The cost of building an AR-based mobile app ranges from HK$200,000 to $5 million, according to Chiu. An app supported by AR browser technology like Discover Hong Kong City Walk-- built for the Hong Kong Tourism Board--costs about HK$200,000 while a complex betting app for the Hong Kong Jockey Club costs HK$2 million, he said.

According to De Passorio, AR browser technology that only allows you to overlay information onto the screen is inexpensive and easy to do, but AR vision that allows you to point your camera to recognize visuals is more costly. De Passorio pointed out that the entry cost of AR vision-based apps must drop to around HK$ 100,000 before they become widely adopted on not just mobile platforms but also on the Web and other environments like information kiosks.