The verdict in three sentences
A trilingual FR/EN/AR website in Rabat costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, between 90,000 and 180,000 MAD, i.e. 25 to 45% more than an equivalent monolingual site. The most underestimated line item is not development but editorial governance: translating once is not enough, you must maintain three versions over time. Budget 8 to 12 weeks from mockup to launch, with Arabic RTL alone adding 2 to 3 weeks of design and QA.
Where the multilingual premium comes from
Multilingual is not a simple language toggle: it is a full chain touching design, code, content and governance. Every added language multiplies translation, proofreading and maintenance work, and Arabic imposes a mirrored layout (RTL, right-to-left) that reworks part of the design.
| Item | Monolingual (MAD) | Bilingual FR/EN (MAD) | Trilingual +AR (MAD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design & UI | 25,000 - 40,000 | 30,000 - 48,000 | 42,000 - 65,000 |
| i18n integration (next-intl) | included | 8,000 - 14,000 | 12,000 - 18,000 |
| Professional translation | 0 | 10,000 - 22,000 | 22,000 - 40,000 |
| Arabic RTL adaptation | 0 | 0 | 12,000 - 25,000 |
| Headless CMS governance | 8,000 - 15,000 | 12,000 - 22,000 | 18,000 - 30,000 |
| Indicative total | 55,000 - 95,000 | 70,000 - 130,000 | 90,000 - 180,000 |
Translation is billed per word: budget 0.12 to 0.20 MAD/word for professional, proofread translation, i.e. 6,000 to 12,000 MAD for an institutional site of 40,000 words per target language.
Realistic timeline and milestones
The schedule depends above all on the availability of your approved content. Freezing FR content before launch saves two to three weeks.
| Phase | Bilingual | Trilingual +AR |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping & sitemap | 1 wk | 1 - 1.5 wk |
| UI design (+ RTL variant) | 2 wk | 3 - 4 wk |
| i18n development | 2 - 3 wk | 3 - 4 wk |
| Translation & proofreading | 1 - 2 wk | 2 - 3 wk |
| QA & go-live | 1 wk | 1 - 1.5 wk |
| Total | 7 - 9 wk | 10 - 12 wk |
Mini case study
Ms Alaoui leads communications at a development agency based in Rabat. She wants an FR/EN/AR 35-page site to attract European funders and Gulf partners. Selected quote: 148,000 MAD, including 30,000 MAD of translation (35,000 words x 3 languages) and 20,000 MAD of RTL adaptation. Over 3 years, editorial governance (trilingual updates) is budgeted at 1,800 MAD/month. Target outcome: a funder application channel that replaces scattered PDF files and shortens the call-for-projects response cycle by several days.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Can I launch in FR/EN and add Arabic later?
Yes, and it is often smart. Planning i18n from the start (next-intl architecture) avoids a full rebuild; adding Arabic later then costs 15,000 to 30,000 MAD instead of double.
Is machine translation enough for an institutional site?
No for strategic pages. AI translation proofread by a professional halves the cost vs 100% human translation, but human review remains essential on brand and legal pages.
Does Arabic RTL really complicate development?
Yes: mirrored layout, adapted fonts, reversed alignments and icons. Budget 12,000 to 25,000 MAD and 2 to 3 extra weeks of design and QA.
Which CMS handles three languages without errors?
A headless CMS (such as Sanity or Strapi) with per-language fields and an approval workflow. Governance prevents pages published in only one language or out of sync.
Does multilingual help international SEO?
Yes, via hreflang tags and per-language URLs. Well implemented, it opens organic traffic on three markets without cannibalization.
Let's scope your project. Tell us the number of pages, the target languages (Arabic RTL or not) and your indicative budget in MAD: we will price the multilingual base and governance. 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.
