# Dubai Setup Index

> Sourced, dated guides to setting up a company in Dubai and the UAE: 43 free zones, the Dubai mainland (DET) route, business activities by free zone, setup cost estimates and route comparisons. Every figure is dated and linked to its source; unpublished facts are marked as such, never estimated.

Use it to choose between UAE free zones and the Dubai mainland, check whether a business activity is listed and what it requires, and estimate setup costs with every unknown kept explicit. Not for regulated financial services, crypto or construction, and not legal, tax or immigration advice.

Every page answers in markdown when requested with `Accept: text/markdown`, or at https://dubaisetupindex.com/md/<path>.

## Start here

- [Free zones](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones): every zone covered, with starting prices
- [Dubai mainland](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland): official licence estimates, activity scopes, process
- [Business activities](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities): which free zones and mainland list an activity
- [Compare routes](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare): side-by-side comparisons
- [How company setup works](https://dubaisetupindex.com/how-it-works): the five stages and their published durations
- [Methodology](https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology): how every figure is classified and dated

## Free zones

- [Abu Dhabi Airports Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/abu-dhabi-airports): Abu Dhabi
- [ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/adgm): Abu Dhabi
- [Ajman Free Zone (AFZ)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ajman): Ajman
- [Ajman Media City Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ajman-media-city): Ajman
- [Creative City Free Zone (Fujairah)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/creative-city-fujairah): Fujairah
- [Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dafza): Dubai
- [DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/difc): Dubai
- [DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc): Dubai
- [Dubai Auto Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-auto-zone): Dubai
- [Dubai CommerCity](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-commercity): Dubai
- [Dubai Design District (d3)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-design-district): Dubai
- [Dubai Healthcare City](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-healthcare-city): Dubai
- [Dubai International Academic City](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-international-academic-city): Dubai
- [Dubai Internet City](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-internet-city): Dubai
- [Dubai Knowledge Park](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-knowledge-park): Dubai
- [Dubai Maritime City](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-maritime-city): Dubai
- [Dubai Media City](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-media-city): Dubai
- [Dubai Outsource City](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-outsource-city): Dubai
- [Dubai Production City](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-production-city): Dubai
- [Dubai Science Park](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-science-park): Dubai
- [Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-silicon-oasis): Dubai
- [Dubai South Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-south): Dubai
- [Dubai Studio City](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-studio-city): Dubai
- [Dubai Textile City](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-textile-city): Dubai
- [Dubai World Trade Centre Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dubai-world-trade-centre): Dubai
- [Expo City Dubai Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/expo-city-dubai): Dubai
- [Fujairah Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/fujairah-free-zone): Fujairah
- [Gold and Diamond Park](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/gold-and-diamond-park): Dubai
- [Hamriyah Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/hamriyah): Sharjah
- [IFZA (International Free Zone Authority)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza): Dubai
- [Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/jafza): Dubai
- [Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/kezad): Abu Dhabi
- [Masdar City Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/masdar-city): Abu Dhabi
- [Meydan Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan): Dubai
- [RAK DAO (Digital Assets Oasis)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/rak-dao): Ras Al Khaimah
- [RAK Maritime City](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/rak-maritime-city): Ras Al Khaimah
- [Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/rakez): Ras Al Khaimah
- [Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/saif): Sharjah
- [Sharjah Media City (Shams)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/shams): Sharjah
- [Sharjah Healthcare City](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/sharjah-healthcare-city): Sharjah
- [Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/spc): Sharjah
- [Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/srtip): Sharjah
- [Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/uaq-ftz): Umm Al Quwain

## Comparisons

- [IFZA or Ajman Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/ifza-vs-ajman)
- [Free zone or Dubai mainland](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/free-zone-vs-mainland)
- [IFZA or Dubai mainland](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/ifza-vs-dubai-mainland)
- [Ajman Free Zone or Dubai mainland](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/ajman-vs-dubai-mainland)

## Founders by country

- [Australia](https://dubaisetupindex.com/from/australia)
- [Belgium](https://dubaisetupindex.com/from/belgium)
- [Canada](https://dubaisetupindex.com/from/canada)
- [Czechia](https://dubaisetupindex.com/from/czechia)
- [France](https://dubaisetupindex.com/from/france)
- [Germany](https://dubaisetupindex.com/from/germany)
- [Netherlands](https://dubaisetupindex.com/from/netherlands)
- [Poland](https://dubaisetupindex.com/from/poland)
- [Slovakia](https://dubaisetupindex.com/from/slovakia)
- [Spain](https://dubaisetupindex.com/from/spain)
- [United Kingdom](https://dubaisetupindex.com/from/united-kingdom)

## For agents

- [MCP server](https://dubaisetupindex.com/docs/mcp): 16 read-only tools at https://dubaisetupindex.com/api/mcp, OAuth 2.1
- [Skill](https://dubaisetupindex.com/skill.md): when to use this site and how to quote it
- [Full reference](https://dubaisetupindex.com/llms-full.txt): skill, MCP reference and methodology in one file
- [OpenAPI](https://dubaisetupindex.com/openapi.json): the JSON records, no key needed
- [Free zone index (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/free-zones.json)
- [Activity search index (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/search-index.json)
- [Sitemap](https://dubaisetupindex.com/sitemap.xml)

## Quoting rules

1. A starting price is the cheapest published package for one visa count and term. It is not the cost of setting up a company. Say what it includes.
2. Compare like with like: same visa count, same licence term, same inclusions. The Dubai mainland estimate is licence fees only and is priced by owners, not visas — never set it against a free-zone package as if they were the same thing.
3. An unknown stays unknown. A fact returned as `{ "kind": "unknown" }` or "Not published" was checked and not found; do not estimate, average or fill it, and do not add up a total around it.
4. Estimator subtotals are known components only. Quote `pricedSubtotalAed` with its exclusions and unresolved lines; `selectedTotalAed` is null whenever anything is unknown, and the full first-year total is always null.
5. A setup route from the chooser or a comparison is a possible route, not confirmed eligibility. The exact activity, premises and approvals decide.
6. Cite with the record's `attribution.citation` (or the Citation block of a markdown page). The link is not optional, and keep the page's updated date with the figure.
7. This is directory information, not legal, tax or immigration advice.