Starts from AED 0 (Premium) — best for Maritime, shipping, and industrial companies requiring large-scale workshops, warehouses, or prime office space with direct port and dry-dock access..
Starts from AED 15,000 (Budget-Friendly Mainland) — best for Companies that need a mainland license for UAE wide trade at a lower cost than what Dubai or Abu Dhabi charge. Especially good for logistics, trading, maritime services, and manufacturing operations that benefit from the Indian Ocean port access..
A comprehensive side-by-side analysis of key metrics.
Pre-computed year 1 and renewal costs for common business setups
Year 1 Total
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Annual Renewal
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Year 1 Total
AED 17,500
Annual Renewal
AED 12,000
No breakdown available
Detailed Breakdown
A definitive category-by-category verdict based on real-time data and specific business priorities.
Fujairah Municipality offers a lower starting price point at AED 15000
Fujairah Municipality typically processes new licenses in ~14 days
Fujairah Municipality allows up to ? visas without requiring a physical office space
Dubai Maritime City is officially QFZP eligible
Dubai Maritime City carries a premium market perception and positioning
Fujairah Municipality wins for being both notably cheaper and consistently faster
Expand each category for an exhaustive side-by-side comparison
Executive summaries and competitive positioning
Dubai Maritime City targets the global maritime industry, focusing on sectors such as ship repair, yacht manufacturing, maritime services, and logistics. Its primary investor profile includes marine service providers, engineering firms, yacht and vessel manufacturers, repair and maintenance companies, and shipping and logistics operators seeking a strategic location with specialized infrastructure.
Key Advantages
Dubai Maritime City is the definitive choice for businesses core to the maritime industry—ship repair, yacht manufacturing, marine engineering, and shipping—that require purpose-built, specialized infrastructure and direct integration with a global port operator like DP World.
Businesses without a direct link to the maritime industry (e.g., general trading, media, IT services) and solo entrepreneurs, as the zone does not offer freelance permits and its costs are aligned with its specialized, capital-intensive facilities.
A Fujairah Municipality business setup is ideal for logistics, maritime services, and manufacturing. You get 100% foreign ownership for most commercial and industrial activities. The setup process is pretty straightforward and gives you full access to the entire UAE market without any restrictions. A Fujairah mainland license comes with significantly lower operating costs compared to Dubai or Abu Dhabi. It makes a lot of sense for startups or industrial companies that need a cost effective base but still want to operate anywhere in the country.
Key Advantages
Businesses in maritime services, logistics, manufacturing, and trading that require full UAE market access and want to leverage a unique strategic port on the Indian Ocean to gain a competitive edge in regional and global trade, all while benefiting from significantly lower operational costs than other emirates.
Tech startups seeking a dense innovation ecosystem, companies requiring a virtual office for a minimal presence, businesses dealing in crypto/virtual assets, or firms that depend on daily physical proximity to the commercial hubs of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Common questions answered transparently with real data
Fujairah Municipality is currently more affordable for initial setup, with entry packages starting from AED 15,000. In the broader market context, Fujairah Municipality is officially positioned as "Budget-Friendly Mainland".
Fujairah Municipality typically processes new trade licenses faster, averaging around 14 days for issuance from the time of application submission. Furthermore, for Fujairah Municipality, in-person visits or specific attestations may be required to complete the process.
Dubai Maritime City: Eligible for Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) status. This means you may benefit from a 0% corporate tax rate on qualifying income, provided you meet all economic substance requirements. Fujairah Municipality: Subject to standard 9% UAE corporate tax on taxable income exceeding AED 375,000.
Dubai Maritime City: Yes, the jurisdiction provides direct support channels and streamlined processing for eligible investors seeking a 10-year Golden Visa. Fujairah Municipality: Yes, the jurisdiction provides direct support channels and streamlined processing for eligible investors seeking a 10-year Golden Visa.
Dubai Maritime City is the definitive choice for businesses core to the maritime industry—ship repair, yacht manufacturing, marine engineering, and shipping—that require purpose-built, specialized infrastructure and direct integration with a global port operator like DP World.
Businesses in maritime services, logistics, manufacturing, and trading that require full UAE market access and want to leverage a unique strategic port on the Indian Ocean to gain a competitive edge in regional and global trade, all while benefiting from significantly lower operational costs than other emirates.
