SRTIP or Masdar City Free Zone — which is cheaper with 1 visa in 2026?
With 1 residence visa in 2026, SRTIP is the cheaper choice at AED 12,500 all-in, versus AED 17,500 for Masdar City Free Zone. Source: Formenzo UAE Free Zone Price Index 2026 (price data verified 27 June 2026).
| Zone · licence + 1 visa | Published scenario |
|---|---|
| SRTIP (Sharjah) | AED 12,500 |
| Masdar City Free Zone (Abu Dhabi) | AED 17,500 |
What sits behind the AED 5,000 gap
Package contents are identical — licence, government fees, setup service and one full visa block — so the difference is emirate and positioning. SRTIP prices a one-visa company at Sharjah levels, AED 12,500, while Masdar City's AED 17,500 carries the premium of an Abu Dhabi address inside a sustainability-focused district. The distance widens with headcount: AED 17,795 against AED 23,900 at two visas, and AED 26,035 against AED 42,750 at three.
Who picks which zone
SRTIP attracts engineering consultancies, hardware and prototyping start-ups, and technology-services firms that want a research-park licence at low cost — it is also where Formenzo itself is licensed. Masdar City draws renewable-energy consultants, ESG advisers and cleantech companies whose counterparties expect an Abu Dhabi footprint.
Two things founders ask
Can I live in Dubai with a visa from either zone? Yes. Both issue standard UAE residence visas valid nationwide; where the company is licensed does not restrict where you rent or live.
Does Masdar's higher price include anything extra? No — the scope of the two packages compared here is the same. The AED 5,000 buys location and cluster, not additional services or visa capacity.
Source: Formenzo’s published 2026 scenario dataset (CC-BY 4.0) · scenarios compare the selected licence and visa count. Final authority line items, eligibility and availability are confirmed in writing after review — before payment. Compare all 9 zones.
- SRTIP or SPC Free Zone — which is cheaper with 1 visa in 2026?
- SRTIP or RAKEZ — which is cheaper with 1 visa in 2026?
- SRTIP or Meydan Free Zone — which is cheaper with 1 visa in 2026?
- SRTIP or IFZA — which is cheaper with 1 visa in 2026?
- SPC Free Zone or Masdar City Free Zone — which is cheaper with 1 visa in 2026?
- RAKEZ or Masdar City Free Zone — which is cheaper with 1 visa in 2026?