I think the key indicator here is as compared to other cloud service models

Agree with previous comments

IaaS models typically have lower upfront costs because they eliminate the need for businesses to invest in expensive hardware. Instead, infrastructure (like servers, storage, and networking) is provided over the internet on a pay-as-you-go basis. This model allows businesses to start small and scale up as needed, without the heavy initial investment in physical infrastructure.

The tradeoff of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) as compared to other cloud service models is that it generally offers lower initial costs, allowing users to avoid upfront investments in physical hardware and infrastructure. However, the tradeoff is that the long-term costs can become greater as usage increases, especially if resources are not optimized effectively. Users might end up paying more over time due to resource scaling and usage. Other cloud service models, such as Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS), might offer more managed and optimized environments, leading to potentially higher initial costs but possibly more predictable and controlled long-term expenses.