I get this question at least twice a week. Usually in my DMs, sometimes in coffee shops, occasionally at family reunions from tito who just started a sari-sari store and suddenly “needs a website.” The honest answer? It depends. But I know that is not what you want to hear. So let me break down the actual numbers based on projects I have quoted and delivered in the last twelve months.
The “Just Need a Brochure Site” Tier: ₱15,000 – ₱40,000
This is a simple business website. Five to eight pages. Home, About, Services, Contact, maybe a blog. Usually built on a premium template with customization. Takes about one to two weeks. I have done these for dentists, law offices, construction companies, and consultants.
What you get: a clean, mobile-friendly site that looks professional and tells people how to reach you. What you do not get: custom animations, unique functionality, or anything that requires writing original code.
The “We Need This to Actually Work” Tier: ₱50,000 – ₱120,000
Now we are talking functionality. E-commerce with WooCommerce. Membership areas. Booking systems. Multi-language support. Integration with Philippine payment gateways (GCash, PayMaya, bank transfers). Custom forms that feed into a CRM.
I recently built a booking site for a salon chain in Cebu at this tier. Online reservations, SMS confirmations, staff management dashboard, GCash integration. Took about a month. The owner said it paid for itself in three weeks from reduced no-shows alone.
The “We Are Building a Platform” Tier: ₱150,000 – ₱500,000+
This is full custom development. Bespoke design system. Custom Gutenberg blocks. API integrations. Complex user roles and permissions. Scalable architecture that can handle serious traffic. Usually three to six months of work.
I am currently working on a platform for a real estate developer at this tier — custom property search with map integration, agent dashboards, lead scoring, automated email sequences. It is not a website anymore. It is a business tool.
Ongoing Costs Nobody Talks About
Hosting: Shared hosting (₱200–₱800/month) is fine for brochure sites. Once you have traffic or e-commerce, budget ₱2,000–₱8,000/month for managed WordPress hosting.
Maintenance: Updates, backups, security monitoring, content changes. I charge ₱5,000–₱15,000/month depending on site complexity. Some developers charge less. Some agencies charge ₱30,000+. Ask what is included.
Premium plugins: Elementor Pro, WP Rocket, Rank Math Pro, ACF Pro. These add up. Budget ₱10,000–₱25,000/year in plugin licenses for a functional business site.
Red Flags to Watch For
Too cheap: If someone quotes ₱5,000 for a full website, they are either using a nulled (pirated) theme, skipping mobile optimization, or planning to disappear after delivery. I have cleaned up enough of these disasters to know.
Too expensive: If an agency quotes ₱300,000 for a five-page brochure site, they are either padding the bill or subcontracting to someone who will do it for ₱30,000. Ask where the money goes.
No maintenance-checklist-what-i-do-every-month-for-40-client-sites/”>maintenance plan: A website without maintenance is a car without oil changes. It will run for a while, then it will break at the worst possible moment.
So What Is Fair?
In the Philippines in 2025, a quality WordPress site from an experienced developer costs what it costs everywhere else — because good work takes time, and time has value. The difference is that Philippine developers often deliver better value for the price because our cost of living is lower than the US or Europe.
My advice? Do not shop for the cheapest price. Shop for the developer who asks the right questions, sets clear expectations, and has a portfolio of live sites you can actually visit. Then pay what they ask. Good WordPress developers are not trying to rip you off. They are trying to build something that does not break.