JAFZA vs Meydan Free Zone: Premium vs Value
Setting JAFZA against Meydan Free Zone is really a question of what you're optimising for. Both grant full foreign ownership, VAT registration, and residence visas; the differences are cost, banking, and fit. Meydan Free Zone's Year 1 minimum is AED 15,750 against JAFZA's AED 30,000 — a gap of AED 14,250 (90%) before you add visas or office space. JAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA North & South)) sits in Dubai as a Tier 1, premium zone. Year 1 starts around AED 30,000, banking is rated moderate (~14 days to open an account), and the visa cap is 200. It's built for manufacturing, logistics, and large-scale trading companies requiring port access and extensive warehousing. Meydan Free Zone (Meydan Free Zone) sits in Dubai as a Tier 2, budget zone. Year 1 starts around AED 15,750, banking is rated moderate (~21 days to open an account), and the visa cap is 50. It's built for E-commerce, trading, and service SMEs seeking a cost-effective Dubai base with broad activity options.
JAFZA
Dubai · Tier 1
Manufacturers, logistics operators, re-exporters and large-scale trading companies that need port-adjacent warehousing, industrial land or factory space with bonded customs status.
Meydan Free Zone
Dubai · Tier 2
Solo founders, e-commerce sellers, consultants and small trading/services SMEs wanting the cheapest credible Dubai-government free zone with instant digital setup and a Meydan/Nad Al Sheba address.
Visual comparison
Six-dimension scoring
Scores are 0–100 normalized across all UAE & GCC zones. Higher is better on every axis. Cost is scored so cheaper = higher. See methodology.
Choose JAFZA if…
- ✓You'll hire and scale headcount — JAFZA allows up to 200 visas vs Meydan Free Zone's 50
- ✓You want a Tier 1 free zone address — the kind banks, investors, and enterprise buyers recognise on sight
- ✓JAFZA's premium-tier ecosystem and brand recognition are worth the higher fee for the buyers you're targeting
- ✓JAFZA is purpose-built for manufacturing, logistics, and large-scale trading companies requiring port access and extensive warehousing
Choose Meydan Free Zone if…
- ✓Year 1 cost matters — Meydan Free Zone opens at AED 15,750 vs JAFZA's AED 30,000, a AED 14,250 head start that compounds every renewal
- ✓Renewals stay lean — Meydan Free Zone renews at AED 10,500 a year vs JAFZA's AED 20,000, a saving that recurs for the life of the company
- ✓You'd rather not lock up cash — Meydan Free Zone's minimum bank deposit is AED 20,000 vs JAFZA's AED 50,000
- ✓You'd rather avoid a mandatory annual audit — Meydan Free Zone doesn't require one; JAFZA does
- ✓Meydan Free Zone is purpose-built for E-commerce, trading, and service SMEs seeking a cost-effective Dubai base with broad activity options
Our Verdict
Default to Meydan Free Zone — at AED 15,750 in Year 1 it's the lower-risk starting point for most founders. JAFZA earns its AED 14,250 premium when you specifically need a higher visa ceiling or a Tier 1 address; if that edge isn't decisive for your business, the saving is better spent on growth. Use the scored comparison below to pressure-test the call against your own activity, visa count, and banking needs.
Frequently asked questions
Is JAFZA or Meydan Free Zone cheaper to set up?
Meydan Free Zone is cheaper. Its Year 1 minimum is AED 15,750 against JAFZA's AED 30,000 — a gap of AED 14,250 before visas or office. Both figures are entry minimums; adding visas and dedicated space narrows or widens the gap depending on package.
Is banking easier at JAFZA or Meydan Free Zone?
Both are rated moderate for corporate banking, so neither has a structural edge here. Your activity, ownership structure, and source-of-funds documentation will matter more than the zone itself.
How many visas can I get with JAFZA or Meydan Free Zone?
JAFZA allows up to 200 visas and Meydan Free Zone up to 50. Most zones tie the practical number to your office type — a flexi-desk supports only a handful, while a dedicated office unlocks the higher cap.
Do JAFZA and Meydan Free Zone both qualify for 0% corporate tax?
Yes — both are Qualifying Free Zone Persons (QFZP), so genuinely qualifying income is taxed at 0% under the UAE's 9% corporate-tax regime, provided you keep adequate substance and meet the qualifying-income tests. Non-qualifying income (for example mainland-sourced revenue) is taxed at 9% in either zone, so tax treatment isn't a differentiator between them.
Can I move from JAFZA to Meydan Free Zone later?
Not as a transfer — UAE free zone licences don't migrate between zones. You'd close the first entity and incorporate fresh in the second, which means dissolution costs, re-onboarding your bank, and moving any visas. It's cleaner to pick the right zone up front, or to run two entities deliberately if you genuinely need both.