Things I Wish I Knew Before Using AWS Free Tier: VPC

Ran into a surprising AWS billing issue while learning to build my first custom VPC setup.

This week, I took my first steps into building a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) on AWS.
I was following tutorials, reading docs, and was super excited to see things coming together…
Until I opened my billing dashboard and saw unexpected charges — even though I was on the Free Tier!

Here's my journey, the mistakes I made, and how I solved the problem — so you don't have to learn the hard way.

I wanted to set up a basic Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) in AWS.
Here’s what I created step-by-step:

  1. Created a custom VPC (instead of using the default one)

  2. Added two subnets — one public and one private

  3. Set up a NAT gateways to In 1 AZ.

  4. Set up a VPC Endpoint to None.

  5. Kept both DNS hostnames and DNS resolution enabled.

Everything looked clean, and my instance was running fine. I was proud.

I Deleted the VPC, But the Charges Stayed

After building the VPC and experimenting with the setup, I decided to delete it completely.
I thought that would remove everything — and stop all charges.
But when I checked my billing page later, I noticed I was still being charged.

That’s when I learned the hard truth…

The Unexpected Charges

Despite deleting the VPC, AWS still charged me for:

  • NAT Gateway usage (charged per hour + per GB of data)

  • In-use Public IPv4 Address

  • Idle Public IPv4 Address (Elastic IP that wasn’t attached to anything)

How I Solved It

To stop the charges, I:

  • Manually deleted the NAT Gateway

  • Released the unused Elastic IP

My Key Takeaways

  • Deleting a VPC doesn’t always delete everything (like NAT Gateways or Elastic IPs)

  • NAT Gateways cost money by the hour — even with no EC2 instance

  • AWS charges for idle Elastic IPs

  • Always monitor the Billing Dashboard and double-check what’s still running

  • If it’s your first time and an honest mistake, AWS might waive your charges — just ask!

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Written by

Ruchika Gurbaxani
Ruchika Gurbaxani

AWS Cloud Enthusiast | Cybersecurity Aware Cloud-savvy and security-conscious, I'm a tech enthusiast with a strong foundation in Python, C, Networking, and Cloud Computing. Currently preparing for AWS certifications, I’ve completed the Mastercard Cybersecurity Virtual Experience and hold the ZTCA (Zscaler Zero Trust Certified Associate) certification. My projects reflect a passion for secure, scalable cloud solutions—notably SilentWhisper, an anonymous communication app. Recognized for achievements in NASA’s Scientist for a Day, Smart India Hackathon, and creative competitions like painting at Raman Science Center. I'm also active on LeetCode, HackerRank, and GitHub, where I regularly enhance my problem-solving and development skills.