Guide · updated 16.10.2026 · 10 min read · Lucent Legal team

UAE company setup cost calculator: Dubai and other free zones

Key points

  • The calculator uses prices from official zone websites, checked on 16 October 2026.
  • Cheapest licence without a visa: Fujairah Creative City AED 3,999, UAQ AED 5,500, SPC from AED 5,750.
  • With one visa: KEZAD AED 9,450, Fujairah Creative City AED 9,999, SPC from AED 10,245.
  • In Dubai: JAFZA AED 5,000 for the licence without the lease, Meydan from AED 18,500 with a visa, DMCC AED 43,780.
  • IFZA and DAFZA publish no prices. Ajman Free Zone prices only its e-commerce licence.
  • We give no mainland figure: the sum depends on the activity and the Ejari office.

What a UAE company costs depends on three things: the zone, the number of visas and the office. Pick them and the calculator builds a first-year estimate from the prices zones publish themselves. Where a zone names no price, we say so: "on request".

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First year, from

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    Government fees and zone packages only. Our fee is separate, quoted after we review your case.

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    Health insurance, renewal and agent services are not in the estimate. Zones change prices without notice: check the amount on the zone's site before you pay.

    How to read the estimate

    The estimate is the floor for year one. A line with an amount is a price the zone has published. A line marked "on request" is a payment you will make, but the zone does not name it.

    Three payments are most often missing from headline prices. First, the establishment card and e-channel: no visa without them. Second, the medical test and Emirates ID, unless the visa price includes them. Third, health insurance for each visa holder.

    Published visa prices usually cover the owner's visa. SPC and Meydan price only the first visa. RAKEZ publishes a price for up to three extra visas, AED 4,000 each. KEZAD and Fujairah Creative City don't say whether visa issuance is in the package. The calculator marks the other visas "on request".

    Why there is no mainland figure

    A Dubai mainland licence comes from DET. Its cost is the fees for your activity code, an Ejari-registered lease, MOA attestation and visa fees. There is no ready package.

    An average figure would mislead you here. Trading and consulting differ in both fees and premises rules. We cover the choice in free zone vs mainland. The mainland registration steps are in how to open a company in the UAE.

    How to compare zones

    Compare the whole first year: licence, establishment card, visas, insurance. Then the second year, since you renew every year. RAKEZ promises the same renewal price for the SME package. DMCC renews the flexi-desk package with a visa at AED 35,564 a year.

    A cheap zone in the northern emirates fits when clients are abroad and the team is one or two people. A Dubai zone costs more, but banks know it better. Dubai free zone companies can get a DET permit to work with the mainland. The full price table is in cheapest free zone in the UAE.

    A DIFC or ADGM SPV is a separate case. It is a company for holding assets: no staff, no office, no visas. It does not suit trading or services.

    FAQ

    How much does it cost to set up a company in Dubai in 2026?

    By published Dubai zone prices: JAFZA charges AED 5,000 for the licence, with the office lease extra. Meydan starts from AED 12,500 without a visa and from AED 18,500 with a visa and establishment card. DMCC is AED 35,484 without a visa and AED 43,780 with one. IFZA and DAFZA publish no prices.

    What is the cheapest company setup in the UAE?

    The lowest published licence price without a visa on 16.10.2026 is Fujairah Creative City, AED 3,999 for the Media Package. Next come UAQ at AED 5,500 and SPC from AED 5,750. A DIFC SPV costs about AED 4,040, but it only suits a holding.

    How much is a UAE company with a visa?

    KEZAD charges AED 9,450 with one visa, Fujairah Creative City AED 9,999. Neither says whether visa issuance is included. SPC starts from AED 10,245: licence plus owner visa with the medical test and Emirates ID. UAQ START is AED 12,500 with insurance.

    Does the estimate include a lawyer's fee?

    No. The calculator shows zone packages and government fees only. We quote our fee separately, after reviewing your structure.

    Why doesn't the calculator price mainland?

    A mainland licence has no fixed package. The cost depends on the activity code, the Ejari office and the number of visas. An exact estimate needs a calculation for your activity.

    How accurate are the figures?

    These are zone website prices as of 16 October 2026. Zones change them without notice, and offers run on the zone's terms. Check the amount on the zone's site via the link under the estimate before you pay.

    Sources

    This guide is for information only and is not legal advice. Prices come from official zone websites as of 16 October 2026 and can change; USD amounts are converted at 3.6725 AED. Lucent Legal helps you choose a free zone or mainland for your business model and check the full budget before you pay.

    Related: open a company in Dubai step by step, free zone vs mainland, cheapest free zone in the UAE, business and companies in the UAE.

    Topic: Doing Business in the UAE

    Get a lawyer's help: Company formation in the UAE

    This material is for information only and is not legal advice. UAE law changes — a lawyer will assess how it applies to your situation.