Question 1

How much does it cost to build an in-house SOC (Security Operations Center)?

Accepted Answer

The total cost of building an in-house SOC ranges from approximately PLN 1.3 million in the first year (8/5 coverage model) to over PLN 3 million annually (24/7 model). Major cost components include personnel (3-8 analysts plus SOC Manager), technology (SIEM, EDR/XDR, SOAR), training and certifications, and server infrastructure. The first year costs 15-30% more due to setup and implementation expenses.

Question 2

How much does a Managed SOC cost compared to an in-house SOC?

Accepted Answer

A Managed SOC typically costs 50-80% less than building your own SOC. Monthly Managed SOC pricing starts from PLN 15,000 (8/5 model, small infrastructure) up to PLN 160,000+ (24/7, enterprise). The price includes: analyst team, SIEM/EDR/XDR technology, threat hunting, incident response, and compliance reporting.

Question 3

What are the hidden costs of an in-house SOC?

Accepted Answer

The most commonly overlooked in-house SOC costs include: employee turnover (average SOC analyst tenure is 18-24 months), ongoing training and certifications (PLN 40,000-120,000 annually), SIEM license and tool updates, server infrastructure and log storage, and the opportunity cost of spending time on recruitment and onboarding instead of actual security operations.

Question 4

When is an in-house SOC a better choice than a Managed SOC?

Accepted Answer

An in-house SOC may be justified when: the organization monitors over 5,000 assets, requires full data control (e.g., defense sector), already has a cybersecurity team and wants to expand it, or operates in a sector with strict regulatory requirements for data processing. For most organizations, a Managed SOC offers better value for money.

TCO Calculator: In-house SOC vs Managed SOC

1 Coverage Model

2 Number of Monitored Assets

3 Required Capabilities

4 Current State

Annual Cost Comparison

In-house SOC

Managed SOC (nFlo)