Compare UAE free zones. See your published scenario.
Choose your visa count, emirate and budget to compare published 2026 scenarios. Each card shows the selected scenario and a clear grouped estimate; activity eligibility, availability and final authority line items are confirmed in writing after review, before payment.
Formenzo publishes verified scenarios for 9 free zones we actually file: Ajman NuVentures, Fujairah Creative City, SRTIP, SPC, RAKEZ, Masdar, Meydan, IFZA and DMCC. That is not a list of every UAE free zone. Other authorities advertise lower headline licences; we only show zones we can set up and confirm in writing before payment. For the ranking of those 9, see the cheapest published scenarios.
- 9 verified zones
- 0–3 visa scenarios
- No sign-up required
- server-confirmed estimate validity date after review
Find your best price match
9 published first-year estimates
Side-by-side comparison
Published first-year estimates. The visible scenario split groups the zero-visa price and selected residence-visa package; it is not an authority fee schedule. Activity eligibility, availability, renewal price and final line-item quote are confirmed securely before payment. Price dataset verified ; page updated . Method and source data.
Research when you need it
The customer journey stays short. The full ranking, visa matrix, methodology and official sources remain available below.
Full 2026 price ranking All 9 zones
Eight entries use the verified licence-only starting price. DMCC is shown using its published package starting price because an equivalent zero-visa tier is not available in the dataset.
| Rank | Free zone | Emirate | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ajman NuVentures Centre | Ajman | AED 4,888 |
| 2 | Fujairah Creative City | Fujairah | AED 4,900 |
| 3 | SRTIP | Sharjah | AED 5,500 |
| 4 | SPC Free Zone | Sharjah | AED 5,750 |
| 5 | RAKEZ | Ras Al Khaimah | AED 6,000 |
| 6 | Masdar City Free Zone | Abu Dhabi | AED 7,000 |
| 7 | Meydan Free Zone | Dubai | AED 12,500 |
| 8 | IFZA | Dubai | AED 12,900 |
| 9 | DMCC | Dubai | AED 35,484 package |
Price by residence-visa count 0–3 visas
These are indicative first-year totals from the published dataset. A dash means the package requires an individual visa quote.
| Free zone | 0 visas | 1 visa | 2 visas | 3 visas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajman NuVentures | 4,888 | 10,800 | 16,200 | 20,700 |
| Fujairah Creative City | 4,900 | 12,500 | 17,580 | 23,100 |
| SRTIP | 5,500 | 12,500 | 17,795 | 26,035 |
| SPC Free Zone | 5,750 | 13,165 | 17,660 | 22,155 |
| RAKEZ | 6,000 | 14,000 | 18,000 | 22,000 |
| Masdar City | 7,000 | 17,500 | 23,900 | 42,750 |
| Meydan | 12,500 | 24,450 | 34,400 | 44,350 |
| IFZA | 12,900 | 17,615 | 24,080 | 30,545 |
| DMCC | 35,484 | Quote | Quote | Quote |
Free zone or mainland? Quick decision guide
A free-zone company is commonly the lower-cost starting option for online, consulting and international trading activities. Mainland may be a better fit when an activity requires direct operation in the local UAE market.
- Free zone: packages in this comparison start at AED 4,888; flexi-desk options are often available.
- Mainland: broader direct local-market access; office and approval requirements depend on the activity.
- Both: allow 100% foreign ownership for many activities, subject to current rules and approvals.
Methodology and official sources Open data
Each displayed estimate combines the free-zone licence or authority charge, Formenzo setup service and the selected visa block where a verified tier exists. The card split shows the published zero-visa amount and the selected scenario uplift; it is not an authority fee schedule. Activity eligibility, package availability, renewal cost and the final line-item quote are confirmed securely before payment.
Price dataset verified . Page updated .
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How to cite this index: Formenzo (2026). Formenzo UAE Free Zone Price Index 2026 — licence-only and all-in prices for nine UAE free zones. https://formenzo.com/uae-free-zone-cost-index-2026.html. Price data verified 27 June 2026. Licence CC BY 4.0 — quote any figure as a published scenario for the stated visa count, give the date, and link this page.
Primary references: UAE Government Portal, Ministry of Economy, DMCC, IFZA, Meydan, RAKEZ, SPC, SRTIP, Masdar City and Fujairah Creative City.
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Other UAE free zones we do not file
Reference profiles for zones outside the nine above. These carry no price — we publish a price only for a zone we can set up and confirm in writing before payment.
- JAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone) — customs-bonded trade, industry and logistics beside Jebel Ali Port
- DAFZ (Dubai Airport Freezone) — air-cargo-adjacent trade and services beside DXB
- KEZAD (Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi) — industrial and logistics land at Khalifa Port
- ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market) — common-law financial centre, dedicated office required
- Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) — integrated technology park, Dtec startup campus
- twofour54 (Abu Dhabi) — media and creative zone, freelancer permits
- Innovation City (Ras Al Khaimah) — commercial free zone, formerly RAK DAO