Getting Saudi Riyals for Your Trip
Saudi Arabia has transformed dramatically as a tourist destination since opening to visitors in 2019. The Kingdom boasts modern infrastructure, excellent shopping malls, and a rapidly growing hospitality sector. Payment systems are well-developed, making accessing money straightforward.
The Saudi Riyal (SAR, symbol ر.س or SR) comes in banknotes of SAR 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, and 500. Coins include 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 halalas (100 halalas = 1 Riyal), though coins are rarely used in practice.
Key insight for 2026: The Saudi Riyal is pegged to the US Dollar at a fixed rate of 3.75 SAR = 1 USD. This peg has held since 1986 and provides exceptional exchange rate stability. Your GBP/SAR rate effectively follows GBP/USD movements.
Best Ways to Get SAR Before You Travel
The stable exchange rate and modern banking infrastructure make Saudi Arabia easy for money management:
- Multi-currency travel card (Wise, Revolut) - Best option. Excellent rates for card payments and ATM withdrawals. Works perfectly throughout Saudi Arabia.
- Withdraw from ATMs on arrival - We found no official list of cash machines at the Riyadh or Jeddah airports, so make sure your card works abroad before you land and choose a bank's machine over a standalone one.
- Order Riyals from UK bureaux - Available from major providers. Rates are typically fair given the currency peg. Useful if you want cash in hand.
- Exchange USD or GBP on arrival - Every exchange centre licensed by SAMA, the central bank, must change notes for you; compare two before changing a large sum.
Using Cards in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has excellent card acceptance, particularly in urban areas and tourist destinations:
Where cards work well:
- All hotels, from budget to luxury
- Shopping malls (Saudi has world-class malls)
- Restaurants and cafes throughout cities
- Supermarkets (Panda, Danube, Carrefour, Tamimi)
- Petrol stations and car rentals
- Tourist attractions and experiences
- Uber and Careem (ride-hailing apps)
Where you'll need cash:
- Traditional souks and markets (especially gold souks)
- Small local restaurants and street food
- Small shops in older neighbourhoods
- Tipping (cash preferred)
- Some taxi drivers who prefer cash
Pro tip: Contactless payments (tap to pay) are widespread. Apple Pay and mada Pay (Saudi's local system) work at most terminals.
Withdrawing Cash from ATMs in Saudi Arabia
ATMs are abundant throughout Saudi Arabia. Finding cash is never difficult.
Best ATMs to use:
- Al Rajhi Bank - Largest Islamic bank, ATMs everywhere. Reliable for international cards.
- NCB (The National Commercial Bank / Alahli) - Major bank with widespread coverage.
- Riyad Bank - Good network throughout the Kingdom.
- SABB (Saudi British Bank) - HSBC affiliate, good for UK cards.
- SNB (Saudi National Bank) - Formed from NCB merger, extensive network.
ATM tips:
- Check the fee on screen and ask your UK bank what it charges for withdrawals abroad, as Saudi banks publish no foreign-card fee that we could find
- Withdrawal limits typically SAR 2,000-5,000 per transaction
- Always choose SAR (not your home currency) to avoid poor conversion rates
- English language option is always available
- ATMs are in malls, petrol stations, airports, and street locations
Exchanging Money in Saudi Arabia
Exchange services are widely available and competitive:
At airports (Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam):
No official airport page we could open lists exchange desks or cash machines, so arrive with a working card and test any desk's rate against the fixed 3.75 riyals to the dollar.
In cities:
- Al Rajhi Exchange - Bank's exchange arm, found in malls and standalone locations
- SAMA-licensed exchange centres - the central bank requires every licensed centre to buy and sell foreign notes. Valid ID is enough under SAR 5,000; from SAR 5,000 your passport is copied with its entry stamp and visa number, and the receipt must show the firm, the rate, both amounts and the time
- Mall exchange counters - Competitive rates, convenient locations
- Banks - SAMA sends larger sums than an exchange centre may handle to the local banks; branch hours were not confirmed
What currency to bring:
US Dollars get the best rates due to the currency peg. GBP and EUR are also easily exchanged. All major currencies accepted at airport and city exchange counters.
Money Safety Tips for Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is one of the safest countries in the world for tourists. Crime rates are exceptionally low:
- Very safe environment - Theft and crime against tourists are rare. You can carry cash without significant concern.
- Strict law enforcement - Saudi has strict laws with strong deterrents against crime
- Standard precautions apply - Keep valuables secure, use hotel safes
- Be aware of heat - Protect cards and phones from extreme summer temperatures
- ATM safety - Indoor ATMs (malls, banks) are coolest and most comfortable
The main consideration is practical rather than safety-related: Saudi Arabia runs on a different weekly schedule (Friday-Saturday is the weekend), so plan accordingly. During Hajj, non-pilgrims have been kept off flights to Jeddah, Madinah and Taif, the FCDO says, so ask your airline before booking around those dates.
Best Exchange Options for SAR
Top providers by category:
Al Rajhi Bank
Largest Islamic bank. ATMs everywhere.
Saudi National Bank
Largest bank by assets. Good coverage.
Al Rajhi Exchange
Exchange offices in malls and cities.
Jeddah/Riyadh Airport
Desks not confirmed. Arrive with a working card.
Unofficial Changers
Illegal. Use licensed providers only.
Compare SAR Exchange Rates
See what you'd receive from providers local to you
Frequently Asked Questions
With the riyal fixed to the dollar, UK bureaux typically give fair rates, so ordering notes before you fly is reasonable if you would like cash in hand. Alternatively, swap US dollars or pounds on arrival at an exchange centre licensed by the central bank, comparing two before you change a large sum. A multi-currency travel card gives excellent rates on payments and withdrawals across the Kingdom.
Some. Cards work in hotels, malls, restaurants, supermarkets, petrol stations, attractions and ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Careem, and contactless is widespread, with Apple Pay and the local mada Pay accepted at most terminals. Cash is needed in traditional souks, especially gold souks, at small local restaurants and street food stalls, in small shops in older neighbourhoods, for tips and for some taxi drivers who prefer it.
Al Rajhi Bank, the largest Islamic bank, has ATMs everywhere and takes international cards; SNB, NCB/Alahli, Riyad Bank and SABB, an HSBC affiliate, are also good. Saudi banks publish no foreign-card fee we could find, so read the on-screen fee and find out from your UK bank what a withdrawal abroad costs. Limits are typically SAR 2,000-5,000 a time, and always choose SAR rather than your home currency.
Yes. The riyal has been fixed at 3.75 SAR to one US dollar since 1986, a peg that gives exceptional exchange rate stability. For UK visitors, that means your GBP/SAR rate effectively tracks GBP/USD, and US dollars get the best rates at exchange counters because of the peg.
Al Rajhi Exchange, the bank's exchange arm, operates in malls and standalone sites, and mall counters offer competitive rates. Any exchange centre holding a licence from SAMA, the central bank, must buy and sell foreign notes: valid ID suffices below SAR 5,000, while larger sums mean your passport is copied and the receipt has to show the firm, rate, both amounts and time. Unofficial changers are illegal.
Uncertain. No official listing of cash machines or exchange desks could be found for the Riyadh, Jeddah or Dammam airports, so check before flying that your card is enabled for use abroad, pick a bank-run machine rather than a standalone one, and compare any desk's rate with the fixed 3.75 riyals per dollar.
Nearby Destinations
Planning to visit multiple countries? Check out exchange guides for nearby destinations:
UAE
Qatar
Kuwait
Egypt