A method for managing container usage in a computing system, includes: gathering a plurality of infrastructure costs associated with a container; invoking an orchestration tool in a containerization system to determine a plurality of workload costs associated with the container; determining a container usage cost from the gathered infrastructure costs and the determined workload costs; and managing the container usage in the computing system based on the determined container usage cost. In some instances, the method is implemented in the functionality of a cost analyzer resident on a computing apparatus. In other instances, the method may be implemented in a computing system in which a cost analyzer operates.