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UAE Business Setup Cost Breakdown by Emirate Guide 2026
Business setup costs vary significantly across UAE’s seven emirates. This guide provides a complete cost breakdown for setting up a business in each UAE emirate in 2026, covering licences, office space, visas, and ongoing costs.
In this guide:
Dubai Business Setup Cost Breakdown
- Free zone licence: AED 12,500 (Meydan FZ, cheapest Dubai free zone) to AED 35,000+ (DMCC, DIFC premium)
- Flexi desk (if not included): AED 8,000-15,000/year
- Visa cost (investor/owner): AED 4,000-6,000 per visa
- Health insurance (mandatory, Dubai DHA): AED 1,500-5,000/year per person
- First-year total (cheapest Dubai free zone, 1 owner): ~AED 25,000-35,000
- First-year total (DMCC, 1 owner): ~AED 35,000-50,000
- Mainland LLC (Dubai DED): AED 15,000-25,000 licence + AED 30,000-60,000 office lease + visa + health = AED 60,000-100,000 first year
Abu Dhabi Business Setup Cost Breakdown
- Free zone (ADGM): AED 15,000-50,000+ for financial services; AED 10,000-25,000 for non-regulated companies
- Free zone (KEZAD): AED 20,000-40,000 for industrial; AED 15,000-25,000 for logistics
- Mainland (DED Abu Dhabi): AED 12,000-25,000 licence; AED 25,000-60,000 office lease; visa costs similar to Dubai
- ADIO incentives: qualifying investments may receive fee waivers or subsidies through Abu Dhabi Investment Office
- First-year total (ADGM non-regulated, 1 owner): ~AED 25,000-40,000
Sharjah Business Setup Cost Breakdown
- SAIF Zone (Sharjah Airport International Free Zone): AED 8,000-15,000 licence; warehouse from AED 8,000/year
- Shams (Sharjah Media City): AED 5,750 (cheapest UAE free zone); almost no banking access
- Hamriyah Free Zone: AED 8,000-20,000 for industrial; port access
- Sharjah Mainland: DED Sharjah licence AED 10,000-18,000; office space AED 40-70/sqft (50% cheaper than Dubai)
- First-year total (Shams, 1 owner): ~AED 15,000-20,000 (cheapest UAE option)
Northern Emirates Business Setup Cost Breakdown
- Ras Al Khaimah (RAKEZ): AED 7,500-15,000 licence; office AED 8,000-15,000; visa AED 3,500-5,000; total ~AED 18,000-35,000 first year with visa
- Ajman Free Zone: AED 10,000-18,000 licence; low office costs; Ajman Port access; good for physical goods
- Fujairah Free Zone / IFZA: AED 14,900 (IFZA) for single activity; WIO Bank partnership; best value for banking accessibility in Northern Emirates
- UAQ (Umm Al Quwain): AED 8,000-14,000; cheapest Northern Emirates free zone after Shams; limited services but very low cost
- First-year total (RAKEZ, 1 owner, with visa): ~AED 20,000-25,000
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