RAKEZ or Shams
Compare two Northern Emirates zones often shortlisted on cost: RAKEZ, with facilities from desks to industrial sites in Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah Media City, focused on media and service licences.
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 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 | Ras Al Khaimah Economic ZoneFree zone | Sharjah Media CityFree zone |
|---|---|---|
| From, one visa | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone AED 14,000 12 months · promotion | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Lowest package price | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone AED 6,000 12 months · starting price | Sharjah Media City AED 6,875 starting price |
| Licence issued in | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone 1–3 business days The current service catalogue gives a 1-3-working-day target for business setup. | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Residency visa in | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Not published: Not published | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Renewal price | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone AED 14,000 The current all-inclusive SME promotion promises the same AED 14,000 annual renewal price. | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Licence types | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Commercial, Professional, Industrial, Freelance | Sharjah Media City Media, Freelance, Services, E-commerce |
| Facility options | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Flexi desk, Office, Warehouse, Industrial | Sharjah Media City Flexi desk, Office |
| Visa options | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Not published: Not published | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Remote paperwork | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Yes | Sharjah Media City Yes |
| Activity guides catalogued | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Not published: Not published | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Next step | Explore Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone | Explore Sharjah Media City |
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 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
Which has more facility options?
RAKEZ publishes a wider range, from flexi-desks to warehouses and industrial facilities. Shams centres on desk-based media and service licences.
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, Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone or Sharjah Media City?
No like-for-like starting price is published for 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.