Money, cards and ATMs in Saudi Arabia

The riyal

• The Saudi riyal is pegged to the US dollar at a fixed rate that has held for decades, so budgeting is stable.
• Cards work almost everywhere. Contactless is standard, Visa, Mastercard and mada (the local network) are universal, and Apple Pay is very widely accepted.
• Cash is genuinely optional in the cities. Keep some small notes for a souq, a small restaurant or a tip.
• Cash machines are everywhere and reliable. Decline the offer to be billed in your home currency.

Debt is a criminal matter here

• The FCDO warns that authorities can prevent you from leaving over unpaid debts, legal disputes or ongoing investigations, and that an exit ban can take years to resolve.
• This mostly affects residents, not tourists. But it is why an unpaid hotel bill, a disputed car rental charge or a traffic fine is worth settling before you go to the airport rather than after.
• A bounced payment is not a civil argument here. Settle it.

Tipping

• Not obligatory and not deeply ingrained, but rounding up and 10% in a restaurant are both normal and welcome.
• Hotel staff and drivers are tipped in small riyal notes.

Costs

• Saudi Arabia is not cheap. Hotels in Riyadh and Jeddah price like a business capital, and AlUla prices like a destination resort.
• Food is the exception - eating well is inexpensive if you eat where people eat.