Microsoft cloud prices rise 15.7% in rupees, 10% in NZ dollars on 1 Jan

Companies that pay Microsoft in Indian rupees will pay 15.7% more for its commercial cloud services from 1 January 2027, and those paying in New Zealand dollars 10% more, Microsoft said in a [pricing notice dated 10 November 2026](https://news.microsoft.com/source/2026/11/10/annual-currency-adjustments-to-microsoft-commercial-cloud-pricing/). Prices fall 4% in Australian dollars, 5.9% in Norwegian kroner and by up to 8.5% in Chinese yuan.

For the IT lead who owns the licences and the finance lead who budgets them, that is seven weeks to decide whether to bring forward a renewal or a seat order, or to wait for the cut.

The five changes

• Indian rupee: cloud up 15.7%; on-premises software, meaning products run on your own servers, up by as much as 20%.
• New Zealand dollar: cloud up 10%; on-premises up 10%.
• Australian dollar: cloud down 4%; on-premises unchanged.
• Norwegian krone: cloud down 5.9%; on-premises unchanged.
• Chinese yuan: cloud down by up to 8.5%; on-premises unchanged. Microsoft says this covers its global cloud services and Microsoft Cloud operated by 21Vianet, but not Azure operated by 21Vianet.

In bill terms: ₹100 of cloud spend becomes ₹115.70 and NZ$100 becomes NZ$110, while A$100 becomes A$96 and NOK 100 becomes NOK 94.10. Microsoft adds that individual products "might vary slightly" from these percentages because of rounding.

For Norwegian buyers this is the second cut in a year. Microsoft [lowered krone prices 7.2% on 1 February 2026](https://news.microsoft.com/source/2025/12/11/local-currency-price-adjustments-for-microsofts-commercial-cloud-2/); a further 5.9% leaves list prices about 12.7% below January 2026 (0.928 × 0.941 = 0.873).

What the notice leaves out

• Which products. The notice says "commercial cloud" and lists none, so it does not confirm whether Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Copilot seats or Azure usage are in scope. Last December's notice said Azure bought under the Microsoft Customer Agreement is priced in US dollars and unaffected; this one does not repeat that.
• Existing contracts. It does not say whether a subscription already running keeps its price until renewal.
• The exchange rates used. Microsoft says only that the changes "align local currency pricing with global levels".
• Brazil and Japan. Real pricing will be reviewed after Brazil's tax reform; yen pricing stays on an April cycle, with April 2027 details due in February 2027.

This is the first notice under the [annual schedule Microsoft announced in July 2026](https://news.microsoft.com/source/2026/07/08/microsoft-announces-moving-to-annual-local-currency-pricing-updates-for-commercial-cloud-services-every-january/): one local-currency update each 1 January, with notice each November. Product price rises are announced separately, so a Copilot list-price change could still come on top. The notice changes prices only; it announces nothing about products, seat terms or support.

What to do

• IT and finance teams billed in rupees or New Zealand dollars: this month, ask your Microsoft reseller or account team in writing whether renewals and added seats ordered before 1 January hold the current price, and for what term. If they do, price up the Copilot or Microsoft 365 seats you planned for the first half of 2027 now.
• The same teams: until you have that answer, raise every Microsoft cloud line in the 2027 budget by 15.7% (rupees) or 10% (NZ dollars).
• Teams billed in Australian dollars, kroner or yuan with a renewal due in December: ask whether it can be dated on or after 1 January, or repriced then.