License cost is about ~4k per year

Total initial costs could be about 10-15k

Yes I agree those fees are actually a hidden tax, but it totally depends on your revenue, at some point you can save a lot on corporate and personal taxes.

Don't you still have to pay taxes in your country of citizenship?

Typically where you have your tax residence (where you live), but that also depends on the treaties between the two countries.

Tax based on citizenship is a concept unique to the United States and one African country. It is unheard of in the rest of the world’s tax systems.

From a quick search:

As a rule, Free Zone licenses must be renewed every one to three years, and generally range in cost between 2700 to 13000 USD.

I don't know if that's accurate or not though.

this is true, you need to renew it. Example cost for IFZA: 1 year license $4150 2 year license $8165

The setup fee is so high, that it's basically an exchange for the taxes haha! I also understand I need to pay around 90 days there.

> I also understand I need to [stay] around 90 days there.

UAE doesn't seem to care in practice, unless you need them to issue you a tax certificate. Your issue there is more with not attracting tax residency in other jurisdictions, and being able to say "I can't be resident in [Canada/Australia/other country with fuzzy rules] because I live in UAE"

Honestly, I think my biggest problem with the UAE is that I am Israeli, and while the situation with Israel and the UAE us good now, how knows what will happen in a few years from now

Yeah, I get your point. Personally, as an Emirati resident (with no other ties to UAE or Israel) I'd see it getting better over time rather than worse, but we're living in interesting times.

Free zones are great but last I checked (around Jun) you will need to travel to Dubai every 6 months to keep your PR/Emirates ID active, if you don't intend to live there.