The verdict in three sentences
For an industrial group in Dubai with three subsidiaries exporting across the GCC, Africa and Europe, a corporate English and Arabic website with a clean RTL layout costs 25,000 to 60,000 USD, and Arabic is effectively mandatory for credibility with government entities and large local buyers. Translation and technical review take 15 to 20 % of the budget and are the most underestimated line. A realistic timeline is 10 to 16 weeks, including content sign-off by subsidiaries.
Why a bilingual or trilingual site matters for an industrial group in Dubai
Procurement teams at ADNOC suppliers, utilities, ports and free zone manufacturers qualify vendors online: ISO 9001 and 14001 certificates, production capacity, export references, ICV certification and local content scores. Government and semi-government buyers expect Arabic. European and African buyers read English, and French opens doors in West and North Africa.
RTL is not a simple text flip. The design must mirror cleanly (menus, directional icons, tables, numbers), use a readable Arabic typeface (Noto Kufi, IBM Plex Arabic) and give each language clean URLs with hreflang tags. A poor Arabic version signals carelessness to exactly the buyers who matter most.
2026 cost breakdown in Dubai
| Line item | Scope | USD (ex. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery and architecture | Group + 3 subsidiaries site map, workshops | 2,500 to 5,000 |
| EN/AR design system | LTR and RTL mockups, Arabic typography | 5,000 to 11,000 |
| Development and CMS | 25 to 40 pages per language, multilingual headless CMS | 9,000 to 24,000 |
| Translation and technical review | Arabic technical copy, engineer review | 4,000 to 10,000 |
| Multilingual SEO | Hreflang, per-language sitemaps, Organization schema | 1,500 to 3,500 |
| Security and compliance | UAE PDPL, GDPR for EU visitors | 1,500 to 3,500 |
| QA and training | Tests in all languages, editor training | 1,500 to 3,000 |
| Hosting | UAE or EU region CDN | 80 to 250 per month |
These are 2026 estimates for Dubai agencies able to deliver quality RTL. The same scope delivered for a Casablanca group costs 180,000 to 320,000 MAD, about 16,500 to 29,500 EUR, which is the grid Kolonell applies when working remotely for Gulf clients.
Three scenarios by group governance
| Scenario | Structure | Budget USD | Timeline | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single group site | 1 site, 3 subsidiary sections | 25,000 to 35,000 | 10 weeks | centralised groups |
| Group site + microsites | 1 site + 3 branded subsites | 35,000 to 48,000 | 12 to 13 weeks | subsidiaries with own brands |
| Multi-site platform | One CMS, 4 sites, approval workflows | 45,000 to 60,000 | 14 to 16 weeks | groups growing by acquisition |
| Extra language (French or Hindi) | translation + QA | + 3,000 to 6,000 | + 2 weeks | Africa or South Asia exports |
| Investor relations area | reports, releases, calendar | + 4,000 to 8,000 | + 2 weeks | listed or PE-backed groups |
Mini case study
Omar, CEO of a Dubai industrial group (packaging, steel fabrication, logistics), receives 4 export quote requests a month through an English-only site. He invests 42,000 USD in an English, Arabic and French site with subsidiary microsites, plus 2,400 USD a year in hosting. If the Arabic and French versions add 5 qualified requests a month, with a 10 % conversion rate and an average gross margin of 25,000 USD per contract, the group wins about 6 extra contracts a year, worth 150,000 USD of margin. Even halving that estimate for caution, the site pays back in well under a year.
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FAQ
Do we have to translate the whole site into Arabic?
Not necessarily. Many groups translate 60 to 70 % of pages (group, capabilities, ESG, contact) and keep technical datasheets in English. That cuts the translation line by 20 to 30 %.
Where should the site be hosted?
A UAE or EU region CDN gives fast loading for both local and European buyers. Hosting costs 80 to 250 USD a month, and the UAE PDPL mainly requires clear consent and processing records.
Is machine translation enough?
As a first draft, yes. Without review by an engineer, technical terms such as tolerances, standards and processes are often wrong. Budget 0.10 to 0.18 USD per word for specialist review.
How long does it take?
Ten to sixteen weeks. Content approval by three subsidiary heads often adds 2 to 3 weeks, so plan for it.
Can you invoice in USD or AED?
Yes, quotes are issued in USD, AED or EUR, with a three-stage payment schedule (40 %, 40 %, 20 %).
Let's scope your project. Tell us how many subsidiaries, which languages and your deadline, and we will price a multilingual site with RTL done properly. 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.
