SRTIP or Masdar City Free Zone — which is cheaper with 1 visa in 2026?

What sits behind the AED 5,000 gap

Package contents are identical — licence, government fees, setup service and one full visa block — so the difference is emirate and positioning. SRTIP prices a one-visa company at Sharjah levels, AED 12,500, while Masdar City's AED 17,500 carries the premium of an Abu Dhabi address inside a sustainability-focused district. The distance widens with headcount: AED 17,795 against AED 23,900 at two visas, and AED 26,035 against AED 42,750 at three.

Who picks which zone

SRTIP attracts engineering consultancies, hardware and prototyping start-ups, and technology-services firms that want a research-park licence at low cost — it is also where Formenzo itself is licensed. Masdar City draws renewable-energy consultants, ESG advisers and cleantech companies whose counterparties expect an Abu Dhabi footprint.

Two things founders ask

Can I live in Dubai with a visa from either zone? Yes. Both issue standard UAE residence visas valid nationwide; where the company is licensed does not restrict where you rent or live.

Does Masdar's higher price include anything extra? No — the scope of the two packages compared here is the same. The AED 5,000 buys location and cluster, not additional services or visa capacity.