Compare Dubai Studio City vs Fujairah Creative City

Dubai Studio City
More Affordable
VerifiedDubaiFree Zone

Dubai Studio City

The Verdict

Starts from AED 7,500 (Mid-Range) — best for Film, TV, broadcast, and media production companies seeking specialized infrastructure and a dedicated industry ecosystem..

Starting From
AED 7,500
Setup Time
2 days
Fujairah Creative City
VerifiedFujairahFree Zone

Fujairah Creative City

The Verdict

Starts from AED 19,600 (Mid-Range) — best for Media, creative, and consulting professionals who value a simple, all-inclusive package with flexi-desk facilities..

Starting From
AED 19,600
Setup Time
2 days

Feature Comparison

A comprehensive side-by-side analysis of key metrics.

Starting From
AED 7,500
Starting From
AED 19,600
Price Positioning
Mid-Range
Price Positioning
Mid-Range
Visa Cost (All-in)
AED 5,620
Visa Cost (All-in)
AED 3,922
Health Insurance/yr
AED 800
Health Insurance/yr
AED 1,000
Setup Time
2 days
Setup Time
2 days
Remote Setup
Yes
Remote Setup
Yes
Bank Account Help
Yes
Bank Account Help
Yes
UAE Pass
Yes
UAE Pass
No
Max Visas (No Office)
0
Max Visas (No Office)
15
Golden Visa
Yes
Golden Visa
Yes
Dependent Sponsorship
Yes
Dependent Sponsorship
Yes
QFZP (0% Tax)
Yes
QFZP (0% Tax)
No
Corporate Tax 9%
Yes
Corporate Tax 9%
Yes
Audit Required
Required upon renewal
Audit Required
Optional
Total Activities
49
Total Activities
77
Mixed Activities
No
Mixed Activities
Yes

Cost Scenarios

Pre-computed year 1 and renewal costs for common business setups

Dubai Studio City

Year 1 Total

AED 7,500

Save AED 12,100

Annual Renewal

AED 7,500

Fujairah Creative City

Year 1 Total

AED 19,600

Annual Renewal

AED 17,500

Detailed Breakdown

license and registrationAED 7,500
facilityAED 0
government feesAED 0
third party servicesAED 0

Detailed Breakdown

license and registrationAED 19,600
facilityAED 0
government feesAED 0
third party servicesAED 0

License Packages

Pre-bundled business packages offered by each zone

Dubai Studio City

2 Packages
Most Popular

GoFreelance Package

Starter Tier

Annual Cost

AED 7,500

0 Visas Included
3 Activities
Flexi Desk
Access to co-working spaces Access to industry networking events

NoteThis is a permit for individual freelancers. To get a visa, an Establishment Card (AED 2000) and visa fees must be paid separately.

SME / FZ-LLC Package (Estimated)

Standard Tier

Annual Cost

Custom

2 Visas Included
1 Activities
Private Office

NoteDubai Studio City does not publicly advertise bundled company packages with fixed prices. Costs are calculated based on individual fees for license, registration, and office lease. This is an illustrative example.

Fujairah Creative City

3 Packages
Most Popular

Freelancer

Starter Tier

Annual Cost

AED 17,500

2 Visas Included
5 Activities
Flexi Desk
Company Stamp Flexi-desk facility usage Corporate documents

NoteIdeal for individual professionals and freelancers. The establishment card is included but its government fee is separate.

Baby Business

Standard Tier

Annual Cost

AED 21,500

4 Visas Included
5 Activities
Flexi Desk
Company Stamp Flexi-desk facility usage Corporate documents

NoteSuitable for small startups planning to hire a few employees.

Business Pro

Premium Tier

Annual Cost

AED 25,000

6 Visas Included
5 Activities
Flexi Desk
Company Stamp Flexi-desk facility usage Corporate documents

NoteAimed at established SMEs with a small team.

Who Wins Where?

A definitive category-by-category verdict based on real-time data and specific business priorities.

Dubai Studio City

Budget Priorities

Dubai Studio City offers a lower starting price point at AED 7,500

Fujairah Creative City

Setup Speed

Fujairah Creative City typically processes new licenses in ~2 days

Fujairah Creative City

Visa Capacity

Fujairah Creative City allows up to 15 visas without requiring a physical office space

Dubai Studio City

Tax Optimization

Dubai Studio City is officially QFZP eligible

Tie

Brand Prestige

Both offer highly competitive, standard market positioning

Tie

Lean Startups

Mixed results — each jurisdiction has specific cost vs speed trade-offs

Detailed Feature Breakdown

Expand each category for an exhaustive side-by-side comparison

Agricultural License
No
Agricultural License
No
Commercial Trade License
Yes
Commercial Trade License
Yes
Crypto Virtual Assets License
No
Crypto Virtual Assets License
No
E Commerce E Trader License
Yes
E Commerce E Trader License
Yes
Freelance Permit
Yes
Freelance Permit
Yes
General Trading License
No
General Trading License
Yes
Holding Company License
Yes
Holding Company License
Yes
Industrial Manufacturing License
Yes
Industrial Manufacturing License
No
Innovation And Tech License
Yes
Innovation And Tech License
Yes
Professional Services Consultancy License
Yes
Professional Services Consultancy License
Yes
Tourism Hospitality License
No
Tourism Hospitality License
Yes

About Each Zone

Executive summaries and competitive positioning

Dubai Studio City

Dubai Studio City targets companies and professionals in the broadcasting, film production, television, music, and entertainment industries. Its primary investor profile includes major international production houses, local filmmakers, sound and post-production studios, and industry freelancers. The zone is known for having the largest sound stages in the region, attracting large-scale film and TV productions.

Key Advantages

Home to the region's largest sound stages and backlots, purpose-built for major Hollywood and Bollywood productions.
A complete, clustered ecosystem providing the entire content creation value chain, from production to post-production and broadcasting.
Benefit from 100% foreign ownership, 0% personal income tax, and full repatriation of profits and capital under a stable TECOM framework.
Access state-of-the-art, tech-advanced production facilities and infrastructure designed to support the industry's future.
Ideal Target

Film, TV, broadcast, and media production companies seeking specialized infrastructure and a dedicated industry ecosystem.

Fujairah Creative City

Fujairah Creative City targets a wide range of creative, media, events, and consulting industries. Its primary investor profile consists of freelancers, startups, and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking a low-cost, flexible, and remote setup without the need for a physical office in the UAE. It is particularly popular for service-based and digital businesses.

Key Advantages

Most Cost-Effective Entry Point: Launch your business with one of the lowest setup and renewal costs in the UAE, with zero-visa packages starting at just AED 14,500.
Zero Bureaucracy, Maximum Freedom: Skip the red tape with no mandatory paid-up share capital, no required business plan, and no compulsory annual financial audits.
100% Remote Setup & Operation: Complete your entire company formation from anywhere in the world without visiting the UAE. A physical office is never required.
Unmatched Flexibility: Combine up to five diverse business activities—from consulting to e-commerce—on a single license without significant extra charges.
Ideal Target

Media, creative, and consulting professionals who value a simple, all-inclusive package with flexi-desk facilities.

Things to Watch Out For

Hidden costs and common objections — with honest rebuttals

Dubai Studio City

Hidden Costs
Minimum share capital of AED 50,000 must be shown, but not always required to be deposited.
Visa costs are separate from freelance permits.
Office lease costs are the largest variable and are not included in base license fees.

Fujairah Creative City

Hidden Costs
In-country status change fee if not entering on a new permit
Health insurance costs can vary significantly
Requirement to rent a physical office separately if flexi-desk is not sufficient

Ask The Experts

Common questions answered transparently with real data

Dubai Studio City is currently more affordable for initial setup, with entry packages starting from AED 7,500. In the broader market context, Dubai Studio City is officially positioned as "Mid-Range".

Fujairah Creative City typically processes new trade licenses faster, averaging around 2 days for issuance from the time of application submission. Furthermore, for Fujairah Creative City, fully remote company setup is natively supported, meaning you do not need to be physically present in the UAE.

Dubai Studio 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 Creative City: Subject to standard 9% UAE corporate tax on taxable income exceeding AED 375,000.

Dubai Studio City: Yes, the jurisdiction provides direct support channels and streamlined processing for eligible investors seeking a 10-year Golden Visa. Fujairah Creative City: Yes, the jurisdiction provides direct support channels and streamlined processing for eligible investors seeking a 10-year Golden Visa.

Film, TV, broadcast, and media production companies seeking specialized infrastructure and a dedicated industry ecosystem.

Media, creative, and consulting professionals who value a simple, all-inclusive package with flexi-desk facilities.