The Cost Difference Between Al Reem and Al Maryah Offices

When founders ask us why an ADGM office on Al Reem costs noticeably less than the same thing on Al Maryah, they sometimes suspect a catch — a hidden compromise on status or service. There isn't one. The price gap comes down to something far more ordinary: supply and demand. Al Maryah is a small, premium, fully-built core; Al Reem brought a large amount of new office space into the jurisdiction in 2023. More space, gentler prices. This article puts real figures on the table and shows why most firms need less square footage than they assume.

The driver is supply, not quality

Al Maryah Island is ADGM's original home and a tight premium district. There is only so much floor space, demand for it is high, and rents reflect scarcity. When Al Reem joined ADGM in April 2023, the jurisdiction gained roughly 500,000 square metres of additional office space in one move. That fresh inventory does what fresh inventory always does: it relieves pressure on price. You are not paying less because you are getting less ADGM — you are paying less because there is more room to go around.

The numbers, plainly stated

We believe in showing rather than hand-waving, so here is how the two islands compare for the common workspace types:

• Dedicated desk, Al Maryah: roughly AED 3,500 per month (market range about 3,500 to 4,000).
• Dedicated desk, Al Reem (MY Coworking): AED 1,200 per month.
• Private office, Al Maryah: from around AED 5,000 per month.
• Private office, Al Reem: quoted by team size, reliably below the Al Maryah figure.
• Day pass, Al Reem: AED 100 per day for flexible use.

On a single desk, the annual gap is about AED 27,600 — and that is for an identical ADGM licence, the same law, the same regulator and the same courts. For the full legal side-by-side, see our comparison of Al Reem versus Al Maryah.

You probably need less space than you think

The biggest cost mistake we see is over-buying space out of habit. People picture a company and picture a private office, when ADGM's actual requirement is usually far more modest. The registered-office rule is about having a legitimate ADGM presence, not about square metres. A great many operating companies and tech startups satisfy it with a single dedicated desk. SPVs need no desk at all. Only certain entity types — FSRA-regulated firms, family offices, law and accounting practices — genuinely need a private office.

So before you compare an Al Maryah office against an Al Reem office, ask whether you need an office at all, or whether a desk does the job. Choosing a desk over an unnecessary private room often saves more than choosing the cheaper island. We unpack the workspace tiers in our guide to ADGM office costs for desks and private offices.

A worked example: the real annual difference

Take a three-person firm that genuinely needs everyone in the office most days. On Al Maryah, three desks at AED 3,500 come to AED 10,500 a month, or AED 126,000 a year. The same three desks with us on Al Reem cost AED 3,600 a month, or AED 43,200 a year. That is a difference of roughly AED 82,800 in a single year — enough to fund a meaningful chunk of a fourth salary.

Now suppose that firm realises two of its three people are usually client-facing and out of the office. It might take one desk and use day passes for the others as needed, trimming the bill further while still holding a valid ADGM registered office. The flexibility to right-size like this is precisely what newer flexible space on Al Reem allows.

What you are not paying extra for

It is worth being explicit about what the lower Al Reem price does not cost you:

• It does not buy you a weaker licence — the licence is identical.
• It does not change your legal protections — English common law applies the same way.
• It does not affect your regulator — the FSRA supervises the whole jurisdiction.
• It does not dilute your address — counterparties and banks see an ADGM address either way.

If the cheapest possible compliant address is your priority, our piece on the cheapest way to get an ADGM address takes the cost logic to its conclusion.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Al Reem cheaper if the ADGM status is the same?

Because Al Reem has more office supply. The 2023 expansion added around 500,000 square metres to the jurisdiction, while Al Maryah remains a tight premium core. The status is identical; the supply curve is not.

Are the Al Reem prices going to rise to Al Maryah levels?

We cannot predict the market, but the large supply added in 2023 gives Al Reem structural headroom that Al Maryah lacks. That is the underlying reason the gap exists, and it is not a temporary promotion.

Do I save more by choosing the cheaper island or by choosing a desk over an office?

Often the second. If your licence allows a desk rather than a private office, choosing the desk can save more than the island choice alone. Doing both — a desk on Al Reem — gives you the lowest compliant cost.

Are there hidden fees that erase the saving?

No. The desk and office figures are the workspace cost. Government and licence fees are set by ADGM and are the same regardless of island, so they do not eat into the Al Reem saving.

Talk to MY Coworking

Want a clear, no-surprises quote for your ADGM workspace on Al Reem? Tell us your team size and licence type, and we will price exactly the space you need.

We're on Al Reem Island — 2312 Addax Tower, City of Lights, Abu Dhabi. Email contact@mycoworking.ae to book a tour or get a same-day quote.