DMCC or RAKEZ
Compare a Dubai trading and commodities free zone with Ras Al Khaimah's broad zone from desks to industrial facilities. The trade-off is the Dubai address and community against facility range and package scope.
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 Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone 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 | Ras Al Khaimah Economic ZoneFree zone |
|---|---|---|
| From, one visa | DMCC AED 43,780 12 months · published package | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone AED 14,000 12 months · promotion |
| Lowest package price | DMCC AED 35,484 12 months · published package | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone AED 6,000 12 months · starting price |
| Licence issued in | DMCC 2 weeks Company setup is described as usually taking about two weeks. | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone 1–3 business days The current service catalogue gives a 1-3-working-day target for business setup. |
| Residency visa in | DMCC 0–20 business days The employee visa guide allows up to 20 working days. | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Not published: Not published |
| Renewal price | DMCC AED 20,265 Trading or service licence renewal for one year is AED 20,265. | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone AED 14,000 The current all-inclusive SME promotion promises the same AED 14,000 annual renewal price. |
| Licence types | DMCC Trading, Service, Industrial | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Commercial, Professional, Industrial, Freelance |
| Facility options | DMCC Flexi desk, Office, Retail | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Flexi desk, Office, Warehouse, Industrial |
| Visa options | DMCC Not published: Not published | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Not published: Not published |
| Remote paperwork | DMCC No | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Yes |
| Activity guides catalogued | DMCC Not published: Not published | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Not published: Not published |
| Next step | Explore DMCC | Explore Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone |
Check before choosing
Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone
Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case.
Read the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone guideAsk an assistant about this page: ChatGPT · Claude · Perplexity
FAQ
What does the Dubai address change?
DMCC licences carry a Dubai address in JLT; RAKEZ licences carry Ras Al Khaimah. For some clients and banks that matters; for others the facility range and package scope matter more.
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 Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone?
DMCC and Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone 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.