twofour54 is Abu Dhabi’s dedicated media and creative industries free zone — positioned as the Abu Dhabi equivalent of Dubai Media City. Here is a complete guide to setting up in twofour54.
twofour54 Overview
twofour54 (the name comes from Abu Dhabi’s geographic coordinates: 24°N, 54°E) was established in 2008 to build Abu Dhabi’s media industry and Arabic content production capability. twofour54 hosts: 400+ companies in media, entertainment, gaming, and creative industries, a dedicated production studio complex with state-of-the-art broadcast and post-production facilities, gaming studios and VR/AR development labs, and partnerships with international media brands including CNN Arabic and Vice Arabia.
Who Should Set Up in twofour54?
twofour54 is best for: Arabic language content producers (the zone actively targets Arabic content creation, driven by Abu Dhabi’s vision to be the Arabic language capital), animation and gaming studios (twofour54 has a dedicated games cluster), broadcast and production companies serving Abu Dhabi or national UAE clients, and media and entertainment companies targeting GCC audiences. For English-language or international media businesses targeting the broader MENA market: Dubai Media City (DMC) offers a larger international media community.
twofour54 Subsidies for Arabic Content
twofour54 offers subsidised packages for qualifying Arabic content companies: reduced office and studio space rates, visa subsidies for key talent, post-production facility access at preferential rates, and co-financing opportunities for Arabic content projects (through Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Film Commission). These subsidies make twofour54 uniquely attractive for Arabic-language content businesses — no other UAE free zone offers comparable Arabic content incentives.
Pricing Evidence & Source Notes
Use this profile as a planning guide, not a final invoice. Confirm the current package, activity wording, visas, office or flexi-desk requirement and renewal amount before payment.
| Free Zone | Package | Year 1 Cost | Renewal Cost | 3-Year Total | Visa Option | Office / Flexi Requirement | Year 1 Confidence | Source Type | Conflict Status | Last Reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| twofour54 | CMA business licence for up to 5 activities with a twofour54 workspace | Licence fees currently waived (verified July 2026 via twofour54.ae official pages). Workspace/studio/hot-desk costs and visa fees apply. AED 15,000/yr licence fee once waiver ends. Confidence: Verified official price |
CMA publishes AED 12,500 business-licence renewal for up to 5 activities and states the first renewal is waived; workspace and other charges remain separate Confidence: Verified official price |
Quote-based 3-year total - confirm workspace, visa, waiver eligibility and post-waiver licence charges Confidence: Needs confirmation |
CMA publishes separate residency-visa and Emirates ID components; eligibility depends on the legal form and workspace | An office is required for the CMA business route; twofour54 offers hot desks, coworking and private workspace options | Verified official price | Official Creative Media Authority fee schedule and cost calculator | Current package / renewal confirmation required | July 2026 |
| What is included | The current CMA programme waives the published AED 15,000 new business-licence fee and AED 3,500 FZ-LLC registration fee. The official fee page also publishes the AED 12,500 renewal component and separate visa and Emirates ID charges. |
|---|---|
| What is not included | Required twofour54 workspace, visa and Emirates ID processing, insurance, extra activities, urgent processing, production facilities and support services unless the selected package states otherwise. |
| Hidden-cost risk | Do not treat the waived licence and registration components as a zero-cost company setup. Workspace is required and immigration, insurance, extra activities and specialist production requirements can materially change the total. |
| Banking difficulty | Medium |
| Best fit | Media, production, gaming and creative businesses needing an Abu Dhabi industry ecosystem. |
Source evidence: Review source | Methodology | Corrections.
Prices can change based on free zone authority updates, activity selection, visa count, office or flexi-desk requirement, shareholder structure, establishment card, immigration file, medical test, Emirates ID, insurance, banking support and consultant service fees. Last reviewed July 2026. Always request a current quote before payment. View methodology or compare all rows in the UAE Free Zone Cost Index.