Immigration and relocation firm website cost in Manama: local agencies vs Kolonell (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

In Manama, an immigration and relocation firm website costs, as a 2026 ballpark, 1 000 to 4 500 BHD (about 2 650 to 11 900 USD) with a local agency and 250 to 1 000 BHD with a freelancer. Kolonell offers 2 900 USD, 4 900 USD or 8 900 USD at a fixed price, native English copywriting and a project manager included, which puts it well below a mid-range agency but level with a good freelancer once copywriting is added. The choice therefore comes down to the quality of the copy written for bank HR teams and expatriate families, to who owns the site, and to how it presents LMRA formalities without promising anything.

How do agency, freelancer and Kolonell compare in Manama?

These ranges are prudent ballparks, not official rates. They rest on public rate cards of agencies in Bahrain and the Gulf, minimum project sizes listed on Clutch.co profiles, hourly rates published by regional agencies and rates visible on Upwork and Fiverr. Conversion used: roughly 1 BHD = 2.65 USD.

Kolonell works from Senegal (GMT), three hours behind Bahrain: a 12:00 call in Manama is 09:00 GMT. The project manager sends you a written update every week. Payment by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % at delivery. The three packages are detailed in our international website offer.

Which pages does a Manama mobility firm need, by package?

Manama's client base splits between employers and individuals. On the employer side: banks, insurers, Islamic finance houses, fintechs, the aluminium industry and logistics, all recruiting abroad and handing mobility to a provider. On the individual side: families settling in Juffair, Seef, Amwaj Islands, Saar or Riffa, some of them choosing Bahrain while one partner works across the King Fahd Causeway in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, and investors interested in the golden residency.

Booking runs through a third-party tool such as Calendly and documents through a secure upload tool. A portal where the employee tracks the case is a custom application, quoted on request, as is ongoing search optimisation. Arabic pages are supplied by your translator or quoted separately.

What will you really spend over 36 months?

We compare three quotes for an English site with a few Arabic summary pages. Since Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request, the same assumption applies to all three columns.

The freelancer and Kolonell finish less than 100 USD apart. What separates them: a reachable project manager, a written fixed price, a native English writer and the handover of all access. A freelancer who writes the copy and delivers fast may well be the right choice.

LMRA, golden residency, PDPL: what the site may say, and what it must not

In Bahrain, work permits for expatriates fall under the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and are tied to an employer; residence formalities fall under the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs directorate. The country also offers a golden residency for certain profiles, under conditions set by the authorities. Many firms handle formalities as a PRO service for companies; legal advice on a refusal, a dispute or a complex status belongs to licensed lawyers. Relocation (housing, schools, bank account, driving licence, spouse support) is a different job: the site must say who does what, especially if a partner lawyer is involved.

No page should promise a permit, a residence or a timeline. The documents you request are sensitive: Bahrain's Personal Data Protection Law (Law No. 30 of 2018) governs their processing. Minimal form, an up-to-date privacy policy, no passports by plain email. Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA as the reference. This is not legal advice.

Which questions should you ask before signing?

• Who writes the HR page? It is the page bank decision makers read; it cannot be improvised.
• Does the price cover the district guides? Juffair and Amwaj do not speak to the same families.
• Where are forms and documents stored? Ask for the name of the tool.
• Will the domain be in your name? Get it in writing.
• Does the draft copy include phrases like guaranteed visa? That is a red flag.

Kolonell built the trilingual French, English and Arabic site of Orven Properties, an off-plan real estate advisory in Dubai for international investors, with project pages and investor guides: an audience close to the one interested in a golden residency.

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Priya N. runs a four-person firm in Seef that manages employee mobility for two banks and a fintech. Three quotes: an agency at 2 800 BHD (about 7 420 USD) in 8 weeks, a freelancer at 900 BHD (about 2 385 USD) without copywriting, Kolonell Starter at 2 900 USD in 3 weeks, copy included.

With 600 USD for a copywriter, the freelancer comes to 2 985 USD against 2 900 USD for Kolonell: an 85 USD gap. Over three years, 8 415 USD against 8 330 USD, and 12 450 USD for the agency, 4 120 USD more than Kolonell. With prices almost identical, Priya decides on the quality of the HR page and on domain ownership.

FAQ

How much does a relocation website cost in Manama in 2026?

As a ballpark, 1 000 to 4 500 BHD (about 2 650 to 11 900 USD) with an agency and 250 to 1 000 BHD with a freelancer. Kolonell offers 2 900 USD, 4 900 USD or 8 900 USD.

Is a Bahrain freelancer cheaper than Kolonell?

On the build alone, often yes. Once copywriting is added (assumption 600 USD), the gap can fall below 100 USD.

Do we need an Arabic version?

For Bahraini employers and some public bodies, a few Arabic pages help. Kolonell does not write Arabic: plan for your translator, 400 to 800 USD as an assumption.

Can the site mention the golden residency?

Yes, descriptively, linking to the official conditions. It must never promise approval or a timeline.

What is the delivery timeline?

3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth; for Premium, a written plan at kickoff, usually 4 to 6 weeks.

Let's scope your project. Send us your list of services, your typical clients (employers, families, investors) and your languages, and you will receive a fixed-price proposal in USD, delivered in 3 to 6 weeks depending on the package. Request your free quote or see the international offer.