Targeting the Middle East region in this context (UAE), food delivery app development costs have been varying over the years due to (1) maturing market, (2) increased complexity, and (3) rising demand. While development costs keep varying across the region, demand has remained high.
Abu Dhabi is one of the best countries to outsource app development, as apps can generate a return on investment if they address market saturation and operational challenges effectively.
How much does a food delivery app cost across platforms, demands, markets, features, functionalities, and budget?
The cost to create a food delivery app MVP is relatively low. To compete with established giants like Talabat and Deliveroo, new apps now require sophisticated, feature-rich platforms. Factors affecting food delivery app cost breakdown 2025 has pushed the average app development cost significantly higher.
Cost differences by city and region
Hidden costs of food delivery app development vary widely across the Middle East due to differences in labor rates, market maturity, and required features. The UAE, especially Dubai and Abu Dhabi, generally has higher costs than other Middle Eastern markets.
Cost variations are driven by
This market is projected to be over $1.35 billion in 2025, growing at a steady rate. Forecasts predict millions of users in the region by 2030.
- Offshore food app development rates are lower than what local developers in the UAE charge on an hourly basis ($100–$200/hour).
- The Dubai market demands AI, multi-language support (Arabic), and user interface and AR experience design.
- Local payment gateway integration cost amplifies the cost of food delivery and ordering apps.
Filling the demand-supply gap
How much does a Zomato clone app cost? Opportunities still exist for new entrants to target niche markets or regions. Ways in which food delivery apps fill this gap:
- Target specific cuisines, healthier options, or a premium service for a particular demographic.
- Apps like Dubai-centric EatEasy have found success by concentrating on local market needs.
- AI for recommendations, predictive analytics for cloud kitchens, and drone delivery are emerging trends that can differentiate a new service.
Let’s figure out how they gain
Generating food delivery app ROI in this saturated market is challenging due to high competition, high customer acquisition costs, and logistical complexities. When developing a food delivery app in the Middle East, cost is determined by factors like app complexity, design, features, and the development team’s location. Market trends show a rise in AI, cloud kitchens, and a demand for localized, speedy service, while the cost to develop an app like DoorDash is a mix of fixed and variable expenses. The primary target audiences are young, urban professionals and the large expatriate population. Success depends on a robust business model that addresses these challenges.
Strategies to implement:
- Offer subscription plans to incentivize frequent use and build customer loyalty (Subscription models)
- Optimize food delivery app maintenance cost and meet demand by partnering with cloud kitchens (Cloud kitchen partnerships)
- Use targeted ads, referral programs, and promotions to acquire and retain customers (Strategic marketing)
- Use smart routing to determine real-time tracking features and Payment gateway integration cost (Efficient logistics)
- Diversify revenue beyond commissions by charging delivery fees (including surge pricing), offering premium restaurant placements, and providing data insights (Monetization strategies)
Factors influencing cost
The food delivery app development price is not uniform and can vary widely, with development costs in the Middle East typically starting at around $20,000 for a basic product and rising significantly for more complex versions.
Food delivery app development cost analysis should be done on basis of:
- The cost of an app with AI-powered food recommendations will be more than a simple app with basic functions like ordering and payments (App complexity and feature set)
- A premium, customized design curated for cultural nuances (like right-to-left interfaces) costs more than a simple, minimalist one (Design and user experience (UI/UX))
- Hiring local developers in the UAE can be more expensive ($100–$200/hour) than outsourcing to regions like India ($20–$50/hour) (Development team’s location)
- Native iOS and Android food app cost is more expensive than Cross-platform food delivery app cost which makes use of frameworks like Flutter or React Native.
- Using external services for payment gateways, maps, analytics, and messaging adds to the total development cost through licensing and integration fees (Third-party integrations)
- The complexity of the backend is critical for handling data, secure payments, and scalability, with systems costing more to build (Backend infrastructure)
- Adhering to regional data protection laws, like Saudi Arabia’s PDPL or the UAE’s Dubai Data Law, and food safety regulations adds to development and legal costs (Regulatory compliance)
- Allocating a budget for app store optimization, social media ads, and promotions is necessary to attract users and is a separate cost (Marketing and launch strategy)
What do you think is driving the current market dynamics?
If we consider the cost of developing an app like Uber Eats in 2025, or even the year after, in the Middle Region, it seems to be largely influenced by how consumers behave and the rapid adoption of new technologies. AI is making platforms more efficient and improving the overall customer journey. Then there’s a shift in consumer priorities. Companies rethink packaging and delivery practices to make them more sustainable. To strengthen customer retention, many platforms are offering subscription plans that bring perks like free delivery, keeping users engaged over the long haul.
Target audience
The typical target audience in the Middle East food delivery market consists of:
- Young professionals and students
- Expatriate population
- High-income and tech-savvy consumers
- Families and dual-income households
- Corporate clients
Cost (Fixed or variable)?
Recent guidelines in Dubai mandate transparency in commission structures, require optional advertising fees, and restrict platforms from prioritizing their own services. A proposed solution to inefficiencies involves a new contract that splits delivery costs and fees, aiming to lower rates for everyone and boost profits for both platforms and restaurants. The total cost of a food delivery app is a combination of both fixed and variable expenses.
The cost to conceptualize, design (UI/UX), and code the app is a major upfront investment (Development and design), infrastructure setup, legal fees for compliance, and initial licensing costs (Initial setup) is fixed.
But, the cost of regular bug fixes, security patches, and feature enhancements are required and often cost 15%–20% of the initial annual development cost (Maintenance and updates), services like mapping and payment gateways charge based on usage or subscription, which varies with order volume (Third-party API charges), ongoing marketing and user acquisition campaigns (Marketing), are variable.
Consider These as Well: Dubai’s New Guidelines (September 2025)
- Platforms must clearly disclose their commission structures and any associated promotional fees.
- Platforms cannot prioritize their own services and must give restaurants access to non-personal customer data like order history.
- Restaurants can terminate contracts by giving 30 days’ notice if they disagree with the platform’s terms.
- Advertising and promotional fees must be optional for restaurants and clearly disclosed.
Is a food delivery business profitable in 2025?
While precise historical development costs are difficult to track, the market has seen a consistent rise in complexity, which increases costs.
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