The verdict in three sentences
In Abu Dhabi, an interior design studio website costs, as a 2026 ballpark, 18 000 to 80 000 AED (about 4 900 to 21 800 USD) with a local agency, often with Arabic and sometimes photography in the quote. Kolonell builds the portfolio, the service pages and a qualified project enquiry for a fixed price of 2 900 USD, 4 900 USD or 8 900 USD, but does not photograph your projects: that budget stays the same whichever provider you choose. Over three years, the real comparison covers the build, portfolio updates and image rights, not just the initial quote.
What do an agency, a freelancer and Kolonell cost in Abu Dhabi?
Prudent ballparks, not official rates: they rest on public rate cards of UAE agencies, minimum project sizes shown on Clutch.co, hourly rates published by agencies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and rates visible on Upwork and Fiverr. Conversion: 1 USD = about 3.67 AED.
| Criterion | Abu Dhabi agency | Local freelancer | Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build, 2026 ballpark | 18 000 to 80 000 AED (about 4 900 to 21 800 USD) | 5 000 to 15 000 AED (about 1 360 to 4 100 USD) | 2 900 USD, 4 900 USD or 8 900 USD, fixed |
| Hour outside scope | Often 250 to 500 AED (about 70 to 135 USD) | Often 120 to 250 AED | Quoted before any work |
| Timeline | 8 to 14 weeks | 4 to 10 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually 4 to 6 |
| Project photography | Sometimes offered | Rarely | No: photographer booked by you |
| Arabic | Often included | Varies | Supplied by you or quoted separately |
| English copywriting | Varies | Rarely | Native, included |
| Ownership | Check | Check | Domain in your name, all access handed over |
A freelancer at 8 000 AED (about 2 180 USD) is cheaper than our Starter: if your portfolio is ready and your copy written, that is a serious option. Kolonell brings a project manager, a written fixed price, English copywriting and a 3 to 4 week schedule. The team is based in Senegal (GMT), four hours behind the UAE: a 13:00 call in Abu Dhabi is 09:00 GMT, with a written update every week. Payment by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff, 50 % at delivery. Details in our international website offer.
What budget should you plan over three years?
A comparison between a mid-range agency delivering English and Arabic and the Growth package with a translator. In both cases you pay the photographer. Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request: same assumption on both sides.
| Item over 36 months | Abu Dhabi agency (mid range) | Kolonell Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Site build | 45 000 AED, about 12 250 USD | 4 900 USD |
| Key Arabic pages | Included | Your translator, assumption 700 USD |
| Photography of 4 projects, web licence included | 8 000 AED, about 2 180 USD | 2 180 USD, photographer booked by you |
| Maintenance (same assumption) | 150 USD per month over 33 months, 4 950 USD | 4 950 USD, quoted on request |
| Ten new project pages | 20 hours at 350 AED, about 1 905 USD | Quoted beforehand, assumption 1 200 USD |
| Indicative total | 21 285 USD | 13 930 USD |
These amounts structure the comparison; they do not predict your invoice. Ask every provider to fill in the same table, line by line.
What should an Abu Dhabi studio's site show?
An Abu Dhabi studio serves a varied clientele: Emirati families fitting out a villa and its majlis in Khalifa City or Al Shamkha, expatriate executives on Al Reem Island or Al Raha Beach, residence owners on Saadiyat or Yas, hotels and restaurants renovating, offices of companies based in ADGM on Al Maryah Island. Each of them looks for proof of quality and a sense of the process.
| Content | Starter 2 900 USD | Growth 4 900 USD | Premium 8 900 USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | Up to 6 projects | Detailed project pages with photo credits | Portfolio filterable by type (villa, hospitality, offices) |
| Services | One page | One page per project type | Service pages and detailed process |
| Project enquiry | Simple form | Qualified form: type, size, district, budget, schedule | Qualified form and developer journey |
| Press and awards | No | Simple page | Dedicated page |
| Bilingual FR/EN site | No | No | Included |
| Support | 3 months | 3 months | 6 months |
Arabic is supplied by your translator or quoted separately. A configurator or a client area to follow a fit-out is a custom application, quoted on request. Kolonell built the trilingual French, English and Arabic site of Orven Properties, an off-plan real estate advisory in Dubai for international investors: buyers who, once their unit is handed over, often look for an interior studio.
Licence, titles, photos, data: what should you check?
Check that the activities on your trade licence match the services you advertise. Present qualifications exactly (degrees, professional memberships) and avoid any wording that suggests a licensed architecture or engineering consultancy if that is not your status. For photos, the photographer's licence must cover web and social media use; in private villas, get the owners' written consent, as many value discretion highly, and avoid identifiable details.
The enquiry form collects personal data: the UAE federal data protection law (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021) applies in principle, and a studio established in ADGM falls under ADGM's own data protection regulations. Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA as the reference. This is not legal advice.
Need a professional website?
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Which red flags should you spot in a quote?
- Photos included with no licence terms. Ask who holds the rights.
- A portfolio you cannot update without the agency. Every new project becomes an invoice.
- An enquiry form with no budget or schedule. You will waste time on unqualified requests.
- An Arabic version produced by machine translation. Your Emirati clients will notice.
- A domain in the provider's name. Get the transfer in writing.
Mini case study
Illustrative example. Lina H. runs a six-person studio on Al Reem Island specialising in villas and restaurants. An agency quotes 45 000 AED (about 12 250 USD) for an English and Arabic site in 12 weeks. Kolonell proposes Growth at 4 900 USD in 4 weeks; Lina gives the Arabic to a translator for 700 USD and books a photographer for 4 projects at 8 000 AED, which she would have paid anyway.
Build plus translation: 5 600 USD against 12 250 USD, a 6 650 USD gap. Over three years, 13 930 USD against 21 285 USD, a 7 355 USD difference. Lina keeps the agency in mind for a future presentation film shot on site, which Kolonell does not produce.
FAQ
How much does an interior design studio website cost in Abu Dhabi in 2026?
As a ballpark, 18 000 to 80 000 AED (about 4 900 to 21 800 USD) with an agency and 5 000 to 15 000 AED with a freelancer. Kolonell offers 2 900 USD, 4 900 USD or 8 900 USD.
Can Kolonell photograph our projects?
No. Book a local interior photographer, as an assumption 1 500 to 2 500 AED per project, with a licence covering web use.
Can the site be in English and Arabic?
Yes: Kolonell writes the English and integrates the Arabic supplied by your translator or quoted separately. Bilingual FR/EN is included in Premium at 8 900 USD.
Can we add projects ourselves?
The site can be delivered with simple content management; any development beyond that is quoted before work. As an assumption, budget 100 to 150 USD per project page handed to a provider.
What timeline?
3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth, usually 4 to 6 weeks for Premium, provided photos and copy arrive on time.
Let's scope your project. Send us six to ten photographed projects, your client types 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.
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.
