Dubai Media City or Shams
Compare Dubai Media City, the TECOM district for broadcast, publishing, advertising and production, with Sharjah Media City, aimed at media freelancers and service licences. Both serve media businesses at different scales.
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 Media City and Sharjah Media City, 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 Media CityFree zone | Sharjah Media CityFree zone |
|---|---|---|
| From, one visa | Dubai Media City Not published: Not published | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Lowest package price | Dubai Media City Not published: Not published | Sharjah Media City AED 6,875 starting price |
| Licence issued in | Dubai Media City 0–10 business days DDA states provisional approval within 10 working days. | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Residency visa in | Dubai Media City Not published: Not published | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Renewal price | Dubai Media City Not published: Not published | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Licence types | Dubai Media City Media, Advertising, Production-related | Sharjah Media City Media, Freelance, Services, E-commerce |
| Facility options | Dubai Media City Office, Studios, Campus facilities | Sharjah Media City Flexi desk, Office |
| Visa options | Dubai Media City Not published: Not published | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Remote paperwork | Dubai Media City No | Sharjah Media City Yes |
| Activity guides catalogued | Dubai Media City Not published: Not published | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Next step | Explore Dubai Media City | Explore Sharjah Media City |
Check before choosing
Dubai Media City
Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case.
Read the Dubai Media City guideSharjah Media City
Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case.
Read the Sharjah Media City guideAsk an assistant about this page: ChatGPT · Claude · Perplexity
FAQ
Who licenses each zone?
Dubai Media City is licensed through the Dubai Development Authority as part of TECOM. Shams is licensed by Sharjah Media City. The emirate on the licence and the facility range differ.
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 Media City or Sharjah Media City?
No like-for-like starting price is published for Dubai Media City and Sharjah Media City, 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.