How Much Does It Cost to Start a Company in Dubai in 2026?

Quick answer: there is no single 2026 price for setting up a company in Dubai. A lean Free Zone company can officially start from around AED 12,500 in Meydan Free Zone, while premium ecosystems such as DMCC publish entry packages around AED 35,484. Add visas, office space, extra activities, permits, accounting or banking support and the first-year total can rise quickly.

Mainland pricing is even more case-specific because the final cost depends on the licensed activity, legal form, lease, external approvals and operating footprint. JAFZA Offshore is a separate category again: its official registration fee is AED 10,000, but it requires a Registered Agent and is not a substitute for an operating Dubai company.

The useful question is not “How much is the licence?” It is “What is the total cost of having the company properly operational and maintainable in year one?”

Dubai company setup cost in 2026: official examples

These are official published reference points reviewed in September 2026. They should not be compared as if every package includes the same components.

The first pricing mistake: comparing licence fees instead of total setup cost

Dubai formation ads often lead with a “from AED X” number. The number may be genuine and still fail to describe the founder’s real first-year budget.

Separate at least:

1. company registration;
2. annual licence;
3. workspace/flexi-desk/office;
4. establishment card;
5. visa allocation;
6. residence visa;
7. medical and Emirates ID where applicable;
8. additional activities;
9. regulatory approvals;
10. accounting and audit;
11. Corporate Tax and VAT compliance;
12. banking;
13. annual renewal.

The best quote is not the one with the lowest headline number. It is the one that clearly separates included and not included.

Scenario 1: non-resident founder who only needs the company

Meydan Free Zone currently publishes a standard setup from AED 12,500.

The published base includes:

• trade licence;
• up to three business activity groups;
• flexi-desk.

A founder can start the company without immediately adding a residence visa.

This can make sense for an international service business that genuinely needs a UAE entity but does not need UAE immigration residence at the same time.

Tax and accounting compliance still need to be budgeted separately.

Scenario 2: founder who wants company + UAE residence

Meydan publishes these 2026 figures:

• standard licence from AED 12,500;
• visa allocation: AED 1,850;
• investor/partner visa: around AED 4,000.

Adding just those three items gives an indicative starting point of:

AED 18,350

before dependants, upgraded workspace, optional support, extra activities or case-specific charges.

This illustrates an important point: company setup and personal residence are separate cost layers.

Scenario 3: a premium Free Zone such as DMCC

DMCC’s published 2026 package pricing is materially higher.

• Basic Biz Package: AED 35,484.
• Jump Start — standard flexi-desk: AED 43,780.
• Jump Start — co-working: AED 49,941.

The Jump Start package includes one UAE residency visa and workspace access under the package conditions.

DMCC’s standard setup schedule also publishes individual components including:

• application: AED 1,035;
• registration: AED 9,020;
• Articles of Association: AED 2,020;
• business licence: AED 20,285;
• establishment card: AED 1,825.

This is why there is no meaningful “average Free Zone price” without specifying the zone and package.

Scenario 4: JAFZA shows why a low licence fee is not the same as a low total cost

JAFZA publishes relatively low annual licence fees for several activities:

JAFZA’s Investor Guide also lists an AED 5,000 registration fee for an FZE, FZCO or branch.

But the facility is a separate and important part of the budget. Warehouses, industrial units, offices and subleases can change the economics completely.

So “JAFZA company = AED 10,000” is not a responsible total-cost statement. It can describe registration plus a basic licence, not necessarily a fully operational company.

How much does a Dubai Mainland company cost?

There is no single official flat price that accurately describes every Mainland company.

Dubai’s official Invest in Dubai platform uses a setup-cost calculator because the figure depends on variables such as:

• business activity;
• legal form;
• number and type of shareholders;
• trade name;
• external approvals;
• lease and premises;
• employee/visa requirements;
• additional permits.

For many Mainland structures, physical premises are one of the biggest cost drivers.

A serious Mainland quote should therefore be itemised rather than presented as one generic range.

How much does Free Zone access to Dubai Mainland cost?

Dubai’s Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit gives eligible Free Zone businesses a structured route to carry out qualifying activities in Mainland Dubai.

The published cost is:

AED 5,000 for six months

renewable for the same fee every six months.

If used for a full year, that is AED 10,000 per year in additional permit cost.

The framework applies only to eligible companies and activities. Mainland-related activities also require separate financial records under the current Dubai framework.

This can materially change the economics of choosing a low-cost Free Zone instead of Mainland from the start.

Visa costs: what they add to the budget

Visa costs vary by zone, category, duration and whether the applicant is inside or outside the UAE.

Meydan publishes these 2026 reference prices:

When comparing visa quotes, ask whether the number includes:

• visa allocation;
• entry permit;
• status change;
• medical;
• Emirates ID;
• stamping/residence processing;
• health insurance;
• service-provider fees.

Two providers can both quote “AED 4,000 visa” while including different components.

Office costs: from included flexi-desk to substantial annual rent

Meydan includes a flexi-desk in its standard licence and publishes optional workspace upgrades including:

• shared office: AED 15,000/year;
• dedicated office: AED 30,000/year;
• dedicated desk: AED 3,500/month.

DMCC, JAFZA and other zones have their own facility models.

For businesses requiring staff, warehousing, industrial space, a showroom or a more substantial commercial presence, the facility can cost more than the licence itself.

Accounting and Corporate Tax compliance are part of the real cost

The company does not stop having costs once the licence is issued.

It needs accounting records adequate for Corporate Tax and, where applicable, VAT.

A Qualifying Free Zone Person also needs to satisfy the current QFZP requirements, including audited financial statements.

Annual compliance can therefore include:

• bookkeeping;
• Corporate Tax return;
• transfer pricing where relevant;
• VAT filings;
• audit;
• payroll/WPS where applicable;
• tax and accounting support.

As one provider-specific example — not a UAE government tariff — Meydan currently publishes optional bookkeeping at AED 1,000–1,500 per month, VAT-registration support at AED 1,500 and a Corporate Tax starter package at AED 1,200.

The strategic point is simple: a cheap licence does not eliminate the cost of maintaining a compliant company.

Corporate Tax and VAT are not “formation fees”

Separate three different cost layers:

1. company setup and licensing;
2. ongoing compliance;
3. tax generated by the business activity.

The standard UAE Corporate Tax regime applies:

• 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000;
• 9% on the portion above AED 375,000.

A Free Zone can access 0% on Qualifying Income only where the company qualifies as a QFZP and meets the applicable conditions.

VAT has a 5% standard rate and separate registration rules.

None of these should be hidden inside a headline “company setup” figure.

Banking: service fees are not bank-account costs

Some formation providers sell bank-account assistance. Meydan, for example, currently publishes an optional bank-account support service at AED 1,500.

That fee does not guarantee the account and is not the same as the bank’s own pricing.

The bank can still impose:

• minimum balance requirements;
• monthly charges;
• deposits;
• extra KYC documentation;
• proof of business activity;
• contracts and source-of-funds evidence;
• in-person requirements in some cases.

Banking should be costed only after selecting a realistic bank for the company’s activity and shareholder profile.

Offshore costs are structurally different

JAFZA publishes the following for a new Offshore Company:

• AED 10,000 registration fee;
• AED 50 per specimen signature;
• formation through an authorised Registered Agent.

Its published annual renewal fee is AED 2,500, before Registered Agent and other service-provider charges.

A JAFZA Offshore Company does not receive the same local operating business licence as a Free Zone operating company.

Comparing “AED 10,000 offshore” with “AED 12,500 Free Zone” as if they were interchangeable products is therefore misleading.

What does it cost to keep the company after year one?

Year two can matter more than year one.

Budget for:

• licence renewal;
• establishment-card renewal;
• workspace/lease;
• visa renewals;
• accounting;
• audit where required;
• Corporate Tax compliance;
• VAT compliance;
• banking;
• Mainland permit if used;
• insurance and employees;
• compliance-provider fees.

DMCC, for example, currently publishes:

• standard one-year trading/service licence renewal: AED 20,265;
• company establishment-card renewal: AED 2,205;
• plus workspace and other applicable costs.

The better commercial question is:

“What is my total cost in year 1, year 2 and year 3?”

Indicative budgets by founder profile

Use these figures for budgeting, not as a reason to select a jurisdiction on price alone.

The cheapest Dubai company can become the most expensive structure

Saving AED 5,000 or AED 10,000 at formation can be false economy if:

• the licensed activity does not match the real business;
• the company cannot operate where the customers are;
• a Mainland Permit later becomes necessary;
• QFZP conditions are not met;
• banking does not work;
• the company has to migrate to another Free Zone;
• physical premises become necessary;
• the founder’s home country still taxes the structure fully.

Price should be compared after the structure makes sense, not before.

What a serious quote should show

Before signing, ask for a line-by-line breakdown of:

1. registration fee;
2. licence fee;
3. included activities;
4. facility/workspace;
5. establishment card;
6. visa allocation;
7. full visa components;
8. UBO/KYC support;
9. Corporate Tax registration/compliance;
10. VAT;
11. audit;
12. bookkeeping;
13. banking support;
14. Mainland Permit if required;
15. year-two renewal;
16. service-provider fees;
17. VAT/other charges included or excluded.

If the quote only says “Dubai company package: AED 14,999”, you still do not know the cost of your company.

Our criterion: fit first, price second

At N30 Global, we do not choose a Free Zone because it is the cheapest.

We first analyse:

• the founder’s tax residence;
• business activity;
• customers and operating countries;
• revenue and margins;
• visa requirements;
• banking;
• Mainland access;
• QFZP / Corporate Tax;
• residence and wealth-planning objectives.

Then we compare the real cost of the options that actually fit.

For broader planning, see our International Company Structuring service and International Tax & Wealth Planning Services.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum cost to start a company in Dubai?

As one official 2026 example, Meydan Free Zone publishes a standard company setup from AED 12,500 including a flexi-desk and up to three business activity groups. The total increases if visas or compliance services are required.

How much does a Dubai company cost with an investor visa?

Using Meydan’s published figures, standard licence + one visa allocation + investor/partner visa totals approximately AED 18,350 before other extras.

How much does DMCC cost?

As of September 2026, DMCC publishes a Basic Biz Package at AED 35,484 and Jump Start from AED 43,780 with a standard flexi-desk and one UAE residency visa under the package terms.

How much does a Dubai Mainland company cost?

There is no universal flat price. Dubai’s official setup calculator reflects the activity, legal form, lease, approvals and other variables.

Is the cheapest Free Zone a bad choice?

Not necessarily. The problem is choosing on price alone without checking the licence activity, banking, visas, Mainland access and tax regime.

How much does the Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit cost?

The published fee is AED 5,000 for six months, renewable for the same amount, for eligible companies and activities.

Does the company licence include residence?

Not always. Some packages include a visa; others only allow a visa allocation to be added. Compare the actual components.

Do I need accounting and audit?

Accounting is part of normal tax compliance. Audit is mandatory in certain cases, including the current QFZP regime requirements.

How much does a company cost to renew?

It depends on the jurisdiction. DMCC currently publishes AED 20,265 for a standard one-year trading/service licence renewal, plus other applicable costs.

How much does a JAFZA Offshore Company cost?

JAFZA publishes an AED 10,000 initial registration fee and AED 2,500 annual renewal, before Registered Agent and other applicable costs.

Official pricing sources reviewed

• Meydan Free Zone — 2026 Company Setup Cost Breakdown.
• DMCC — Business Setup Packages.
• DMCC — Schedule of Charges.
• JAFZA — New Company Formation.
• JAFZA — Investor Guide.
• JAFZA — New Offshore Company.
• JAFZA — Offshore Renewal.
• Invest in Dubai — Business Setup Services and Cost Calculator.
• Dubai Media Office — Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit.