A manager change costs USD 100 at ADGM and AED 1,515 at DMCC. A name change or share transfer is AED 4,515 at DMCC but still USD 100 at ADGM, while Meydan charges one flat AED 2,000 that falls to AED 0 at renewal. This comparison sets three published schedules side by side and prices the downstream filings an amendment drags behind it.
The authority fee is the smallest line on a UAE free zone closure bill. DMCC publishes AED 4,015 for winding up; most zones publish nothing at all. Meanwhile missing the federal Corporate Tax and VAT deregistration deadlines stacks to AED 20,000 in penalties. This comparison separates published tariffs from indicative market quotes.
Downgrading from a private office to a flexi desk cuts rent but carries exit charges, amendment fees and a visa quota consequence. Here is what the switch really costs, and when to time it.
Most UAE free zone ‘deposits’ are not refundable at all. This is the zone-by-zone breakdown of what comes back, what gets deducted first, and how long the money actually takes to land.
Most UAE free zones do not publish a late-renewal penalty schedule. DMCC and Meydan do, RAKEZ confirms it has no grace period but names no figure, and the federal fines on the establishment card and corporate tax deregistration often exceed the zone’s own charge.
RAKEZ costs AED 6,000 in Year 1 with no visas against DUQE’s AED 12,500 – but the ranking inverts at two visas, because DUQE charges AED 1,750 per visa slot while RAKEZ charges AED 4,000. Year 1 and Year 2 renewal costs compared in full.
DUQE publishes a fixed AED 12,500-23,000 licence ladder; SHAMS advertises the UAE’s cheapest headline licence at AED 5,750. We price both to the same specification – establishment card, visa chain, Year 1 all-in and the Year 2 renewal – and the gap turns out to be roughly half what the shop window implies.
DUQE publishes a fixed licence ladder that steps AED 1,750 per visa slot; IFZA prices the same setup through an agent network, so no two quotes match. This 2026 comparison rebuilds both cost stacks like-for-like — licence, establishment card, visa chain and Year 2 renewal — and shows where the AED 400 headline gap actually goes.
DUQE and Meydan both advertise a Dubai licence at roughly AED 12,500, but the real difference shows up in per-visa slots, establishment cards and Year 2 renewal. This 2026 comparison rebuilds both cost stacks like-for-like and shows where each zone actually wins.
A data-led 2026 comparison of Fujairah Creative City and Shams (Sharjah Media City) for freelancers and small media businesses: licence-only pricing, the full Year 1 cost at one to six residence visas, renewal basis, and the hidden fees neither zone advertises.
KEZAD and Masdar City are rarely a real either/or choice. This 2026 comparison prices both Abu Dhabi zones on Year 1 and renewal costs, then shows why VAT designated zone status, customs treatment and corporate tax substance decide the answer long before the licence fee does.
IFZA vs RAKEZ vs Meydan, compared for a 2026 UAE project management licence: headline package pricing, an itemised year-one build-up, visa quotas and costs, corporate bank account turnaround, and a full disclosure of the four points where our verified data and third-party reporting disagree.
UAE Freezone Compare is not only a comparison site. We shortlist suitable UAE free zones and help you request the best available market quote for your activity, visa count and budget. No service charge from us.