What SEO actually costs, city by city
The same work gets quoted at wildly different prices depending on where you are. We pull the published rates from agencies in each city, put them side by side, and explain what each price tier genuinely buys. No sales calls required to find out what things cost.
The short answer
Across most developed markets, published SEO prices land between $300 and $8,000 per month. Single-location local businesses typically pay $800 to $2,500. Competitive verticals such as dental, legal, cosmetic healthcare and premium home services usually sit between $1,500 and $4,000.
City matters less than most agencies imply. What genuinely moves your number is how competitive your vertical is, what condition your site is in, and how many locations you serve.
Why the same work costs more in some cities
Agencies price against local competition rather than against the work itself. A technical audit takes the same hours in Phoenix as it does in Manchester. What changes is how hard it is to outrank everyone else, and that is driven by a few things:
- Competition density. Wealthy metros attract more agencies chasing the same businesses, so more effort is needed to win the same position.
- Local income levels. Where customers have more money, businesses can pay more for them, and prices rise to match.
- Paid click prices. Expensive Google Ads terms signal valuable traffic, and organic competition follows the same pattern.
- The local business mix. A city full of law firms, med spas and private healthcare has a higher ceiling than one dominated by light industry.
- What the market will bear. Not every part of the gap is justified. Some of it is simply what local firms have found they can charge.
That last point is worth sitting with. When you see a quote well above these bands, the useful question is not whether the city is expensive. It is what is being delivered each month, and how much of your fee is funding an office and an account manager rather than the actual work.
City guides
Each guide compares the published rates of real agencies serving that city, breaks down what every price tier delivers, and gives you the local market context behind the numbers.
Scottsdale, Arizona
$299 to $8,000+ per monthSeven agencies compared. High household income and a dense med spa, dental and legal market push prices above the Arizona average.
Naples, Florida
$399 to $5,000+ per monthFive providers compared, plus the season timing question. Extreme wealth concentration and demand compressed into October to April change both what you pay and when you should start.
What every city guide has in common
Wherever you are, the same four price tiers show up. Only the boundaries move.
| Tier | Typical range | What you are actually buying |
|---|---|---|
| Productized | $300 to $800/mo | A fixed checklist run at volume. Little custom strategy, thin or automated content |
| Real local SEO | $800 to $1,500/mo | Proper technical work, Google Business Profile management, content written for your business |
| Competitive vertical | $1,500 to $4,000/mo | Ongoing original content, digital PR and links, conversion work, AI answer optimisation |
| Multi-location | $4,000 to $8,000+/mo | Several locations or large catalogues. Cost scales with footprint |
If a quote sits outside these bands in either direction, ask what changes at that price. A number on its own tells you nothing.
Our prices do not change with your postcode
Here is the thing the city-by-city comparison makes obvious. If the work is the same, why should a business in Scottsdale pay more than one in Sheffield for it?
They should not, and with us they do not. These are our prices everywhere, published, no sales call needed to hear them:
| What | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free site check | $0 | Rough snapshot of where you stand. Still in development, not a full crawl |
| Full SEO audit | $295 / $475 / $850 | One-time, priced by site size. Under 30 pages, 30 to 60, then 60 plus |
| Monthly retainer | $900 / $1,500 / $2,500 | Matched to how competitive your market is. No contract, cancel any month |
| WordPress build | From $1,700 | One-time. You own everything, credentials and hosting included |
Our $1,500 growth retainer sits where agencies in expensive metros list their entry tier. That gap is not us being cheap, it is us not charging you for a sales team, an account manager and an office you will never visit.
And unlike every agency in those city tables, you can buy the diagnosis on its own. Pay $295 once, get the full picture, and walk away if that is all you needed.
Start with what is actually wrong
Run the free checker for a quick read on broken links, missing schema, thin pages and AI visibility gaps. No email needed for the critical findings, no sales call, no obligation.
Common questions
How much should I pay for SEO?
Most single-location businesses land between $800 and $2,500 per month. Competitive verticals sit between $1,500 and $4,000. Before committing to any of it, get a diagnosis so you know what actually needs doing.
Do I need an agency in my own city?
For the technical and content work, no. Where a site is optimised from does not affect how it ranks. Local presence matters if you want in-person meetings, or for Google Business Profile work where physical verification and local reputation come into play.
Why do agencies hide their pricing?
Usually so the number can be set after they have gauged your budget. That is not always sinister, scope genuinely varies, but published pricing tells you a provider is comfortable being compared.
Is there a contract?
Not with us. Retainers run month to month with no minimum term and no auto-renewing lock-in. You stay while the work is working.
Want your city covered?
We research and write each guide individually. Tell us where you are and we will put it next in the queue, or just ask us directly what SEO should cost in your market.