diff --git a/data/data/aws/bootstrap/variables.tf b/data/data/aws/bootstrap/variables.tf
index 7b394643bc7..11b23f116b5 100644
--- a/data/data/aws/bootstrap/variables.tf
+++ b/data/data/aws/bootstrap/variables.tf
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ variable "ignition" {
 
 variable "instance_type" {
   type        = "string"
-  default     = "m4.large"
+  default     = "t3.medium"
   description = "The EC2 instance type for the bootstrap node."
 }
 
diff --git a/data/data/aws/variables-aws.tf b/data/data/aws/variables-aws.tf
index df672aeaff4..bd5e11a7772 100644
--- a/data/data/aws/variables-aws.tf
+++ b/data/data/aws/variables-aws.tf
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ EOF
 
 variable "aws_master_ec2_type" {
   type        = "string"
-  description = "Instance size for the master node(s). Example: `m4.large`."
+  description = "Instance size for the master node(s). Example: `t3.medium`."
 
   # FIXME: get this wired up to the machine default
-  default = "m4.large"
+  default = "t3.medium"
 }
 
 variable "aws_ec2_ami_override" {
diff --git a/pkg/asset/machines/worker.go b/pkg/asset/machines/worker.go
index bff38c09643..1050f1915eb 100644
--- a/pkg/asset/machines/worker.go
+++ b/pkg/asset/machines/worker.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import (
 
 func defaultAWSMachinePoolPlatform() awstypes.MachinePool {
 	return awstypes.MachinePool{
-		InstanceType: "m4.large",
+		InstanceType: "t3.medium",
 	}
 }