Almost always, yes, but the real trade-off isn't just salary — it's commitment level. A full-time CMO in the GCC comes with a full-time salary, benefits, and equity expectations, whether or not the business has enough strategic marketing work to fill five days a week. A fractional CMO scales the time commitment to the actual need.
The honest comparison isn't cost per month, it's cost per unit of strategic decision-making the business actually requires at its current stage. Early-stage and mid-market companies commonly find they need the judgment more than the full-time presence.