Dubai & UAE Business Setup Cost Calculator
Work out what it really costs to register a company in the UAE before you commit. This free calculator prices your trade licence, jurisdiction, visa quota and office requirement together, so you see a realistic total instead of a headline figure.
Answer five short questions and Digimac One Solution will follow up with an itemised written proposal covering government fees, immigration costs and the licence package best matched to your activity.
- Mainland, free zone and offshore structures compared side by side
- 50+ UAE free zones including DMCC, JAFZA, RAKEZ, SHAMS and Ajman
- Licence, visa, office and government charges itemised separately
- Transparent pricing with no hidden fees and no obligation to proceed
What type of business are you setting up?
Choose the category that best describes your business activity.
Tell us about your setup
These answers help us match the right licence package and visa quota.
What type of office space do you need?
Depending on the nature of your business you may need a flexi-desk, a co-working space or an entire office. This is an important factor in calculating your total setup cost.
Location & Timeline
These details shape your proposal – jurisdiction, residency and when you would like to start.
Your business setup estimate is ready!
Enter your details below to see your cost breakdown. Our advisor will follow up with the full written proposal and next steps.
Your details stay private. We use them only to prepare your quotation – no spam, ever.
How much does it cost to set up a company in the UAE?
There is no single price for a UAE trade licence. What you pay is the sum of several separate charges, and the mix changes completely depending on whether you register on the mainland or inside a free zone, how many people need residence visas, and whether your activity needs approval from a regulator before the licence is issued.
Most quotes you find online only show the licence fee. In practice a first-year budget also has to cover name reservation and initial approval, the licence itself, your establishment card and immigration file, a workspace that satisfies the authority, and the per-person cost of each residence visa: entry permit, status change, medical screening, Emirates ID and stamping. Add translation, attestation and notary charges where corporate or overseas shareholders are involved, and regulated sectors such as finance, healthcare or education attract further approval fees.
The calculator above weighs each of these factors, which is why the estimate it produces is usually much closer to your real outlay than a package headline. For fixed published packages you can also review our business setup pricing, or read what is included in our company formation services.
Six factors that move your total
Jurisdiction
Free zone, mainland or offshore. Each has its own fee table, workspace rules and market access, and this is the single biggest variable in your total.
Business activity
Your chosen activities decide the licence type. Regulated activities need third-party approval before issuance, which adds both cost and lead time.
Visa quota
Every investor, partner, employee and dependent visa carries its own government and medical charges, so headcount changes the figure quickly.
Workspace
A flexi desk keeps costs low. A leased unit, shop front or warehouse adds rent, Ejari or lease registration and fit-out, but unlocks a larger visa quota.
Shareholder structure
The number of partners, and whether any shareholder is a company or based overseas, affects documentation, attestation and notarisation costs.
Timeline
Standard processing is the cheapest route. Express handling, urgent PRO runs and same-week visa processing are available at a premium.
Which office option should you choose?
Workspace is where budgets are won or lost. The authority needs to see premises appropriate to your activity, and that choice also sets how many residence visas your licence can support.
Flexi desk or virtual office
The lowest-cost route and the usual starting point for consultants, agencies and online businesses. Sufficient for most free zone licences with a small visa quota.
Business centre or co-working
A serviced desk with meeting room access and a business address. A sensible middle option when you need to host clients but not a full lease.
Private office, shop or warehouse
Required for retail, food and beverage, clinics, contracting and logistics. Adds rent and lease registration, but supports the largest visa quotas.
How the cost estimator works
Answer five questions
Activity, setup reason, shareholders and visas, workspace, jurisdiction and timeline. It takes about two minutes.
See your breakdown
An indicative total appears instantly, split into licence, workspace, visa and government components.
An advisor reviews it
A Digimac One Solution specialist checks your activity against current authority fee tables and approval requirements.
Get a written proposal
You receive a firm, itemised quotation with documents required, timelines and the recommended jurisdiction.
Prefer to talk it through with a specialist?
Share your details and a Digimac One Solution advisor will confirm your licence cost, visa quota and timeline in writing. Consultations are free and there is no obligation to proceed.
UAE business setup cost: frequently asked questions
How accurate is this UAE business setup cost calculator?
It is designed to give a realistic planning figure rather than a binding quote. The tool applies current authority fee structures and typical package pricing to the answers you give, so it lands much closer to reality than a single advertised price. Your advisor then confirms the exact amount in writing once your activity list and shareholder documents are reviewed.
Is a free zone licence cheaper than a mainland licence?
In most cases yes, because free zone packages bundle the licence, registration and a flexi desk, and no external lease is required. The mainland costs more to enter but lets you sell directly to customers anywhere in the UAE and bid for government work, so the cheaper option is not always the better commercial choice.
Can a foreigner own 100% of a UAE company?
Yes. Full foreign ownership has always been standard in the free zones, and following the commercial companies law reforms it is also available for the large majority of mainland commercial and professional activities. A small number of strategic activities still carry specific national participation requirements.
How many residence visas can I get with my trade licence?
Your quota depends on jurisdiction and workspace. Free zone packages state the number of visas included, typically ranging from one to six for desk-based options. On the mainland the quota is broadly assessed against the size of your leased office, so a larger unit supports more visas.
Do I need a physical office to get a licence in Dubai?
Not always. A flexi desk or shared desk satisfies most free zone authorities. A mainland licence does require registered premises appropriate to the activity, and retail, food and beverage, clinics, contracting and warehousing always need a physical unit.
How long does UAE company formation take?
Once your documents are complete, a straightforward free zone licence is often issued within a few working days. Mainland registration usually takes longer because name approval, activity approvals and lease registration run in sequence. Residence visa processing then adds a further stage after the licence is issued.
What are the annual renewal costs?
Budget for licence renewal, workspace or lease renewal, your establishment card, and the renewal of each residence visa when it falls due. Renewal is normally lower than first-year setup because one-off registration and incorporation charges do not repeat.
Do you help with bank accounts, VAT and corporate tax?
Yes. Alongside licensing we assist with corporate bank account introductions, VAT and corporate tax registration, accounting and ongoing compliance. Tell your advisor when you submit the form and it will be included in your proposal.
Figures produced by this calculator are indicative estimates for planning purposes only. They are not a quotation or an offer. Government, authority and free zone fees change from time to time and vary by activity, nationality and document set. Your final costs will be confirmed in the written proposal issued by Digimac One Solution. Learn more about our team.