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Last reviewed: August 2026 · prices in USD · every figure computed from the cost-guide pricing engine
Every figure on this page comes straight from the pricing engine behind the Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) cost guide — seed ranges synthesized from published market pricing, drifted within ±8% by a monthly refresh. No survey numbers, no third-party stats.
Only 1 of 15 metros prices at the national baseline. New York sits furthest ahead, with an 18% premium that pushes the top of the SMB range from $2,450 to $2,850 a month.
| Benchmark | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| SMB sweet spot | $975–$2,450/mo | Managed service, typical small business |
| DIY floor | $300/mo | Cheapest self-serve entry point |
| Top published tier | $9,800–$24,500/mo | Enterprise |
| Metro premium ceiling | +18% | New York: SMB range $1,150–$2,850/mo |
| Tier | Typical range | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| DIY tooling + monitoring | $300–$1,950/mo | Citation tracking and schema tools, self-managed |
| SMB retainer | $975–$2,450/mo | Schema, direct-answer content, citation tracking done for you |
| Mid-market | $1,950–$7,900/mo | Broader query sets, more engines, content velocity |
| Enterprise | $9,800–$24,500/mo | Brand-wide AI-answer presence programs |
| One-time AEO audit | $250–$2,950 one-time | Where you stand across ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews |
| Metro | Modifier | SMB range |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | +18% | $1,150–$2,850/mo |
| San Francisco, CA | +17% | $1,150–$2,800/mo |
| Seattle, WA | +13% | $1,100–$2,750/mo |
| Washington, DC, DC | +12% | $1,100–$2,700/mo |
| Boston, MA | +11% | $1,100–$2,700/mo |
| Los Angeles, CA | +9% | $1,050–$2,650/mo |
| Miami, FL | +8% | $1,050–$2,600/mo |
| Atlanta, GA | +6% | $1,050–$2,600/mo |
| Chicago, IL | +6% | $1,050–$2,600/mo |
| Denver, CO | +6% | $1,050–$2,600/mo |
| Austin, TX | +4% | $1,000–$2,550/mo |
| Dallas, TX | +4% | $1,000–$2,550/mo |
| Phoenix, AZ | +4% | $1,000–$2,550/mo |
| Charlotte, NC | +3% | $1,000–$2,500/mo |
| Houston, TX | baseline (0%) | $975–$2,450/mo |
Methodology: ranges are synthesized from published 2026 market pricing across vendors, agencies, and platforms, reviewed and refreshed monthly (last refresh: August 2026). Metro figures apply a cost-of-doing-business index (built from 2026 local cost-of-living and labor data) that we scale per price tier: self-serve tools are priced nationally and barely move between cities, while managed and enterprise work — which is delivered by local labor — carries the full local premium. That is why the same city shifts a done-for-you retainer far more than a DIY subscription. Prices are in USD and describe typical market rates, not quotes; a real quote for your business takes minutes through a verified provider on the hashtag.org network.