Consulting needs no warehouse or stock — so the cheapest zones win. Ajman, SRTIP and IFZA compared.
Consulting is one of the cheapest companies to set up in the UAE because it needs no warehouse, stock or special approvals — so the lowest-cost zones win. The best value for consultants is Ajman NuVentures Centre (from AED 4,888) and SRTIP in Sharjah (from AED 5,500); for a Dubai address, IFZA (from AED 12,900) is the most popular consulting zone, with Meydan (from AED 12,500) close behind.
| Free zone | From (all-in) | Why it works for consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Ajman NuVentures Centre | AED 4,888 | Cheapest UAE licence; professional / consulting activities; flexi-desk included |
| SRTIP (Sharjah) | AED 5,500 | Low cost; strong for tech, management and R&D consulting |
| IFZA (Dubai) | AED 12,900 | Dubai's most popular consulting zone; wide professional activity list |
| Meydan (Dubai) | AED 12,500 | Dubai address; management and advisory activities |
Real all-in catalogue prices (2026). Consulting and advisory activities are available across all of these; confirm your exact specialism against the zone's activity list, which Formenzo checks free.
Only if your clients expect a Dubai address. A consulting licence from Ajman or Sharjah is valid UAE-wide, invoices UAE and international clients, and costs a third of Dubai. Many consultants start cheap (Ajman/SRTIP) and move to a Dubai zone only once the brand benefit is worth the premium.
For most consultants, Ajman at AED 4,888 or SRTIP at AED 5,500 gives you everything you need at the lowest cost; choose IFZA in Dubai if the address matters. Add one visa for banking. Compare all 9 zones — all-in, in writing, no sales calls.
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For most consultants the best value is Ajman (AED 4,888) or SRTIP in Sharjah (AED 5,500), since consulting needs no warehouse or stock. For a Dubai address, IFZA (AED 12,900) is the most popular consulting zone.
A consulting or professional licence starts from AED 4,888 all-in (Ajman) for a zero-visa licence; add about AED 6,000–11,000 for your first residence visa. Dubai consulting zones start around AED 12,500.
No. Most free-zone consulting packages include a flexi-desk that meets the licensing requirement, so you don't need to rent a separate office.
Yes — management, IT, marketing and similar consultancy activities are available across most UAE free zones. Confirm your exact specialism against the zone's activity list, which Formenzo checks free.
Only if clients expect a Dubai address. A consulting licence from Ajman or Sharjah is valid UAE-wide and costs a third of Dubai — many consultants start there and move up later.
