The Dubai company setup cost you get quoted depends a lot on who’s quoting it. The same IFZA license shows up as AED 25,000 from one consultant and AED 40,000 from another, while the official price starts at AED 12,900. The gap isn’t the license. It’s the information asymmetry.
This piece lays out the real, official Dubai company setup cost for 2026 across the four structures most people actually consider: Meydan, IFZA, DMCC, and mainland DED. Every number is a government fee or a documented market price, and I flag the line items where consultants quietly add margin.
The short version: first-year cost by structure
| Structure | 0-visa license (annual) | 1-visa first year, all-in | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meydan Free Zone | AED 12,500 (3 activities) | ~AED 18,000–21,000 | Tight budget, Dubai address only |
| IFZA Free Zone | AED 12,900 | ~AED 20,700–22,200 | IT, e-commerce, consulting |
| DMCC Free Zone | AED 7,500 (service) | ~AED 30,000–38,000 | Trading, commodities, prestige |
| Mainland DED | AED 10,000 (professional) | ~AED 25,000–40,000 | Local trade, retail, government contracts |
The number that matters is the all-in first-year figure. The license fee is only the first line.
Dubai company setup cost 2026: the budget free zones
Meydan is the cheapest free zone in Dubai. A zero-visa license costs AED 12,500 a year (about USD 3,400) and covers up to three business activities. IFZA runs just behind it: AED 12,900 for zero visas, AED 14,900 for one visa, AED 26,900 for six.
| Package | Meydan | IFZA |
|---|---|---|
| 0 visas | AED 12,500 | AED 12,900 |
| 1 visa | AED 14,350 | AED 14,900 |
| 2 visas | AED 16,220 | AED 16,900 |
| 3 visas | AED 18,070 | AED 18,900 |
| 6 visas | AED 23,600 | AED 26,900 |
Add the establishment card (about AED 2,000) and per-person visa fees (AED 3,800–4,800), and an IFZA license with one visa lands between AED 20,700 and AED 22,200 for the first year.
DMCC: expensive for a reason
DMCC’s license fee itself is not the expensive part: AED 7,500 to start for a service license, AED 20,000–25,000 for trading. What adds up is the mandatory stack around it:
- Application fee: AED 1,035 (one-time)
- Registration fee: AED 9,020 (one-time)
- Articles of Association: AED 2,020 (one-time)
- Flexi-desk: AED 15,000–20,000 a year (DMCC requires a workspace)
- Establishment card: AED 1,820 a year
A solo consultant spends AED 30,000–38,000 in year one at DMCC; a small trading company with two visas runs AED 45,000–58,000. What you buy is the DMCC brand, which matters if you’re in commodities, precious metals, or physical trade.
Mainland DED: the license is cheap, the office and visas are not
Mainland license fees are moderate. A professional license runs AED 10,000–18,000, commercial AED 10,000–20,000, industrial AED 15,000–25,000. Trade name reservation is AED 620, initial approval AED 120, MOA notarization AED 350.
The real costs come from two hard rules. Mainland companies need a physical office with Ejari registration, which runs AED 5,000–50,000 a year depending on what you rent (a flexi-desk keeps it low). Visas add AED 3,000–6,000 per person, and a professional license without a local sponsor needs a Local Service Agent at AED 5,000–15,000 a year.
One 2026 change worth knowing: Sheikh Hamdan’s AED 1 billion business support initiative has cut mainland license fees by 10% to 50% at selected DET service centers. Ask whether a reduction applies before you pay.
What a UAE residence visa actually costs
On most quote sheets, visa cost appears as one bundled number. Split it apart and it’s three charges:
- Entry permit: AED 500–1,000
- Medical test + Emirates ID: AED 1,200–1,800
- Visa stamping: AED 1,000–3,000
Total per person runs AED 3,000–6,500, mostly depending on nationality and visa type. An investor visa and an employee visa are priced differently.
The single biggest surprise is the corporate bank account minimum balance. Traditional banks commonly require AED 50,000 to AED 500,000 held in a business account, with monthly penalties if you fall below. That’s money you can’t spend, and it’s the cost most founders only discover after the company exists.
Digital banks and SME accounts are the workaround: minimum balances of AED 10,000–50,000, or zero-balance digital accounts that charge AED 99–249 a month instead. You still want a licensed signatory with an Emirates ID to get approved.
The rest of the hidden stack: 9% corporate tax (0% on qualifying free zone income), mandatory health insurance, a simplified financial statement at IFZA renewal (about AED 499), and notarization or translation fees of AED 300–800.
How a AED 20,000 license becomes a AED 40,000 quote
Here’s where the margin hides. An IFZA one-visa license costs AED 20,700–22,200 all-in at official rates, but consultants routinely package it at AED 25,000–30,000. A DMCC first-year solo setup is AED 30,000–38,000 officially, and I’ve seen it quoted above AED 50,000.
The markup sits in three places. First, charging for steps you could self-serve, like a AED 3,000 “priority processing” fee on a process that isn’t slow. Second, bundling a mandatory PRO retainer into the package. Third, plain information asymmetry, like presenting a free activity approval as an extra charge.
When you get a quote, go line by line and ask one question: is this fee paid to the government, or to you? Government fees have published rates. Everything else is a service charge, and service is worth something, but you should know exactly what you’re paying for.
Which structure should you pick
Under AED 15,000 and you only need a Dubai address and a license: Meydan or IFZA, zero-visa package. Need a visa and you’re in IT, e-commerce, or consulting: IFZA is the best value. Trading commodities: DMCC is worth the premium. Opening a shop, serving local clients, or bidding government work: mainland DED, and budget the office and visa costs up front.
The official fees in Dubai are public. What a consultant sells on top is time and peace of mind, and you pay for whichever of those you need. This page gives you the numbers, so you walk into the negotiation knowing what you’re holding.
Need local incorporation assistance or bank account opening support? Contact me on WhatsApp.
Sources
- Meydan Free Zone (official)——license packages from AED 12,500 (zero visa, up to three activities)
- DMCC (official) — Schedule of Charges——application AED 1,035, registration AED 9,020, articles of association AED 2,020
- IFZA (official)——AED 12,900 zero-visa, AED 14,900 one-visa, AED 26,900 six-visa
- Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (official)——mainland licence categories and government fees
- Ejari — Dubai Land Department (official)——mandatory tenancy registration for mainland offices
- UAE Federal Tax Authority (official)——Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022 on corporate tax (9%)
- Dubai Media Office (official)——the 2026 business support initiative behind the mainland licence fee reductions
- Shuraa, Vazone, Emifast, Binderr——market quotes used for the range figures above (2026)
Figures are official or documented market prices as of 2026 and move with business activity, visa count and nationality. Confirm the current rate with the authority before paying.
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