Cost Estimator

Cost Calculator

Step 1 of 119%

Choose your business activity to start your business setup cost estimate

This helps identify the location and license that best suits your company.

Expert Analysis

Estimates based on current DET and free zone fee schedules. Final costs are confirmed in your quotation.

Banking Ready

Every estimate includes essential corporate banking support.

Confidential

Your details are handled in line with our Privacy Policy.

At a Glance

Activity Cost Comparison

Activity Category	Approval Difficulty	Premises Required	Relative Setup Cost
1. Consultancies & Tech	Usually no external approval	Virtual / Flexi-Desk	$
2. Commercial Trading	Low / Customs Only	Office or Warehouse	$$
3. Food & Beverage (F&B)	High (Municipality)	Retail / Commercial Kitchen	$$$
4. Healthcare & Beauty	High (DHA / Health Dept)	Specialized Clinical/Salon	$$$
5. Contracting & Real Estate	High (Engineering/RERA)	Physical Office	$$$
6. Industrial & Manufacturing	Very High (Civil Defense)	Factory / Industrial Plot	$$$$
7. Financial & Crypto	Extremely High (VARA/CBUAE)	Regulated Commercial Office	$$$$$
8. Tourism & Media	Moderate (DET/Media Council)	Commercial Office	$$$

Detailed Insights

Cost Drivers & Approvals by Activity

1. Professional Consultancies & Digital Services

Budget LevelLow

Activities Included:

Management Consulting, IT & Software, Marketing/PR, HR, Graphic Design, Legal Advisory, Accounting.

Primary Cost Drivers:

Flexi-desk / Virtual Office eligible (lowest Ejari rent).
Fast-track processing with zero external government approvals.

External Approvals Needed:

None (standard DET / Free Zone approval only).

2. Commercial Trading, E-Commerce & Retail

Budget LevelModerate

Activities Included:

General Trading, Goods-Specific Trading (Garments, Electronics, Auto Parts), E-Commerce, Import/Export, Wholesale.

Primary Cost Drivers:

Customs Code registration (approximate; confirm with us).
Foreign Trade Name fee for non-Arabic names (approximate; confirm with us).
Warehouse or retail shop Ejari depending on inventory size.

External Approvals Needed:

Dubai Customs (post-issuance).

3. Food, Beverage & Cloud Kitchens

Budget LevelHigh (Operational & Fit-Out heavy)

Activities Included:

Restaurants, Cafes, Food Trucks, Cloud Kitchens, Catering, Foodstuff Trading.

Primary Cost Drivers:

Layout blueprint approvals & physical site inspections.
Specialized shop/kitchen fit-out costs & grease trap installations.
Staff Occupational Health Screenings & Food Handler Permits.

External Approvals Needed:

Dubai Municipality (Food Safety Department).

4. Healthcare, Beauty & Personal Care

Budget LevelHigh

Activities Included:

Medical Clinics, Pharmacies, Beauty Salons, Spas, Gyms, Fitness Studios.

Primary Cost Drivers:

Degree attestations, professional exams, and licensed medical staff.
Strict spatial and equipment compliance rules for premises.
Specialized disposal and health department permits.

External Approvals Needed:

Dubai Health Authority (DHA) / Ministry of Health (MOH) / Health & Safety Department.

5. Contracting, Engineering & Real Estate

Budget LevelHigh

Activities Included:

General Building Contracting, Civil Works, Interior Fit-Out, Real Estate Brokerage, Property Management, Maintenance.

Primary Cost Drivers:

Mandatory professional engineering exams & classification levels.
High labor quota requirements and MOHRE bank guarantees.
RERA broker registration and exam fees.

External Approvals Needed:

Dubai Municipality (Engineering Dept) / RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority).

6. Industrial, Manufacturing & Heavy Logistics

Budget LevelVery High

Activities Included:

Factories, Assembly Plants, Packaging, Material Processing, Freight Forwarding, Heavy Transport.

Primary Cost Drivers:

Large operational footprint required (Industrial Plot or Commercial Warehouse Ejari).
High power/utility allocations and safety compliance.

External Approvals Needed:

UAE Civil Defense, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), Environmental Authorities.

7. Financial Services, Crypto & Investment Holdings

Budget LevelHighest Regulatory Tier

Activities Included:

Crypto/Digital Assets, Investment Holdings, SPVs, Asset Management, Proprietary Trading, Payment Gateways.

Primary Cost Drivers:

High minimum paid-up capital requirements.
Heavy Anti-Money Laundering (AML/CFT) compliance setup and audits.
Specialized legal structuring and escrow accounts.

External Approvals Needed:

VARA (Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority) / Central Bank of the UAE / DFSA / ADGM.

8. Tourism, Media & Event Management

Budget LevelModerate to High

Activities Included:

Travel Agencies, Tour Operators, Film/TV Production, Photography, Event Management, Publishing, Holiday Homes.

Primary Cost Drivers:

Specialized activity permits and ticketing platform integrations.
Mandatory bank guarantees for inbound/outbound travel operators.
Filming location permits and media distribution clearances.

External Approvals Needed:

Department of Economy and Tourism (DET Tourism division) / UAE Media Council.