"How much does a website cost?" is the first question almost every client asks me. It is a fair question, but there is no honest one-number answer. A one-page site for a new café and a multilingual property portal with hundreds of listings are both "websites", yet they are completely different projects.
I am a web designer and WordPress developer based in Famagusta, North Cyprus. Here is the breakdown I walk clients through, so they understand what they are paying for and can compare quotes fairly. If you are a developer, it may also help you explain your own pricing.
Why a website has no fixed price
A website is closer to a tailored suit than a product on a shelf. One business wants phone calls, another wants online bookings, a third needs four languages for international buyers. The price follows the work, so the clearer the goals, the clearer the quote.
The 8 factors that shape the cost
1. Pages and sections. A focused business site usually needs a home page, an about page, one page per main service and a contact page. Every extra page adds design, content and testing time. Start with what customers really need; add the rest later.
2. Theme or custom design. A good WordPress theme adapted to the brand is the fastest route to a professional look. A fully custom design takes longer, but pays off in crowded markets like real estate or hospitality.
3. Languages. In North Cyprus, many businesses serve customers in English, Turkish, German, Russian or Persian. Every language means translated pages, menus and forms, and right-to-left languages need their own layout checks.
4. Features and integrations. A contact form or WhatsApp button is simple. Booking, property search filters, an online shop, payments or a CRM connection need more planning and testing. Split the list into "day one" and "later".
5. Content. Ready text and photos make a project move faster. If they need writing, translating or photographing, that belongs in the plan, because content is what turns visitors into enquiries.
6. Speed and SEO setup. Titles, structured data, a sitemap, Search Console and performance work decide whether anyone finds the site and whether it opens quickly on a phone. I treat this as part of the build, not an extra.
7. Hosting, domain and email. Small yearly costs, but quality matters. Cheap, slow hosting can undo all the work that went into the design.
8. Care after launch. WordPress core, plugins and content need regular updates and backups. A simple care plan keeps the site secure and makes small changes easy.
One-off costs vs yearly costs
I always split the budget in two:
- One-off: planning, design, build, content and launch
- Yearly: domain, hosting, email and care
Knowing both from the start means no surprises, and it makes quotes from different people easy to compare.
How to get an accurate quote
Before the first call, prepare:
- What the site should achieve: calls, messages, bookings, sales or trust
- A rough list of pages and languages
- Two or three websites you like, and why
- Features needed now vs later
- Your ideal launch date
Keeping the budget under control
- Launch the core first, then add pages in a second phase
- Choose a platform you can edit yourself (WordPress + Elementor), so small text and price changes cost nothing
- Reuse what works: good photos, texts and logos can often be refreshed instead of recreated
- Redesign instead of rebuilding when the current structure is sound
FAQ
Is a cheap website a bad idea?
Not necessarily. A simple site is a great start if it is fast, works on phones and is set up for Google. The expensive mistake is a site that looks fine but never brings in enquiries.
Do I pay every year?
The design and build are paid once. Domain, hosting, email and care are the yearly costs that keep the site online, fast and secure.
Can I add languages or features later?
Yes. A WordPress site on a clean structure can grow with the business, so languages, booking or a shop can come when you are ready.
Originally published on ehsanabedi.com. Planning a website or a Flutter app in North Cyprus? See my web design services.
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