Planning
Money in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is close to cashless in the cities. A card and a phone wallet cover almost everything, but a few things still catch visitors out.
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Quick answers
- Currency
- Saudi riyal (SAR), fixed at 3.75 to the US dollar
- Cards
- Visa, Mastercard and American Express widely accepted
- Phone wallets
- Apple Pay and others for contactless
- Visitor Card
- A payment card for visitors, issued in the urpay app with your Border Number
- VAT
- 15%, normally included in shop prices
- Tipping
- Not required; rounding up is appreciated
Cards, cash and the Visitor Card
- Visit Saudi says cards and digital wallets are accepted in most shops and restaurants. Carry a backup card and some emergency cash.
- The Visitor Card, issued through the urpay app with your Border Number, works at payment terminals across Saudi Arabia, according to Visit Saudi.
- Exchange money only at licensed exchange offices (Visit Saudi). In AlUla there are exchange counters at the airport and in Old Town.
- Because the riyal is pegged to the dollar, SAR 100 (≈ $27) is always about US$26.67. Our pages convert at that rate.
Tipping
There is no official tipping rule. In practice, visitors round up taxi fares, leave small change for hotel porters and often leave around 10% in sit-down restaurants without a service charge. It is appreciated, not expected. Check your bill first: some restaurants add a service charge.
Bills and fines you must clear before you fly
- Traffic fines are logged against your passport on Absher and must be paid before you leave. At the airport you can only pay during Saudi office hours (FCDO).
- Unpaid hotel or car-hire bills can lead to a travel ban (FCDO).
- Overstaying your visa adds fees and can trigger an exit ban (US State Department).
More: Saudi laws for tourists · trip cost calculator · eSIMs for Saudi Arabia
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Questions travellers ask
Do I need cash in Saudi Arabia?
Very little in the cities. Cards and phone wallets work almost everywhere, but keep some cash for small shops, markets and rural areas.
Is tipping expected in Saudi Arabia?
No. It is appreciated: round up taxis and leave about 10% in restaurants if there is no service charge.
What is the exchange rate for the Saudi riyal?
It is fixed at 3.75 riyals to the US dollar.
Keep planning
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Saudi trip checklist
Visa, insurance, eSIM, flights, cars, transfers and tickets, in the right order.
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Saudi trip cost calculator
A full trip budget for Riyadh, AlUla, Jeddah and the Red Sea.
Planning
Laws for tourists
Social media, medicines, photos, ID, fines and the rest, checked against official advice.