Cost to Set Up a Company in the UAE
A full breakdown of what company setup actually costs - licence, name reservation, visas, and office - by jurisdiction, so you're budgeting against reality, not a headline number.
Most "starting from" quotes only cover the trade licence fee, not the full cost of actually operating - visas, office space, and the first year of tax and compliance filings. Here's the real breakdown, by cost line and by jurisdiction, so you know what to ask for before you commit.
The core cost lines
| Cost line | What drives it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trade licence | Activity, jurisdiction & free zone tier | The single biggest lever in your total setup cost |
| Name reservation & initial approval | Fixed government fee | One-time, set by the relevant authority |
| Office / flexi-desk / Ejari | Facility type & jurisdiction | Flexi-desk (free zone) to full mainland office |
| Per-employment visa | Visa count | Includes medical testing and Emirates ID processing |
| Bank account setup | Usually no direct fee | Minimum balance requirements vary by bank |
| First-year audit (if required) | Transaction volume & entity size | Only applies if your zone or activity requires it |
Cost by jurisdiction type
Free zone setups are usually the most economical way in, mainland setups cost more upfront because of the office requirement, and offshore is the lowest-cost of all because there's no office or visa cost at all. See the full mainland vs. free zone vs. offshore comparison for what each path actually gets you beyond price.
- Free zone: the lowest realistic entry cost, particularly for a single-visa package
- Mainland: higher upfront cost due to mandatory office/Ejari, but no restriction on where you trade
- Offshore: lowest cost of the three, but no visa or local trading capability
Costs that get left off most quotes
- Corporate Tax registration and annual filing
- VAT registration and periodic filing, once applicable
- Statutory audit, if required by your free zone or activity
- Annual licence renewal (not a one-time fee)
- UBO and ESR filing where applicable
- PRO/government liaison fees for visa processing
This is exactly why we structure engagement tiers that bundle setup with the first year of compliance - so the number you're quoted is closer to the number you'll actually pay.
Cost questions, answered.
A single-visa free zone licence in a lower-cost zone is typically the cheapest route in. Mainland setup costs more upfront mainly because of the mandatory office requirement.
No - visas are priced separately, per person, and are one of the most commonly under-quoted cost lines. Confirm your visa allocation and per-visa cost before comparing quotes.
Yes - licence renewal, Corporate Tax filing, VAT filing (if registered), and audit (if required) all recur annually. Our Foundation + Compliance tier is built specifically to cover this instead of leaving it as a surprise.
Get a real number, not a marketing range.
Tell us your activity, jurisdiction preference, and visa count and we'll confirm the actual cost at consultation.