Technical solutions are described for determining data replication cost for a data server. In an example, a method for estimating the data replication cost includes receiving an identification of a source table and an identification of a target table for the data replication. The method further includes receiving a selection of a data replication scheme to be used to replicate the data. A costing system that implements the method determines the data replication cost, based on a conversion cost for conversion of the data from the source table to the target table, and a transfer cost for transfer of the data from the source table to the target table. The costing system communicates the data replication cost to an administrator.