueryDefinition` objects for queries.
gotcha Azure SDK management libraries like `azure-mgmt-costmanagement` require separate installation of an authentication library (e.g., `azure-identity`) for convenient credential management. While `azure-mgmt-costmanagement` does not directly depend on `azure-identity` via `pip` requirements, it is essential for practical use.
Fix: Always install `azure-identity` alongside any `azure-mgmt-*` library: `pip install azure-mgmt-costmanagement azure-identity`.
gotcha The Cost Management API often uses 'scopes' to define the context for operations (e.g., subscription, resource group, management group). Incorrectly formatted scopes or scopes without appropriate permissions will result in authorization errors.
Fix: Ensure the scope string is correctly formatted (e.g., `subscriptions/{subscriptionId}`, `subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}`) and the authenticated principal has the necessary 'Cost Management Contributor' or similar role.

Install

pip install azure-mgmt-costmanagement azure-identity Install core library and authentication

Imports

CostManagementClient

from azure.mgmt.costmanagement import CostManagementClient

DefaultAzureCredential
```
from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential
```
Required for authentication with Azure services.

Quickstart

This quickstart demonstrates how to authenticate with Azure using `DefaultAzureCredential` and then list existing budgets within a specified Azure subscription using the `CostManagementClient`. Ensure you have the `AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID` environment variable set, and your Azure credentials configured (e.g., via `az login` or environment variables like `AZURE_CLIENT_ID`, `AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET`, `AZURE_TENANT_ID`).

import os
from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential
from azure.mgmt.costmanagement import CostManagementClient

# Set your Azure Subscription ID from environment variables
subscription_id = os.environ.get("AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID", "YOUR_SUBSCRIPTION_ID")

if subscription_id == "YOUR_SUBSCRIPTION_ID":
    print("Please set the AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID environment variable.")
else:
    try:
        # Authenticate using DefaultAzureCredential (looks for env vars, managed identity, etc.)
        credential = DefaultAzureCredential()

        # Create a CostManagementClient
        client = CostManagementClient(credential, subscription_id)

        # Example: List budgets for the subscription
        print(f"Listing budgets for subscription: {subscription_id}")
        scope = f"subscriptions/{subscription_id}"
        budgets = client.budgets.list(scope=scope)
        
        found_budgets = False
        for budget in budgets:
            print(f"  Budget Name: {budget.name}, Amount: {budget.amount} {budget.currency}")
            found_budgets = True
        
        if not found_budgets:
            print("  No budgets found for this subscription.")

    except Exception as e:
        print(f"An error occurred: {e}")
        print("Ensure you have set up Azure credentials (e.g., AZURE_CLIENT_ID, AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET, AZURE_TENANT_ID) or are logged in via `az login`.")

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