The Hidden Costs of AI Coding Assistants—and How to Cut Them by 60%

Most developers overspend on AI coding assistants without realizing that context—not prompts—drives the vast majority of costs. This guide reveals the actual expense breakdown and provides five practical rules that cut spending by 60% without sacrificing productivity. For developers weighing tool adoption against budget constraints, this demonstrates that AI assistance is economically viable with the right cost management strategy.