Prices below are each free zone's published starting package, as shown on our free zone pages and reviewed in October 2026. Free zones change fees and run first-year promotions, so confirm the current price and the renewal price in writing before you pay. They exclude visa processing costs unless stated.
The short answer
- Cheapest licence with no visa: Sharjah Publishing City from AED 4,999 (e-publishing activities, government fees extra), then SRTIP from AED 5,500, SHAMS from AED 5,750, and Ajman Free Zone and RAKEZ from AED 6,000.
- Cheapest with one visa: Sharjah Publishing City from AED 6,875 plus government fees, then Ajman Free Zone from AED 10,800, SHAMS (AED 13,420), SRTIP (AED 13,990) and RAKEZ (AED 14,000).
- Cheapest Dubai free zone with one visa: DUQE from AED 14,250, Meydan from AED 14,350 and IFZA from AED 14,900.
- Cheapest is not always cheapest overall. Activity limits, visa quotas, renewal fees and whether banks are comfortable with the zone all change the real cost.
Under AED 6,000: the lowest licence prices in the UAE
- SPC — Sharjah Publishing City (Sharjah): AED 4,999. With one visa: AED 6,875 + government fees. E-Publishing licence · flexi-desk · government fees extra.
- SRTIP — Sharjah Research Technology & Innovation Park (Sharjah): AED 5,500. With one visa: AED 13,990. Zero-visa package · 5 activities.
- SHAMS — Sharjah Media City (Sharjah): AED 5,750. With one visa: AED 13,420. Zero-visa package · 1 activity included.
- AFZ — Ajman Free Zone (Ajman): AED 6,000. With one visa: AED 10,800. Zero-visa package · NuVenture plan.
- RAKEZ — Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (Ras Al Khaimah): AED 6,000. With one visa: AED 14,000. Biz Starter · up to 10 activities · no visa.
Three of these five are in Sharjah. For a closer look at each, see our Sharjah free zones guide.
Two other low headline prices are not like-for-like packages:
- JAFZA — Jebel Ali Free Zone (Dubai): AED 5,000. With one visa: AED 5,000 + premises and visa fees. Service licence fee · premises and visas extra.
- DIFC — Dubai International Financial Centre (Dubai): USD 1,500/yr (innovation). With one visa: Varies by licence type. Innovation licence for eligible tech and innovation companies; workspace extra.
AED 12,000 to 13,000: the cheapest Dubai packages
- DSO — Dubai Silicon Oasis (Dubai): AED 12,000. With one visa: AED 15,750. Service licence · 2 visas included.
- DWTC — Dubai World Trade Centre Free Zone (Dubai): From ~AED 12,000 (quoted). With one visa: Price on request. Licence · DWTC quotes packages on request.
- DUQE — DUQE Free Zone (Dubai): AED 12,500. With one visa: AED 14,250. Zero-visa package · 3 activities · lease.
- MFZ — Meydan Free Zone (Dubai): AED 12,500. With one visa: AED 14,350. Zero-visa package · 3 activities included.
- IFZA — International Free Zone Authority (Dubai): AED 12,900. With one visa: AED 14,900. Zero-visa package · 3 activities included.
AED 15,000 per activity segment: the TECOM zones
Dubai Internet City, Media City, Knowledge Park, Science Park, Production City, Academic City and Dubai Design District price the licence per activity segment, with registration and workspace on top. They suit companies that want a sector-specific Dubai address.
- DIC — Dubai Internet City (Dubai): AED 15,000. With one visa: AED 15,000 + registration and workspace. Licence per activity segment · registration and workspace extra.
- DMC — Dubai Media City (Dubai): AED 15,000. With one visa: AED 15,000 + registration and workspace. Licence per activity segment · registration and workspace extra.
- DKP — Dubai Knowledge Park (Dubai): AED 15,000. With one visa: AED 15,000 + registration and workspace. Licence per activity segment · registration and workspace extra.
- DSP — Dubai Science Park (Dubai): AED 15,000. With one visa: AED 15,000 + registration and workspace. Licence per activity segment · registration and workspace extra.
- DPC — Dubai Production City (Dubai): AED 15,000. With one visa: AED 15,000 + registration and workspace. Licence per activity segment · registration and workspace extra.
- DIAC — Dubai International Academic City (Dubai): AED 15,000. With one visa: AED 15,000 + registration and workspace. Licence per activity segment · registration and workspace extra.
- d3 — Dubai Design District (Dubai): AED 15,000. With one visa: AED 15,000 + registration and workspace. Licence per activity segment · registration and workspace extra.
Premium and quoted zones
- DCC — Dubai CommerCity (Dubai): From ~AED 22,000 (quoted). With one visa: Price on request. Smart desk package · DCC does not publish fees.
- DMCC — Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (Dubai): AED 35,484. With one visa: AED 35,484 + visa fees. Basic Biz package · flexi desk · 1 visa eligibility.
- DAFZA — Dubai Airport Free Zone (Dubai): Price on request. With one visa: Price on request. Quoted by office tier · DAFZA does not publish fees.
What the package price does not include
- Visa processing: entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID and health insurance for each visa. With CorpWise, residence visas start from AED 3,800.
- Office or desk upgrades: in most zones your visa quota depends on your workspace, so more visas can mean a bigger desk or office.
- Extra activities: some packages include one to five activities; adding more can cost extra.
- Renewal: the licence renews every year. Ask for the renewal price, because first-year promotions do not always carry over.
- Corporate tax compliance: every UAE company must register for corporate tax. Free zone companies claiming the 0% rate on qualifying income must keep audited financial statements.
How to choose without overpaying
- Check your activity is allowed in the zone. The cheapest zone is no use if it cannot license what you do.
- Decide how many visas you need in the next two years. A zero-visa package is cheapest only if you never need one.
- Decide whether you need a Dubai address. Sharjah, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah are cheaper; Dubai zones cost more but some clients and banks prefer them.
- Compare year-one and renewal costs together, not just the headline.
- Check which company type the zone issues. See FZE vs FZCO vs FZ-LLC.
For a side-by-side of features rather than price, see our free zone comparison. For the full first-year budget including mainland, see how much it costs to set up a company in Dubai.
How CorpWise helps
We compare the zones that fit your activity and visa needs, quote year-one and renewal costs before you commit, and handle the licence, visa, Emirates ID and bank account. CorpWise free zone setup starts from AED 12,500. Get a quote.
