The verdict in three sentences
A B2B trilingual EN/FR/AR website with full Arabic RTL support costs between 90,000 and 180,000 MAD (roughly 8,500-17,000 EUR) for the MENA market in 2026, technical base and integration of all three languages included. The line item that surprises marketing leaders is RTL: mirroring the layout for Arabic adds 15 to 25% to front-end development — it is not a single CSS attribute. Budget 10 to 14 weeks and professional translation at 0.10-0.16 EUR per word excluding native proofreading.
Cost language by language
A multilingual site is priced as the technical base (one-off) plus the cost of adding each locale. Arabic is always the most expensive language because of RTL and typography.
| Line item | Range MAD | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Technical base + multi-locale CMS | 45,000 - 80,000 | i18n, per-language routing, hreflang |
| English (source) | Base included | Reference content |
| Adding French | 15,000 - 30,000 | Templates + translation + SEO |
| Adding Arabic (RTL) | 25,000 - 50,000 | +15-25% for RTL |
| Pro translation (per language) | 0.10 - 0.16 EUR/word | Native proofing on top |
| Regional SEO (Maghreb + Gulf) | 12,000 - 25,000 | Per-market keywords |
These figures are a 2026 order of magnitude; a large product catalog or documentation base raises translation cost in proportion to word count.
RTL, CMS and SEO: comparing the real challenges
RTL touches everything: navigation, directional icons, tables, forms, carousels. A well-chosen multi-locale CMS (Sanity, Strapi, Contentful) avoids duplicating the site three times.
| Challenge | Naive approach | Pro 2026 approach |
|---|---|---|
| Arabic layout | Partial CSS mirror, bugs | Logical properties + RTL testing |
| Content management | 3 separate sites | 1 multi-locale CMS |
| SEO per market | Single target | hreflang FR, AR, EN, Gulf |
| Maintenance cost | Triple | Shared (~1.3x) |
| Arabic typography | Default font | Optimized Arabic font, readability |
Regional SEO is strategic: targeting French-speaking Maghreb, Arabic readers and the English-speaking Gulf requires distinct keywords and hreflang tagging, otherwise the versions cannibalize each other.
Mini case study
Karim, digital director of an industrial group in Dubai, wants an EN/FR/AR corporate site to reach the Gulf, African export and francophone partners. Chosen quote: 150,000 MAD (base 65,000, FR 22,000, AR 40,000, regional SEO 23,000). Translation: 18,000 words x 3 target languages = ~7,500 EUR. Previously he maintained three separate mini-sites for 48,000 MAD/year. The new shared base drops maintenance to ~22,000 MAD/year, saving 26,000 MAD per year, with Arabic organic traffic doubling within 8 months per the SEO projection.
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FAQ
Why does Arabic cost more?
RTL adds 15 to 25% to the front end because the whole layout must be mirrored, icons and components adapted, and a readable Arabic typography set up.
How much is translation?
Between 0.10 and 0.16 EUR per word for professional translation; a 15,000-word site per language runs 1,500-2,400 EUR per language, plus native proofreading.
Do you need three separate sites?
No: a single multi-locale CMS handles all three languages, cutting maintenance versus three sites (about 1.3x instead of 3x).
How long for a trilingual site?
From 10 to 14 weeks, translation and RTL QA being the items that stretch the schedule.
Can SEO target the Gulf from the Maghreb?
Yes, with per-market hreflang tagging and distinct keywords; budget 12,000 to 25,000 MAD for regional SEO that prevents version cannibalization.
Let's scope your project. Give us your languages, content volume and target markets and we'll price the multilingual base. 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.
