The verdict in three sentences
A five-language website costs in 2026 a base of around 12,000 EUR plus 2,000 to 3,000 EUR per language, for a realistic total of 20,000 to 27,000 EUR. The two line items that make or break the project are hreflang markup and translation quality: unreviewed machine translation sinks rankings in every country. Expect 10 to 14 weeks with a per-market SEO strategy.
The budget language by language
The base covers the i18n architecture, the template and the reference language. Each added language mobilizes translation, integration, hreflang and local SEO acceptance.
| Item | Range EUR | Note |
|---|---|---|
| i18n technical base (1 language) | 12,000 - 15,000 | Architecture, routing, templates |
| Additional language (x4) | 2,000 - 3,000 /lang | Translation + integration + hreflang |
| Reviewed professional translation | 0.12 - 0.18 /word | Native translator + review |
| AI translation, human-reviewed | 0.05 - 0.08 /word | 40% cheaper, decent quality |
| Per-country keyword research | 800 - 1,500 /market | Local SEO, intents |
| hreflang + sitemap acceptance | 1,000 - 2,000 | Prevents duplicate content |
| Total 5 languages | 20,000 - 27,000 | 10-14 week timeline |
Translation: the "free" trap
The temptation to translate everything with raw AI is strong, but it costs dearly in SEO. Here is the 2026 trade-off.
| Approach | Cost /1000 words | SEO impact | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw machine translation | ~5 EUR | Strongly negative | Avoid |
| AI + native review | 50 - 80 EUR | Neutral to positive | Secondary pages |
| Native professional translator | 120 - 180 EUR | Positive | Strategic pages |
| Marketing transcreation | 200 - 350 EUR | Very positive | Home + product pages |
| Continuous updates | 300 - 600 /mo | Maintains | Active sites |
Mini case study
Mark, export director at a food producer in Amsterdam, targets 5 markets: Netherlands, UK, Spain, Germany, Italy. Quote: base 13,000 EUR + 4 languages at 2,500 EUR = 23,000 EUR, with reviewed professional translation on product pages and reviewed AI on the blog. His goal: 15 distributor requests per month outside the home market. At an average distributor contract of 18,000 EUR/year and a 10% close rate, 15 monthly requests would generate roughly 18 contracts over 12 months, well above the site cost in the first structured export year alone.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
One domain per country or a single multilingual domain?
A single domain with subdirectories (/en/, /de/) is enough for most exporters and costs less to maintain. Country domains (.de, .es) are justified for brands with strong local presence and a serious SEO budget.
What is hreflang and why is it critical?
hreflang tells Google which version to serve based on the user's language and country. Misconfigured, it creates duplicate content and muddles rankings. Its acceptance testing (1,000-2,000 EUR) is non-negotiable.
Can I translate with AI only to save money?
On strategic pages, no: raw translation hurts SEO and credibility. AI reviewed by a native speaker is a good compromise at 0.05-0.08 EUR/word for secondary content.
How long to deliver 5 languages?
Expect 10 to 14 weeks: the technical base in 4-6 weeks, then languages in parallel with translations and per-market SEO acceptance.
How do I handle content updates afterward?
With a multilingual CMS and a translation workflow: each new article enters the translation queue. Maintenance budget 300-600 EUR/month depending on publishing volume.
Let's scope your project. Give us your target languages, page volume and priority markets: we price base, languages and per-country SEO strategy. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
