UAE vs Turkey
UAE vs Turkey: procurement, logistics, tax & customs, industries — when to choose.
Comparison
| — | UAE (Dubai) | Turkey (Istanbul) |
|---|---|---|
| VAT | 5% (0% in free zones) | 20% (export 0%) |
| Lead time | 3-6 days | 4-8 days |
| Free zone | yes (DMCC, JAFZA, etc) | yes (many) |
| Trade access | GCC | EU Customs Union |
| Currency | AED | TRY |
| Ports | Jebel Ali, Khalifa, Sharjah | Istanbul, Mersin, Izmir |
| Sourcing cost | medium-high | low (best for textile/apparel) |
| Logistics cost | low (global hub) | low-medium |
| English level | very high | medium |
Procurement
UAE: finance, oil-gas, retail, tourism, logistics, real estate. Free zone: yes (DMCC, JAFZA, etc). Min-order lead: high.
Turkey: textiles, automotive, electronics, food, tourism. Free zone: yes (many). Min-order lead: low.
Logistics
UAE: Jebel Ali, Khalifa, Sharjah. logistics cost: low (global hub).
Turkey: Istanbul, Mersin, Izmir. logistics cost: low-medium.
Tax & customs
UAE: VAT 5% (0% in free zones). Trade access: GCC.
Turkey: VAT 20% (export 0%). Trade access: EU Customs Union.
Industries
UAE: finance, oil-gas, retail, tourism, logistics, real estate.
Turkey: textiles, automotive, electronics, food, tourism.
When to choose
Choose UAE if your priority is medium-high sourcing, Dubai hub access, and finance industry alignment. Choose Turkey if you need low sourcing with EU Customs Union trade access and low-medium logistics.
Verdict
Both regions are viable for B2B corporate merch sourcing. The deciding factor is rarely cost alone — it's customs/trade-bloc fit (EU vs GCC vs CIS), industry alignment, and lead-time tolerance. We can quote both and let you compare landed cost side-by-side.