Great question, and one that has a very wide range of answers depending on who you ask. Let me break it down practically based on what I’ve seen while working with various tech vendors in the UAE over the past few years.
For a mid-complexity app think: user authentication, a backend dashboard, in-app notifications, maybe payment integration and a basic CMS you’re looking at roughly AED 35,000 to AED 120,000 if you’re going with a proper local or regionally-based agency. That range exists because design complexity, number of platforms (Android vs iOS vs both), and backend architecture all shift the numbers significantly.
If you go with a freelancer or an offshore team with no local oversight, you might get quotes as low as AED 10,000–15,000. But from what I’ve personally seen, those projects tend to drag, have QA issues, and often miss UAE-specific compliance nuances (like Arabic RTL layout support or UAE data residency preferences).
When comparing quotes, I noticed one company Developer Bazaar Technologies was quite transparent in breaking down what each cost component covered. Whether or not you go with them, that kind of itemized estimate is exactly what you should be demanding from every vendor before signing anything.