Your Dubai business, on one platform

If you're planning to open a company in the UAE, you've probably searched for the "best free zones." It sounds like a straightforward question. After all, there are more than 40 free zones across the UAE, each promoting fast company formation, tax advantages and business-friendly regulations.

If you're planning to open a company in Dubai, you'll quickly come across two options: a mainland company and a free zone company. Both structures allow you to own a business, obtain a UAE residence visa and operate from one of the world's most business-friendly environments. Yet they are often presented as two completely different paths. So which one should you choose?

For many entrepreneurs, the first question about Dubai is simple: "How much does it cost?"

For many people, Dubai represents a simple idea: a better life. Depending on who you ask, that better life might mean paying less tax, feeling safer, building a business more easily, or simply enjoying year-round sunshine. It's easy to understand why the city attracts so much attention.

For many entrepreneurs, opening a company is the first step towards building a new life in the UAE. It can give you access to a residence visa, an Emirates ID, corporate banking and one of the world's most attractive environments for international business.

If you're considering moving to Dubai, one of the first questions you'll ask is simple: How much does it actually cost to live there?