What are the hidden costs of setting up a company in Dubai?

The costs people get caught out by are: the annual license renewal (AED 8,000–15,000 every year, the single biggest surprise), per-visa costs of AED 3,000–5,000 each including medical and Emirates ID, the establishment card and immigration card, office or Ejari fees on mainland, medical insurance for each visa holder, corporate bank account minimum balances, and VAT or corporate tax registration if it applies. Kinzaad lists every one of these in your quote up front and shows government fees separately, so nothing appears later.

What is the minimum budget to start a business in Dubai?

Realistically, budget from around AED 5,555 for a zero-visa free zone license in a low-cost zone like Ajman, or from AED 12,500 for a zero-visa license in a Dubai zone. If you want the license plus one residence visa, budget from around AED 12,000 with one visa in a low-cost zone like Ajman, or AED 17,900 to 23,000 in a Dubai zone like IFZA or Meydan. Mainland starts from around AED 15,000 because it needs an Ejari tenancy, and offshore from around AED 8,000. Add AED 3,000–5,000 per extra visa, and plan for the AED 8,000–15,000 annual renewal from Year 2.

2026 · Radically transparent

How much does it really cost to set up a company in Dubai?

Q: What is the cheapest way to set up a company in Dubai?

The cheapest company you can trade with is a zero-visa free zone license, from around AED 5,555 in low-cost zones like Ajman, SHAMS or RAKEZ. If you need a residence visa, expect from around AED 12,000 for a package with one visa in those same low-cost zones, or AED 17,900 to 23,000 in a Dubai zone like IFZA or Meydan. An offshore company is cheaper again, from around AED 8,000, but it can't trade inside the UAE and gives no visa. The genuinely cheapest choice is the one that matches what you actually need to do, so we always check that before quoting.

Q: How much does it cost to renew a Dubai company each year?

Annual renewal typically runs AED 8,000–15,000, covering the license renewal, flexi-desk or office, establishment card and any visa renewals. It's the cost most agents leave off the first quote, which is why founders feel bill-shock in Year 2. We tell you your renewal figure before you commit, in writing.

Every agent advertises a low "starting from" price, then the real number lands later. This page does the opposite. Here's what a Dubai company genuinely costs in 2026 — the five components, honest all-in ranges, a fully itemised example, and the one fee almost nobody puts on the first quote: your annual renewal.

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The short answer. In 2026, a Dubai free zone license starts from AED 12,500 with no visa, and AED 17,900–23,000 once you add one visa. Low-cost northern zones (Ajman, SHAMS) start from AED 5,555 zero-visa, or about AED 12,000–16,000 with one visa. Mainland starts from AED 15,000 because it needs a tenancy. Offshore starts from AED 8,000. Add AED 3,000–5,000 per residence visa. And budget AED 8,000–15,000 every year to renew — the number most quotes leave out.

All-in ranges

Realistic 2026 starting costs

"All-in" means the license plus the basics you actually need to operate — not a stripped teaser. Your final figure depends on your activity, visas and office, and we always quote it fixed and itemised first.

Setup type	Starts from	What that includes	Annual renewal
Free Zone (with visa)	AED 12,000	1 activity + flexi-desk + 1 visa allocation + establishment card — low-cost zone (Ajman, SHAMS). A Dubai zone (IFZA, Meydan, Dubai South) with one visa is AED 17,900–23,000	AED 8,000–13,000
Free Zone (zero-visa)	~AED 5,555	License only, low-cost zone (Ajman, SHAMS, RAKEZ), no visa — a Dubai zone with no visa starts from AED 12,500	AED 5,000–8,000
Mainland	AED 15,000	Professional license + initial approval + Ejari tenancy + establishment card	AED 10,000–15,000
Offshore	AED 8,000	RAK ICC / JAFZA Offshore incorporation + registered agent (no visa, no office)	AED 6,000–9,000
Each residence visa	AED 3,000–5,000	Entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and stamping per person	Similar on renewal (2–3 yrs)

See our transparent packages

Where the money goes

The five things you're actually paying for

Every Dubai setup cost breaks down into these five buckets. Once you can see them, "starting from" prices stop being mysterious — and you can spot what a cheap quote has quietly left out.

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1. License & activity

The trade license itself, priced by your business activity and the authority (DET for mainland, or a free zone like IFZA, Meydan, DMCC, RAKEZ). Some activities need extra external approvals. This is the core fee every quote leads with — typically AED 5,750–15,000+.

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2. Visa allocation

Each residence visa costs AED 3,000–5,000 and covers the entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID and stamping. On mainland your visa count follows office size; in a free zone it's capped by your package, so buy the right tier from day one.

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3. Office or flexi-desk

Free zones accept a low-cost flexi-desk (often bundled in). Mainland needs a real tenancy with an Ejari contract, which adds rent. Offshore needs neither. Office is the biggest reason mainland costs more than free zone.

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4. Establishment card

Your immigration establishment (or e-channel) card, required before you can sponsor any visas — usually AED 1,000–2,000. Small, mandatory, and often missing from a headline "starting from" price.

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5. Government & admin fees

Name reservation, initial approval, MOA notarisation, chamber of commerce and knowledge/innovation fees. We always show these separately from our fee so you can see exactly what goes to the government.

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The hidden 6th: renewal

AED 8,000–15,000 every single year to keep the license, desk, establishment card and visas live. This is the No. 1 hidden-fee complaint about UAE setup agents — and we put it in your quote before you sign.

A worked example

What a real free zone setup looks like, line by line

Here's an honest, itemised Year-1 cost for a common case — a solo consultant taking a free zone license with one residence visa. Numbers are typical 2026 mid-range figures; your quote may come in lower or higher depending on the zone and activity, but nothing will be hidden.

Why this matters: a competitor might advertise this as "from AED 12,500" and quote only the first three lines. The visa, medical insurance and bank setup are real costs — showing them now is how you avoid a surprise later.

And in Year 2?

You won't repeat the one-off setup and establishment fees, but you will renew the license, flexi-desk and visa. For this example, budget roughly AED 9,000–11,000 a year, every year. We hand you that figure up front so Year 2 is planned, not painful.

Item (free zone + 1 visa)	AED
License & 1 activity	7,500
Flexi-desk (registered address)	1,500
Establishment / e-channel card	1,500
Residence visa (permit, medical, Emirates ID)	4,000
Medical insurance (basic, 1 yr)	1,000
Government & admin fees	1,500
Bank account application support	1,000
Year-1 all-in (typical)	≈ 18,000
Year-2 renewal (recurring)	9,000–11,000

Protect your budget

How to avoid bill-shock

Most "Dubai was more expensive than they told me" stories come from the same five gaps. Close them before you pay a deposit.

Ask for the renewal figure in writing. If an agent won't state your Year-2 cost, that's your warning sign. Ours is on the quote.
Insist government fees are shown separately from the agent's fee, so you can see what's a genuine cost and what's margin.
Confirm your visa count now. Under-buying the package and adding visas later is more expensive than picking the right tier from the start.

Check what "all-in" excludes. Medical insurance, deposits and bank minimum balances are real — get them listed.
Match the structure to your plan. Paying for mainland when a free zone would do (or vice-versa) is the most expensive mistake of all — see our comparison guide.
Get a fixed quote, not a range. A proper consultant can commit to a number before you pay anything.

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Answers

Dubai company setup cost — common questions

What's the cheapest way to set up a company in Dubai?

The cheapest company you can actually trade with is a zero-visa free zone license, from around AED 5,555 in low-cost zones like Ajman, SHAMS or RAKEZ. If you need a residence visa, budget from around AED 12,000 for a package with one visa in those same low-cost zones, or AED 17,900 to 23,000 in a Dubai zone like IFZA or Meydan. Offshore is cheaper again, from ~AED 8,000, but it can't trade inside the UAE and gives no visa. The truly cheapest option is the one that matches what you need to do — so we check that before quoting.

What are the hidden costs of setting up in Dubai?

The usual culprits: the annual renewal (AED 8,000–15,000) — the biggest surprise — plus per-visa costs (AED 3,000–5,000 each), the establishment/immigration card, mainland office or Ejari fees, medical insurance for each visa holder, bank minimum-balance requirements, and VAT or corporate tax registration where it applies. We list every one of these up front, with government fees shown separately, so nothing appears later.

How much does it cost to renew a Dubai company each year?

Typically AED 8,000–15,000 a year, covering the license renewal, flexi-desk or office, establishment card and any visa renewals. It's the cost most agents leave off the first quote, which is exactly why founders feel bill-shock in Year 2. We tell you your renewal figure before you commit, in writing.

What's the minimum budget to start a business in Dubai?

Realistically, from around AED 5,555 for a zero-visa free zone license in a low-cost zone like Ajman, or from AED 12,500 for a zero-visa license in a Dubai zone. With the license plus one residence visa, budget from around AED 12,000 in a low-cost zone like Ajman, or AED 17,900–23,000 in a Dubai zone like IFZA or Meydan. Mainland starts from ~AED 15,000 (it needs an Ejari tenancy) and offshore from ~AED 8,000. Add AED 3,000–5,000 per extra visa, and plan for the AED 8,000–15,000 annual renewal from Year 2.

Are the government fees included in your price?

We show them separately, on purpose. Your quote splits our advisory fee from the actual government and authority fees, so you can see exactly where every dirham goes. That transparency — plus a stated renewal cost — is the whole point of how we price. Try the cost calculator for an instant estimate before you even speak to us.

Get your real number — before you commit

No teaser price, no gated ranges. Tell us what you need and we'll send a fixed, itemised quote with the renewal cost included the same day. If a cheaper setup fits you, we'll say so.

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