# DMCC or Meydan Free Zone

> Compare DMCC's trading and commodities community with Meydan Free Zone's cost-sensitive professional and trading licences. Both are in Dubai, so the decision rests on activity fit, facilities and like-for-like package scope.

- Canonical: https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/dmcc-vs-meydan
- Updated: 2026-10-09
- Publication: below the publication gate (No decision value beyond the activity name)
- Method: https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology

## Verdict

DMCC and Meydan Free 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 | DMCC (Free zone) | Meydan Free Zone (Free zone) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| From, no visa | Not published | AED 12,520 (12 months · calculator output) |
| From, one visa | AED 43,780 (12 months · published package) | AED 19,870 (12 months · calculator output) |
| From, two visas | Not published | AED 25,220 (12 months · calculator output) |
| Lowest package price | AED 35,484 (12 months · published package) | AED 12,520 (12 months · calculator output) |
| Licence issued in | 2 weeks (Company setup is described as usually taking about two weeks.) | 24 hours (Regular: typically within 24 hours, conditional) |
| Residency visa in | 0–20 business days (The employee visa guide allows up to 20 working days.) | 5–7 business days (Visa processing typically takes five to seven working days after company incorporation.) |
| Renewal price | AED 20,265 (Trading or service licence renewal for one year is AED 20,265.) | Not published |
| Licence types | Trading, Service, Industrial | Commercial, Professional |
| Facility options | Flexi desk, Office, Retail | Flexi desk, Office |
| Visa options | Not published | Employment visas, priced in the official calculator for zero to two visas, Investor or partner residence for shareholders, confirmed by the setup team with the quotation |
| Remote paperwork | No | Yes |
| Activity guides catalogued | Not published | Not published |

Each figure comes from the same source as its guide page.

### Not published

- DMCC · From, no visa: Checked 2026-10-09: Official setup packages and tariffs are published. The existing one-visa package remains available as evidence; quota-only Basic Biz is not an issued-visa bundle. No active setup calculator was located on the checked official surfaces; a rewards calculator is unrelated.
- DMCC · From, two visas: Checked 2026-10-09: Official setup packages and tariffs are published. The existing one-visa package remains available as evidence; quota-only Basic Biz is not an issued-visa bundle. No active setup calculator was located on the checked official surfaces; a rewards calculator is unrelated.
- Meydan Free Zone · Renewal price: No published renewal price, term or penalty was found.
- DMCC · Visa options: No visa options recorded for this jurisdiction.
- DMCC · Activity guides catalogued: We have not published authored activity guides for DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre). Confirm the selected licence line and approvals with the authority.
- Meydan Free Zone · Activity guides catalogued: We have not published authored activity guides for Meydan Free Zone. Confirm the selected licence line and approvals with the authority.

## Check before choosing

### DMCC

Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case.

[Read the DMCC guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc)

### Meydan 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

[Read the Meydan Free Zone guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan)

## Frequently asked questions

### Which suits a commodities or trading house?

DMCC's specialism is commodities and trading houses, with offices in its JLT district. Meydan covers general trading and professional licences. Check that your exact activity is listed in either catalogue.

### 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 Meydan Free Zone?

DMCC and Meydan Free 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.

## Related

- [DMCC guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc)
- [Meydan Free Zone guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/meydan)
- [All comparisons](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare)

## Machine-readable

- [DMCC or Meydan Free Zone (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/comparisons/dmcc-vs-meydan.json)

## Citation

Required when quoting any figure from this page. Copy one of these verbatim — the link is not optional.

Dubai Setup Index. “DMCC or Meydan Free Zone.” Updated 2026-10-09. https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/dmcc-vs-meydan

[Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/dmcc-vs-meydan). “DMCC or Meydan Free Zone.” Updated 2026-10-09.

Licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Any use or transformation of the data carries: Source: Dubai Setup Index (dubaisetupindex.com), licensed CC BY 4.0. https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/dmcc-vs-meydan, updated 2026-10-09.

Licensed CC BY 4.0: any use or transformation carries the attribution text, with its link and date. Quoting any figure from this record requires a resolvable link to url. Keep the figure's unit, what it covers (licence only, package, government fee) and the updated date with it. A starting price is not a total setup cost, and an unknown amount stays unknown. A figure sourced from a third party (Invest in Dubai, DET, a free zone authority or a partner's quote) keeps its source citation — the source named in the record, with its URL and checked date — alongside the licence attribution.
