DMCC or Innovation City
Compare DMCC and Innovation City on the same rows: starting packages at each visa count, licence and residency-visa timelines, renewal, facilities and remote paperwork. Every figure is read from the two guide pages.
Your situation
Answer for the default situation: one visa. Change an answer above to update it.
Ajman Free Zone fits your answers, and it is not in this comparison.
Choose Dubai Mainland if you will sell or work onshore.
DMCC and Innovation City both show starting figures, but they cover different scopes, so neither is the cheaper route on this evidence. Decide on activity fit, location and an itemised quote for your case.
Read from the same published figures as the table. Activity eligibility, approvals and the full first year still decide the route.
Side by side
Package figures cover their stated inclusions only. Activity eligibility, the full first-year cost and renewal still need confirmation for your case.
| Metric | DMCCFree zone | Innovation CityFree zone |
|---|---|---|
| From, one visa | DMCC AED 43,780 12 months · published package | Innovation City AED 13,200 12 months · starting price |
| Lowest package price | DMCC AED 35,484 12 months · published package | Innovation City AED 6,600 12 months · starting price |
| Licence issued in | DMCC 2 weeks Company setup is described as usually taking about two weeks. | Innovation City 5–10 business days |
| Residency visa in | DMCC 0–20 business days The employee visa guide allows up to 20 working days. | Innovation City Not published: Not published |
| Renewal price | DMCC AED 20,265 Trading or service licence renewal for one year is AED 20,265. | Innovation City Not published: Not published |
| Licence types | DMCC Trading, Service, Industrial | Innovation City Digital assets, Related tech |
| Facility options | DMCC Flexi desk, Office, Retail | Innovation City Office, Virtual options as offered |
| Visa options | DMCC Not published: Not published | Innovation City Not published: Not published |
| Remote paperwork | DMCC No | Innovation City Yes |
| Activity guides catalogued | DMCC Not published: Not published | Innovation City Not published: Not published |
| Next step | Explore DMCC | Explore Innovation City |
Check before choosing
Innovation City
Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case.
Read the Innovation City guideAsk an assistant about this page: ChatGPT · Claude · Perplexity
FAQ
How are the prices compared?
Only package prices at the same visa count and term are ranked against each other. A calculator output, a licence-only estimate or a product flagged as not like for like is shown in the table but never used to name a cheaper side.
Which costs less on published figures, DMCC or Innovation City?
DMCC and Innovation City both show starting figures, but they cover different scopes, so neither is the cheaper route on this evidence. Decide on activity fit, location and an itemised quote for your case.
Still torn?
Explore the full guides to compare package costs, visa requirements and how you plan to trade.