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UAE business setup cost calculator

What are you building?
Where will it be registered?
Team size, including you
1
What kind of space?
Owner residence visa?

First year estimate

AED 106,780

First year estimate: AED 106,780

AED 37,180 setup · AED 69,600 running

Trade licenceAED 10,000
Owner visaAED 6,500
Team visasAED 0
Light fit outAED 20,680
Salaries, 12 monthsAED 0
Desk feeAED 21,600
Marketing, 12 monthsAED 48,000
Build the full plan

How the calculator works

  • It adds up your first-year cost from your own choices: business type, mainland or free zone, emirate, team size, space and owner residence.
  • It splits the figure into setup, paid once, and running costs, paid during the year.
  • Each line shows whether it is a fixed fee or an estimate.
  • The result is for planning, not an official quote. The licensing authority sets the final fee when you apply.

Examples of published official fees

These are fees the licensing authorities publish themselves. They are part of the cost, not all of it.

Examples of published official fees
EmiratePublished feeAuthority
DubaiPublished feeBooking a trade name: AED 6201AuthorityDepartment of Economy and Tourism
DubaiPublished feeeTrader licence for a home based business: AED 1,070, plus AED 300 for Dubai Chamber membership2AuthorityDepartment of Economy and Tourism
Abu DhabiPublished feeTajer Abu Dhabi licence: AED 790, AED 10 economic register fee, AED 315 establishment card; valid 3 years without premises3AuthorityDepartment of Economic Development
SharjahPublished feeInstant licence: AED 5,000 licence fee and AED 500 Chamber membership; no premises or lease needed in the first year4AuthorityEconomic Development Department
AjmanPublished feeEconomic licence issuance fee AED 600, with other fees on the same page, including AED 200 for the commercial register5AuthorityDepartment of Economic Development

In Sharjah, the final payment voucher total can be AED 6,000 to 8,500.4

We found no current official page with a licence fee for Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah or Umm Al Quwain, so we show no figure. Ask the Department of Economic Development in that emirate.6

What the figure leaves out

  • Health insurance for employees; ask an insurer for the price.
  • Approval fees for some activities, such as municipality approvals for restaurants and cafés.
  • Corporate tax: 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above it.7
  • VAT at 5% once registered; registration is mandatory above AED 375,000 of taxable supplies in 12 months.8, 9
  • Temporary offers and discounts.

Try three cases

(The links open the calculator with those choices; the figure comes from your inputs.)

The steps once you know your cost

  1. Choose the activity; it decides the licence type.10
  2. Choose the legal form.10
  3. Book the trade name with the Department of Economic Development.10
  4. Apply for initial approval.10
  5. Prepare the memorandum of association, choose premises and sign the lease.10
  6. Get any other authority approvals your activity needs.10
  7. Pay the fees within 30 days of the payment voucher, or the application is cancelled.10

In a free zone you apply online to the zone authority, and the licence is issued within 14 working days of review and approval.11

Common questions

How much does it cost to set up a company in Dubai?
There is no single price. The cost depends on your activity, your licence type, your premises and your visas. The calculator adds up a first year estimate from your own inputs, so you see a number for your business instead of an average.
How much does it cost to open a café in Dubai?
Choose café or restaurant in the calculator and enter your emirate, premises and visas. It estimates the first year licence, visa, rent and fitting out costs for that business. It is a planning estimate, not an official quotation.
What are the costs of starting a company in the UAE?
The first year costs are the trade licence, residence visas, rent or workspace, and the fitting out. The calculator shows each one and the total. Confirm the final fees with the licensing authority before you commit.
Is the setup cost calculator free?
Yes. You can use this public calculator without creating an account.
Is the result an official licence quotation?
No. It is a planning estimate based on your inputs. Confirm fees and requirements with the relevant licensing authority before committing to a purchase.
Can I compare different setup options?
Yes. Change the emirate, jurisdiction and workspace inputs to compare the estimates shown by the calculator.
Which types of business does the calculator cover?
A café or restaurant, a salon, an online store and a consultancy, plus a general option for any other business.
How much is a trade name in Dubai?
Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism lists AED 620 to book a trade name, and the service takes 10 minutes.
What is the cheapest published trade licence in the UAE?
There is no single official list to compare. Published examples: Dubai's eTrader licence at AED 1,070 plus AED 300 Chamber membership, and the Tajer Abu Dhabi licence at AED 790 plus small fees, valid 3 years. Check your activity is allowed under that licence before you apply.
Does the calculator include corporate tax?
No. Corporate tax is 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above it, charged on profit, not on setup cost.

Sources and the date we checked them

  1. Invest in Dubai (DET): Request to book a trade nameChecked on
  2. Invest in Dubai (DET): Request to issue a trade licenceChecked on
  3. TAMM Abu Dhabi: Issue a Tajer Abu Dhabi licenceChecked on
  4. Sharjah Economic Development Department: instant licenceChecked on
  5. Ajman Government: Issue an economic licenceChecked on
  6. UAE Government portal: Entities responsible for economic activitiesChecked on
  7. UAE Government portal: Corporate taxChecked on
  8. UAE Government portal: Value added taxChecked on
  9. Federal Tax Authority: Registration for VATChecked on
  10. UAE Government portal: Steps to start a business on the mainlandChecked on
  11. UAE Government portal: Starting a business in a free zoneChecked on

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