“What does social media marketing cost?” is the first question every founder asks us — and most agencies dodge it. After 63+ active retainers across Pune, Mumbai and Dubai, here’s an honest breakdown of what agencies actually charge in 2026, and what you should expect at each level.
The three pricing tiers you’ll encounter
1. Freelancer / solo manager (₹8,000–25,000 per month · AED 1,000–2,500)
One person handling posting and basic design. Works for very small businesses, but expect limits: no shoots, no strategy reviews, and everything stops when they’re on holiday.
2. Boutique agency (₹25,000–75,000 per month · AED 3,000–8,000)
This is where most growing brands should be. A proper team — strategist, editor, designer, account manager — with monthly content calendars, reels production, and reporting. At Media Kingdoms, most clients start in this range with a 3-month commitment, because the first 90 days is where the compounding starts.
3. Full-service / enterprise (₹1,00,000+ per month · AED 10,000+)
Multi-platform management, paid ads with dedicated budgets, video production teams, and weekly strategy calls. Right for funded startups and established brands with aggressive targets.
What actually determines your price
- Content volume: 12 posts/month vs daily reels are different worlds
- Shoots: planned shoot days (our approach: one shoot day = 15–20 reels) beat ad-hoc filming on both cost and quality
- Platforms: each additional platform adds management time, not just reposting
- Ads budget: management fees typically add 10–20% of ad spend
The real question: cost vs return
A ₹40,000/month retainer that brings two clients worth ₹50,000 each has paid for itself twice. That’s why we tie every plan to enquiries, not vanity metrics — and why 98% of our clients stay.
Want an exact quote for your brand? Get a free consultation — or see what’s included in our services for Pune, Mumbai and Dubai.