A system and method from processing database queries allows for cost and locale based distribution for execution of database queries. The database queries are executed on execution engines that provide flexible configuration and overlapping functionality. The system reduces various costs, including elapsed time, required to perform database queries. The method provides processing of a database query using a database catalog comprising database table locality information, record locality information and execution engine information. A query optimizer receives the query and accesses the catalog to create a query execution plan comprising locality-based database operations. A central database operation processor providing a first execution engine executes the query execution plan by performing at least a portion of the locality-based database operations and distributing at least a portion of the locality-based database operations as a subplan. A second database operation processor providing a second execution engine executes the subplan received from the central processor.