Dubai Design District or Meydan Free Zone
Compare Dubai Design District and Meydan Free Zone 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.
No like-for-like starting price is published for Dubai Design District, so the cost side of this comparison is open. 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 | Dubai Design DistrictFree zone | Meydan Free ZoneFree zone |
|---|---|---|
| From, one visa | Dubai Design District Not published: Not published | Meydan Free Zone AED 19,870 12 months · calculator output |
| Lowest package price | Dubai Design District Not published: Not published | Meydan Free Zone AED 12,520 12 months · calculator output |
| Licence issued in | Dubai Design District 0–10 business days DDA states provisional approval within 10 working days. | Meydan Free Zone 24 hours Regular: typically within 24 hours, conditional |
| Residency visa in | Dubai Design District Not published: Not published | Meydan Free Zone 5–7 business days Visa processing typically takes five to seven working days after company incorporation. |
| Renewal price | Dubai Design District Not published: Not published | Meydan Free Zone Not published: Not published |
| Licence types | Dubai Design District Design, Fashion, Creative services | Meydan Free Zone Commercial, Professional |
| Facility options | Dubai Design District Office, Showroom, Studio | Meydan Free Zone Flexi desk, Office |
| Visa options | Dubai Design District Not published: Not published | Meydan Free Zone Employment visas, priced in the official calculator for zero to two visas 1 moreShow less
|
| Remote paperwork | Dubai Design District No | Meydan Free Zone Yes |
| Activity guides catalogued | Dubai Design District Not published: Not published | Meydan Free Zone Not published: Not published |
| Next step | Explore Dubai Design District | Start with Meydan Free Zone |
Check before choosing
Dubai Design District
Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case.
Read the Dubai Design District guideMeydan Free Zone
- Warehouse, land or industrial operations that need physical premises
- Companies with several owners that want the Fawri route, which needs one person in every role
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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, Dubai Design District or Meydan Free Zone?
No like-for-like starting price is published for Dubai Design District, so the cost side of this comparison is open. 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.