UAE Free Zone Cost Estimator — All-In Year 1 and Year 2 Costs 2026
Calculating the true cost of a UAE free zone company requires adding up: licence fee, office/desk, visas, medical tests, Emirates ID, health insurance, audit, and CT filing. This tool breaks down the realistic all-in costs for Year 1 and Year 2 for the most popular UAE free zones in 2026.
In this guide:
- UAE Free Zone Cost Estimator — All-In Year 1 and Year 2 Costs 2026
- How to Read This Cost Estimator
- IFZA (International Free Zone Authority) — 2 Visas, Flexi-Desk
- Shams (Sharjah Media City) — 2 Visas, Virtual Office
- RAKEZ — 2 Visas, Flexi-Desk
- DMCC — 2 Visas, Flexi-Desk
- Fujairah Creative City — 1 Visa Freelancer Permit
- What the Cost Estimator Does Not Include
How to Read This Cost Estimator
Year 1 is always higher due to company formation fees. Year 2 is the renewal cost (typically lower). All costs in AED. Assumes 2 visas (yourself + 1 employee or family member) and flexi-desk/virtual office. Upgrade or downgrade based on your specific package.
IFZA (International Free Zone Authority) — 2 Visas, Flexi-Desk
- Licence + flexi-desk: AED 14,900
- 2 investor visas (medical + Emirates ID + residence stamp): AED 6,000
- Health insurance (basic, 2 people): AED 3,000
- Audit (Year 1): AED 4,000
- UAE CT registration + filing: AED 2,000
- Year 1 total: AED 29,900
- Year 2 renewal (licence + 2 visa renewal): AED 20,900
Shams (Sharjah Media City) — 2 Visas, Virtual Office
- Licence: AED 7,500
- Virtual office: AED 3,000
- 2 investor visas: AED 6,000
- Health insurance (2 people): AED 3,000
- Audit: AED 3,500
- CT filing: AED 2,000
- Year 1 total: AED 25,000
- Year 2 renewal: AED 16,500
RAKEZ — 2 Visas, Flexi-Desk
- Licence + flexi-desk: AED 10,500
- 2 investor visas: AED 6,000
- Health insurance (2 people): AED 3,000
- Audit: AED 3,500
- CT filing: AED 2,000
- Year 1 total: AED 25,000
- Year 2 renewal: AED 16,500
DMCC — 2 Visas, Flexi-Desk
- Licence: AED 20,000
- Flexi-desk: AED 15,000
- 2 investor visas: AED 6,000
- Health insurance (2 people): AED 3,500
- Audit: AED 5,000
- CT filing: AED 2,000
- Year 1 total: AED 51,500
- Year 2 renewal: AED 43,500
Fujairah Creative City — 1 Visa Freelancer Permit
- Freelancer permit: AED 6,000
- 1 visa: AED 3,000
- Health insurance (1 person): AED 1,500
- CT filing (if applicable): AED 1,500
- Year 1 total: AED 12,000
- Year 2 renewal: AED 10,500
What the Cost Estimator Does Not Include
- UAE bank account opening (WIO: AED 149/month = AED 1,788/year; traditional banks: minimum balance cost)
- Accountancy fees (bookkeeping: AED 3,000–8,000/year)
- UAE residence costs (apartment rent; car; living expenses)
- Government fees that change annually