Use the Python client

The vexxhost-costexplorerclient package is the Python client for Cost Explorer. It signs in with the same session as the OpenStack SDK, so it works with your existing clouds.yaml.

Before you beginCopy Anchor Link

Set up a clouds.yaml entry or an application credential. See Use OpenStack from Python.

1. Install the clientCopy Anchor Link

pip install vexxhost-costexplorerclient

2. Create the clientCopy Anchor Link

import openstack
from costexplorerclient import Client

conn = openstack.connect(cloud="vexxhost")
costs = Client("1", session=conn.session)

The client finds Cost Explorer in the service catalog. The other Cost Explorer guides call it costs.

3. Make a callCopy Anchor Link

Methods take and return dictionaries with the same fields as the API's JSON, so the API reference also describes each call. costs.cost_reports creates reports and costs.cost_forecasts creates forecasts.

report = costs.cost_reports.create(
    time_period={"start": "2026-09-01T00:00:00Z", "end": "2026-10-01T00:00:00Z"},
    granularity="monthly",
)
print(report["results_by_time"][0]["total"]["cost"]["amount"])

4. Handle errorsCopy Anchor Link

A failed request raises an exception from costexplorerclient.exceptions, such as Conflict, TooManyRequests or Unauthorized. The exceptions are also keystoneauth1.exceptions HTTP errors.

from costexplorerclient import exceptions

try:
    costs.cost_reports.create(time_period={"start": "2026-09-01T00:00:00Z", "end": "2026-10-01T00:00:00Z"}, granularity="monthly")
except exceptions.ClientException as error:
    print(error.status_code, error.request_id, error.problem["detail"])
    raise

Next stepsCopy Anchor Link

• Use costs in the Python examples of the other Cost Explorer guides.