The verdict in three sentences
In Abu Dhabi, a website for a relocation or immigration services firm built by a local agency costs, as a 2026 ballpark, about 15 000 to 70 000 AED, roughly 4 100 to 19 000 USD. Kolonell builds the pages per client profile, the corporate page and the practical guides for a fixed 2 900, 4 900 or 8 900 USD, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks on Starter and Growth. On Premium, the 3-year gap with a local agency becomes small: the choice then turns on native English and French copywriting, on-site video (which Kolonell does not do) and ownership of every access.
How do Abu Dhabi agency, freelancer and Kolonell prices compare?
These ranges are prudent, not official. They draw on public rate cards of UAE agencies, minimum project sizes on Clutch.co, rates visible on Upwork and Fiverr for UAE-based freelancers and hourly rates published by studios in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The dirham is pegged to the dollar, about 3.67 AED to 1 USD.
| Criterion | Abu Dhabi agency | Local freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build cost, 2026 ballpark | 15 000 to 70 000 AED (about 4 100 to 19 000 USD) | 4 000 to 15 000 AED (about 1 100 to 4 100 USD) | 2 900 / 4 900 / 8 900 USD, fixed |
| Changes outside scope | Often 250 to 450 AED per hour | Often 100 to 250 AED per hour | Quoted before any work |
| Usual timeline | 8 to 14 weeks | 4 to 8 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| On-site video and photos | Often offered | Sometimes | No: your images or a local photographer |
| Languages | English and Arabic | English | Native English; bilingual French and English on Premium; Arabic supplied or quoted separately |
| Support after launch | Maintenance contract | Case by case | 3 months, 6 on Premium |
| Ownership | Check the contract | Check the contract | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
A UAE freelancer can deliver a simple English site for less than Kolonell Starter. Kolonell brings native copywriting, a project manager reachable in your time zone, a fixed price and the handover of every access. Details are on our international website offer.
The team is based in Senegal (GMT), four hours behind Abu Dhabi: a 2 pm call on your side is 10 am for us, and a written update arrives every week. Payment is by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery.
What does a relocation website cost over 3 years, tier by tier?
A relocation firm publishes a lot: neighbourhood guides, schools, arrival steps. The table compares a mid-range agency with Kolonell Premium, using the same maintenance assumption on both sides, since Kolonell maintenance after support is quoted on request.
| Item over 36 months | Abu Dhabi agency (mid range) | Kolonell Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Website build | 40 000 AED, about 10 900 USD | 8 900 USD |
| Arabic version | Included | Translation, assumption 1 400 USD |
| Team portraits | Often included | Local photographer, about 2 500 AED, 680 USD |
| Maintenance (same assumption) | 180 USD per month over 30 months, 5 400 USD | 5 400 USD, after 6 months of support |
| New neighbourhood guides | 6 guides at 1 500 AED, about 2 450 USD | Quoted beforehand, assumption 1 500 USD |
| Indicative total | 18 750 USD | 17 880 USD |
On Premium the gap is only about 870 USD: honestly, at that level price does not decide. If English alone is enough, Kolonell Growth at 4 900 USD brings the indicative total down to about 14 420 USD (maintenance over 33 months), with 3 months of support instead of 6.
Which pages should each Kolonell tier cover for a relocation firm?
| Item | Starter 2 900 USD | Growth 4 900 USD | Premium 8 900 USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Services per profile | One services page | Pages for transferred employee, family, student and researcher, investor | Pages per profile with a detailed journey |
| Corporate page (HR, mobility) | Dedicated section | Full page with process | Full page, package presentation |
| Practical guides | No | A few guides (arrival, housing, schools) | Guide structure by neighbourhood and topic |
| Appointment booking | Link to your tool | Embed of your tool | Polished integration; custom calendar quoted on request |
| Languages | English | English | Bilingual French and English; Arabic supplied or quoted separately |
| Timeline | 3 to 4 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks | Written schedule at kickoff, usually 4 to 6 weeks |
| Support after launch | 3 months | 3 months | 6 months |
A case tracking portal for transferees or an HR area with dashboards is a custom application, quoted on request. So is ongoing search work.
What do relocating families and HR teams look for in Abu Dhabi?
The clients of an Abu Dhabi relocation firm are employees transferred by energy employers, by finance firms around Abu Dhabi Global Market or by large public entities, academics joining NYU Abu Dhabi, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi or Khalifa University, and families weighing Al Reem Island, Saadiyat, Yas or Khalifa City. They want housing, a school, then the exact list of arrival steps: residence visa, medical test, Emirates ID, tenancy registration, driving licence conversion.
- Pages per profile that say what you actually do: home viewings, school search, support at appointments, account opening.
- A corporate page for HR: process, single contact, reporting, with no invented satisfaction figures.
- Dated guides per neighbourhood and procedure, reviewed every year, because procedures change.
- A clear boundary: visa decisions rest with the federal authorities (ICP) and the sponsoring employer. No guaranteed timeline, no golden visa promise.
- French and English for French-speaking families, with Arabic supplied by you if your clients need it.
Kolonell built the trilingual French, English and Arabic website of Orven Properties, an off-plan property advisory firm in Dubai serving international investors, with project pages, investor guides and WhatsApp requests. Its guide-per-profile logic is close to that of a relocation firm.
Need a professional website?
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On compliance, the facts only. The federal Personal Data Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021) governs the forms and documents you collect; if your company is established in Abu Dhabi Global Market, its own 2021 data protection regulations apply. Private schools in Abu Dhabi are regulated by ADEK: link to its official information rather than ranking schools. Do not present yourself as a law firm unless you are one. This is not legal advice.
Which promises and quote clauses should worry you?
- Copy promising a visa, a timeline or a status: remove it, even if a competitor does it.
- Passports and employment contracts requested through a plain form with no secure storage.
- A domain in the agency's name or access kept by the agency.
- Guides written once and never dated: the page becomes wrong within a year.
- Video included for free that in fact inflates the build price.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Laura P., co-founder of an eight-consultant relocation firm working for the HR teams of energy and finance employers, wants an English and French site. An Abu Dhabi agency asks for 52 000 AED, about 14 200 USD, Arabic included, in 12 weeks. Kolonell proposes Premium at 8 900 USD, plus 1 400 USD of Arabic translation and 680 USD for a local photographer, so 10 980 USD.
Build gap: 3 220 USD. With the same 5 400 USD maintenance over 30 months on each side, the 3-year total is 19 600 USD versus 16 380 USD. Laura picks Kolonell for native French copy, and will book a local videographer later for a presentation film.
FAQ
How much does a relocation firm website cost in Abu Dhabi in 2026?
With a local agency, expect a ballpark of 15 000 to 70 000 AED (about 4 100 to 19 000 USD), and 4 000 to 15 000 AED with a freelancer. Kolonell charges a fixed 2 900, 4 900 or 8 900 USD.
Can my site be in French and English?
Yes, bilingual French and English is included in Premium at 8 900 USD. Arabic is supplied by you or quoted separately, often around 1 400 USD for a site this size.
Can I write that I obtain golden visas?
No: decisions belong to the authorities, and the site should describe your support, not an outcome. A clear page on the 4 or 5 steps of the process reassures more.
Does Kolonell shoot video on site?
No. There is no filming and no in-person meeting; you supply your images or book an Abu Dhabi photographer, often 2 000 to 4 000 AED for a half day based on published rates.
How does payment work?
By bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery, so two payments of 4 450 USD on Premium.
Let's scope your project. Send us your client profiles, services and languages, and we come back with a fixed-price tier and a 3 to 4 week timeline. Request your free quote or see the international offer.
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.
