Saudi Arabia Travel Costs in 2026

With a backpacker average of $43 per day, Saudi Arabia is not a cheap destination by regional standards but it is not shocking either. The $1,290 monthly figure puts it above neighbours like Jordan or Egypt, yet below the Gulf capitals of Dubai and Doha. The reason is a tourism economy still building its budget floor: hostels are rare, so a dorm bed can cost as much as a private room in a guesthouse, and food prices at restaurants are set for expat and business visitors. Imported goods, especially packaged foods and cosmetics, carry hefty mark-ups from the moment they land at Jeddah Port.

Flights also push the daily total up. Because the railway network does not yet link the main cities, budget travellers often take domestic flights between Riyadh and Jeddah, and those fares are not subsidised like in some countries. Fuel is cheap, but you need to be driving long distances to feel it. At the other end, luxury at $290 per day is in line with five-star hotels in Riyadh and high-end dining in Jeddah. Seasonality plays a role: from October to March you pay a premium for good weather; summer hotels drop rates by up to a third, but you will spend on air conditioning and indoor activities.

Inside the country, the price varies more than you might expect. Jeddah is the cheapest destination listed, at $35 per day for backpackers, while Riyadh is the most expensive at $50 per day – a 43% gap driven mostly by accommodation. Riyadh's visitor base is dominated by business travellers and government contractors, so hotels rarely discount and almost no hostels exist. Jeddah, with its old city and Red Sea waterfront, has a wider mix of older guesthouses and budget hotels near Al-Balad, which keeps bed prices down. Street food costs are similar in both cities – a shawarma sandwich runs about $3 – but Riyadh's sprawl means you spend more on taxis to see the few sights.

A realistic daily budget for a back-packer is $35–50, depending on which city you base yourself in. A mid-range traveller should plan for $70–120 per day for a three-star hotel, restaurant meals and ride-hailing; the site's $73 digital nomad average sits right in that range. For comfort – a four-star hotel, car rental and decent restaurants – expect $150–250 per day, still below the national $290 luxury average on the site's page. The website rates Jeddah at 5.8/10 for remote workers, higher than Riyadh, partly because you get more for your money and the sea breeze makes outdoor work more pleasant. So if you are watching costs, start your trip in Jeddah.

The best time to visit Saudi Arabia is between November and February, when temperatures in Riyadh and Jeddah hover around 20–25°C and you can comfortably walk around Al-Balad or the Diriyah area. This is also the peak season, so flights and hotels cost 20–30% more than in summer. March and April are a good alternative: still warm but not scorching, and you will find deals on hotels as the winter crowd leaves. If you can stand the heat, June through September is the cheapest time, with five-star rooms at deep discounts – but a midday walk is nearly impossible, and you will spend money on taxis and air-conditioned cafés just to stay sane.

The real value window is October and November. The summer highs of 45°C have dropped to around 33°C, the sea in Jeddah is swimmable, and hotel rates have not yet jumped for winter. This is the shoulder season in every useful sense. Two religious periods complicate things. Ramadan, which falls in February or March in 2026, shifts daily life: many restaurants serve food only after sunset, and Jeddah sees a spike in Umrah visitors, which raises accommodation costs. The Hajj season, typically late spring or early summer, also inflates hotel prices in Jeddah enormously for a few days, so avoid those exact dates if you are on a budget.

Riyadh and Jeddah are the two destinations on this site, and they are about 950 km apart. The fastest way to cover that distance is a domestic flight – Saudia and the low-cost carrier Flyadeal operate multiple daily connections. A one-way ticket booked two weeks ahead runs around $80–150, and the flying time is about 90 minutes. The long-distance bus from Riyadh to Jeddah is the budget option, taking 12–14 hours and costing $35–45 with SAPTCO; it is comfortable for the price, but the overnight departure means you lose a day unless you sleep on the move.

For getting around inside the cities, ride-hailing apps outshine public transport. Uber and Careem are easy to use, and a typical 10-minute trip costs $5–8. Public buses are limited and routes are mostly aimed at workers, so you will end up using taxis often. If you want to explore the countryside or drive between the two cities for scenery, a rental car from a national or international chain starts at about $250–350 per week, with cheap petrol at about $0.60 per litre. The drive between Riyadh and Jeddah takes about 10 hours, so most travellers fly. No direct rail line connects the two yet, though high-speed Haramain rail runs from Jeddah to Mecca and Medina if you go beyond this site's two destinations.

Most visitors from North America, the UK, Europe, Australia and East Asia can apply for an e-visa online before arrival, and many nationalities also get a visa on arrival at international airports. The tourist visa costs around $100 and usually allows stays of up to 90 days for tourism. You will need a passport valid for at least six months; a hotel booking is not strictly required, but border officers may ask for an address. If you are from a country without an e-visa agreement, you have to use a licensed travel agent – so check the Saudi tourism portal before buying flights.

Money is easy to handle but has its quirks. The currency is the Saudi riyal, pegged at about 3.75 riyals to the US dollar. Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere in Riyadh and Jeddah, including taxis and street stalls in malls, so you can often go days without cash. Still, carry a little for small shawarma stands and to tip hotel staff. Tipping is not expected but 10% in restaurants is the norm if you get good service. ATMs are plentiful, and withdrawal fees are low, but avoid exchanges at airports where the spread is poor. The biggest trap is the strict alcohol ban – it is illegal to bring or drink alcohol, and penalties are serious.