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Currency in Saudi Arabia SAR - Things to know

Foreign exchange guide to Saudi Arabia and the Saudi riyal

Saudi Arabia

What currency is used in Saudi Arabia?

The official currency of Saudi Arabia (country code: SA) is the Saudi riyal, with symbol and currency code SAR.

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Things to know about the Saudi riyal

The Saudi riyal (SAR) is the official currency of Saudi Arabia, a country located in the Middle East. Here are a few things to know about the Saudi riyal:

  1. The Saudi riyal is abbreviated as SAR and is divided into 100 halalas.
  2. The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority is responsible for issuing and regulating the Saudi riyal.
  3. The exchange rate for the Saudi riyal is determined by supply and demand in the foreign exchange market.
  4. Saudi Arabia has a large, diversified economy that is heavily reliant on oil exports. The country is the world's largest exporter of oil and has the second-largest proven reserves of oil in the world.
  5. The Saudi riyal has been relatively stable in recent years, but the currency has faced challenges due to fluctuations in global oil prices and economic challenges such as high unemployment and a large budget deficit.

An example Saudi riyal banknote

 

Travel money for Saudi Arabia

Save money and time by Ordering your Saudi riyal online from Travelex, you get better rates and can pick up the SAR cash locally or even on travel day at the airport.

Another popular option is to use a Pre-paid Travel Card. Your Debit/Credit Card provider will charge you 2% from market mid-rate, but your bank may also charge an extra 3% as an ā€œOverseas Transaction Chargeā€ plus ā€œOverseas ATMā€ fees for withdrawing cash.

For card purchases if offered a choice of currencies always select to Pay in Saudi riyal otherwise you may get much worst exchange rates.

 
 

Travel Ideas and Money Tips for Saudi Arabia

The birthplace and spiritual home of Islam, Saudi Arabia is as rich in attractions as it is in stirring symbolism. It is also one of the most difficult places on Earth to visit. And for Muslim travellers, Mecca and Medina represent the most sacred destinations you can imagine.

What currency is used in Saudi Arabia?

The Saudi riyal (SAR) is Saudi Arabiaā€™s official currency, with each Saudi riyal divided into 100 halala. Five halala are equal to 20 qurush. ATMs are everywhere and usually reliable. Visa and MasterCard are the most commonly accepted credit cards, but some establishments also accept Discover or American Express cards. Travelersā€™ checks are also widely accepted, but can sometimes be difficult to change.

Cash is commonly used, and automatic teller machines (ATMs) are found throughout Makkah. Foreign credit and debit cards are accepted at all but the smallest hotels, shops and restaurants. Generally, taxis only accept cash.

How to travel in Saudi Arabia?

Checking in 1Ā½ hours before departure is advised for domestic flights. Note that Medina airport lies outside the haram (forbidden) area, so it can be used by non-Muslim tourists; it can be a useful gateway for Al Ula in particular. Bus fares are approximately half of the equivalent airfare. Return tickets are 25% cheaper than two one-way fares. Online booking is now available.

Unaccompanied foreign women can travel on domestic buses with their iqama (residence permit) if they're an expat, or with a passport and visa if a visitor. The front seats are generally unofficially reserved for ā€˜familiesā€™ (which includes solo women), and the back half for men.

Saudi Arabia currently has only one stretch of train track in the entire country, between Riyadh and Dammam via Al Hofuf. There are three classes: 2nd, 1st and VIP class. The main difference between them is legroom (plus TV and a meal in the splendidly named ā€˜Rehabā€™ VIP class). All classes have access to the train restaurant.

Taxis are found in most of the larger towns and are known as ā€˜limousinesā€™; they can be hailed anywhere. Note that itā€™s much cheaper to negotiate the fare first (as locals do) rather than use the meter.

Travel tips for Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia contains the holy Muslim cities of Mecca and Medina, to which all physically and financially able Muslims are required to make a pilgrimage at least once if possible and where non-Muslims are forbidden from entering. Saudi Arabia has some of the most restrictive travel policies in the world, and advance visas are required for all foreigners desiring to enter. The only significant exception is citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council nations. Also exempt from visa requirements are foreigners transiting through airports for less than eighteen hours, but many other entry requirements, such as the dress code and restrictions on unaccompanied females, still apply. Nationals of Israel and those with evidence of visiting Israel will be denied visas, although merely being Jewish in and of itself is not a disqualifying factor.

It should be noted however that traveling to the Najran and the Saudi Yemeni border should be done with slightly more caution than usual, although if you use street smarts you will be safe. Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country in which Sharia (Islamic) law is strictly enforced. You should respect local traditions, customs and laws. For example, the public practice of any form of religion other than Islam is illegal and homosexual acts, adultery, and the possession of alcohol/drugs/pornographic material are illegal, and the punishment results in up to death.

Formally known as the Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, the mutawwa (religious police) have an infamous reputation as moral vigilantes out to enforce strict Islamic orthodoxy. During Ramadan, for Muslims, public observance of the fast is mandatory. For non-Muslims, smoking, eating or drinking in public could result in arrest.

 
   

USD/SAR Market Data

The below interactive chart displays the USD/SAR change and UPšŸ“ˆ DOWNšŸ“‰ trends over the past 1 Year.

 
1 USD =
3.7506We compare provider deals to this wholesale mid-market rate. Read more
SAR
  1 SAR = 0.2666 USD   (Inverse rate)
 
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Frequently Asked Questions

What currency should I use in Saudi Arabia?

The domestic currency in Saudi Arabia is the Saudi riyal.

What is the Saudi riyal currency code and symbol?

The three letter currency code for the Saudi riyal is SAR ā€” symbol is .

Which countries use the Saudi riyal?

It is the domestic currency in    Saudi Arabia.

Is the Saudi riyal a closed currency?

No, the Saudi riyal is freely available and convertible. See guide: What is a closed currency?

What are equivalent amounts of USD and SAR?

Here are some popular conversion amounts for USD to SAR (US dollar to Saudi riyal)*.

USD SAR
$ 1 3.7506
$ 5 18.75
$ 10 37.51
$ 20 75.01
$ 50 187.53
$ 100 375.06
$ 250 937.65
$ 500 1,875
$ 1,000 3,751
$ 2,000 7,501
$ 5,000 18,753
$ 10,000 37,506
$ 20,000 75,012
$ 50,000 187,530
$ 100,000 375,060
USD SAR
$ 0.2666 ﷼ 1
$ 1.3330 ﷼ 5
$ 2.6660 ﷼ 10
$ 5.3320 ﷼ 20
$ 13.33 ﷼ 50
$ 26.66 ﷼ 100
$ 66.65 ﷼ 250
$ 133.30 ﷼ 500
$ 266.60 ﷼ 1,000
$ 533.20 ﷼ 2,000
$ 1,333 ﷼ 5,000
$ 2,666 ﷼ 10,000
$ 5,332 ﷼ 20,000
$ 13,330 ﷼ 50,000
$ 26,660 ﷼ 100,000

More amounts

*Converted at the current USDSAR interbank exchange rate. Calculate actual payout amounts for Send Money and Travel Money exchange rates.

Send Money to Saudi Arabia - Best Rates

To get a good (and fair) exchange rate when sending money to Saudi Arabia you need to find and compare exchange rates for International Money Transfers (IMTs).

The available FX rates for sending money abroad can be very different to the mid-market (wholesale) rate which you see reported online and in the News.

You should especially compare your own bank's exchange rates to those available from Money Transfer specialists to see how much you can save - we make that calculation easy in the below table.


Get a better deal for foreign transfers to Saudi Arabia

When sending money to Saudi Arabia itā€™s important to compare your bankā€™s rates & fees with those we have negotiated with our partner money transfer providers. To get a better deal you should follow these 4 simple steps :

  1. Open an account with a BER reviewed FX provider (id docs may be required)
  2. You specify the local or Saudi riyal amount you want to transfer
  3. Make a local currency domestic transfer for the requested amount to the provider's bank account in your country
  4. Once your funds are received by the provider the converted SAR amount will be transfered to the recipient account you specify in Saudi Arabia.

Use the above calculator to compare the exchange rates of FX specialist providers rates versus your bank's standard rates you can hopefully save around 5% and maybe more - end result is more Saudi riyal deposited into the recipient bank account and less margins and fees kept by the banks!

 

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