← Part of the Saudi Arabia money guide
Saudi Arabiachecked Aug 2026Cash or card in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia went card-first fast. Cards and phone payments cover almost everything in the cities, the riyal does not move, and the 15% VAT is the one number worth planning around.
At a glance
Currency
Saudi riyal (SAR), pegged
Cards
Accepted almost everywhere
Cash for
Souks, small vendors, tips
VAT
15%, and refundable
Card, and comfortably so. Cards are accepted virtually everywhere across Riyadh, Jeddah and the main cities, including metro stations, taxis, restaurants and malls, and Apple Pay and Google Pay are widely supported. ATMs are abundant. Keep a small float of SAR 200 to 400 for souks, small vendors and tips. The riyal is pegged at 3.75 riyals to the dollar, so one riyal is about 27 cents and the rate never moves. The number that actually shapes your budget is 15% VAT, the highest in the Gulf, though unlike most of the region you can claim it back on shopping.
How far the card goes
Saudi Arabia's card adoption moved quickly and it shows. Visa and Mastercard are taken across hotels, malls, restaurants, supermarkets and fuel stations in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Al Khobar, contactless is standard, and Apple Pay and Google Pay are widely supported. The Riyadh Metro takes cards at the gates and ride-hailing is card in-app.
What still wants cash is the traditional end: souks, small independent vendors, roadside stalls, and tips. A float of a few hundred riyals covers that comfortably for a week. Amex is thinner than Visa or Mastercard, so do not travel on it alone.
The riyal, which does nothing interesting
The riyal has been fixed at 3.75 riyals to the dollar since June 1986, one of the longest-running currency pegs anywhere, and the Saudi Central Bank restates its commitment to it regularly. One riyal is about 27 cents, so divide riyal prices by roughly 3.75 for dollars. SAR 100 is about 27 dollars.
Because the peg holds, there is nothing to time and no rate to shop for. It also splits into 100 halalas, so prices behave the way a US traveller expects, which is a relief after Oman at 1,000 baisa and Bahrain at 1,000 fils.
The 15% you should plan around
Saudi VAT is 15%, introduced at 5% in 2018 and tripled in July 2020. That is the highest rate in the Gulf by a wide margin: the UAE and Oman are at 5%, Bahrain at 10%, and Qatar has no VAT at all. On a two week trip of meals, hotels and shopping, that difference is real money.
The good news, and it is genuinely good, is that Saudi Arabia now runs a working tourist refund scheme on goods you take home. It is the only Gulf state besides the UAE that does. The mechanics are on the taxes section of the main guide, and the short version is: spend over SAR 500 at one participating store, get the form at the till, claim at the airport.
ATMs and the dollar question
ATMs are everywhere, at airports, in every mall and at bank branches throughout the cities, and foreign cards work normally. Take a reasonable amount in one withdrawal rather than several small ones.
If a terminal or ATM offers to bill you in US dollars, decline it every time. The riyal is pegged to the dollar, so dollar pricing only adds a padded rate. Pay in riyals and let your own bank convert.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Can I use cards everywhere in Saudi Arabia?
Almost. Cards and phone payments cover hotels, malls, restaurants, supermarkets, fuel, metro gates and taxis across the main cities. Souks, small vendors and tips still want cash, so keep SAR 200 to 400 as a float.
What is the Saudi riyal pegged at?
SAR 3.75 to one US dollar, fixed since June 1986 and one of the longest-standing pegs in the world. One riyal is about 27 cents, so divide riyal prices by roughly 3.75.
Can I use US dollars in Saudi Arabia?
Not as everyday money. Some hotels will take them at their own rate, but shops, restaurants and taxis deal in riyals. Because the riyal is pegged, paying in dollars only costs you the markup.
How much is VAT in Saudi Arabia?
15%, the highest in the Gulf, against 5% in the UAE and Oman, 10% in Bahrain and none in Qatar. Unlike most of the region, tourists can reclaim it on qualifying goods taken out of the country.
More on Saudi Arabia
The little money things nobody warns you about.
- Do US citizens need a visa for Saudi Arabia?Yes, and it is the most expensive entry in the Gulf, but it is also the most generous: a year of validity, multiple entries, and medical insurance folded into the price.
- Do you tip in Saudi Arabia?Not obligatory, and not the US convention. Service is often charged for already, and where it is not, a small amount in cash is welcome rather than expected.
- Taxis, apps and the metro in Saudi ArabiaSaudi cities are vast and built for cars, so getting around is mostly apps. Riyadh is the exception now, because its new metro is absurdly cheap and reaches the airport.
- The Saudi VAT refund, and the step everyone missesShort answer: Saudi Arabia charges the highest VAT in the Gulf and, unusually for the region, gives it back on shopping. The scheme works, but it starts at the till rather than at the airport, and that is where most claims are lost before they begin.
Sources, and how this was checked
Last checkedAug 2026
Our own readThe peg and its longevity are SAMA's own published position. The 15% VAT rate is a matter of record across ZATCA and every tax practice we checked. Where card acceptance thins out and how much cash to carry are our estimate from experience rather than published figures.
How we checkHow every guide is researched, checked and dated