Nvidia H200 rental costs rise about 160% since January
Renting an Nvidia H200 now costs about 160% more than it did at the start of the year, reflecting intense demand for AI computing power that supply cannot currently match.
The increase covers the period from January 1, 2026 through mid-October, pointing to sustained demand for AI computing power that supply still can't match. The H200 leads a broad price climb across Nvidia's lineup, with other models also experiencing significant rental increases.
Price Comparison Across Models
Year-to-date rental increases show varying rates across Nvidia's chips: B200 up about 120%, RTX PRO 6000 up around 65%, H100 up approximately 35%. Notably, the six-year-old A100 chip now rents for more than it did in January, defying typical depreciation patterns.
Market Pricing Variations
Median on-demand rental prices for the H200 range from $4.27 to $4.94 per GPU-hour. Spot marketplaces offer lower rates, starting at about $1.47 per GPU-hour, while hyperscalers like AWS and Azure charge premium rates averaging $7.91 to over $10.60 per hour.
The H200's outsized jump makes some sense given what it can do. The chip carries 141 GB of HBM3e memory and 4.8 TB/s of memory bandwidth.
Provider Adjustments
Individual providers continue to raise prices. Nebius increased its on-demand H200 rate from $4.50 to $5.40 per GPU-hour, a 20% hike effective October 1, 2026. The company simultaneously raised H100 rates by 17%, indicating a broader strategy of adjusting to market conditions.
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