💰 This page covers the street-level details of spending money in Riyadh: card and phone payments, the metro, Riyadh Season, Diriyah, the Sky Bridge, desert day trips, VAT and tipping, and which machines to use. For Saudi Arabia-wide ATM tips, DCC warnings, tipping norms, and exchange rate advice:
Read the Saudi Arabia Money Guide →🎧 Order Riyals Before You Fly
Riyadh barely needs cash. If you want riyals in hand on landing, order ahead. Insured delivery, 2–5 days.
Order SAR → CEI Currency ExchangeDo You Need Cash in Riyadh?
Almost never. Saudi Arabia has become one of the most cashless countries in the world, and Riyadh leads it. The mada debit network that every Saudi carries runs on contactless terminals that also take Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay, and you will find one at the petrol station, the coffee cart in the park, the falafel counter and the taxi. Carry SAR 100 to 200 for the occasional souk stall, tips and a backup. The Saudi Arabia money guide covers the riyal peg and the rest of the kingdom.
Where Cash Still Helps
Al Zal souk and the older markets around Al-Batha, where some stalls prefer cash and bargaining. Tips for porters and drivers. Small bakeries in older neighbourhoods. A backup when a card is declined.
Where Cards Work Fine
Everywhere else. Malls, restaurants and cafes, Uber and Careem, the metro, Riyadh Season, Diriyah, hotels, supermarkets, petrol stations and the airport.
The Riyadh Metro
Six lines, opened in stages from December 2024, now link King Khalid International Airport, the King Abdullah Financial District, Olaya, the Kingdom Centre, the National Museum and the city's outer districts. It is clean, air-conditioned and cheap.
Fares are passes. A 2-hour pass costs SAR 4 in standard class or SAR 10 in first class, valid for unlimited rides in that window. Longer passes cost SAR 20 for 3 days, SAR 40 for 7 days and SAR 140 for 30 days. Tap a contactless bank card or phone at the gate, or buy a Darb card for SAR 10 at a station machine.
From the airport. The metro reaches King Khalid International directly. A taxi or Uber into Olaya costs roughly SAR 80 to 120, depending on traffic and the time of day.
Riyadh Season: Tickets in One App
The winter festival. Riyadh Season, the city's annual entertainment festival, opens on 21 October 2026 and runs for about ten weeks, with concerts, boxing, theme-park zones and food halls across the city. The big zones include Boulevard City and Boulevard World.
How to pay. Every ticket, from zone entry to a concert seat, is sold on the WeBook app and website, paid by card, and delivered as a QR code. Some zones are free to enter and charge for rides and shows inside; others charge entry. Prices for major concerts and fights run to hundreds or thousands of riyals; book early and only through WeBook, because resale is restricted.
Inside the zones. Food stalls, rides and games take cards and phones. Prices are festival prices.
Diriyah, At-Turaif and the Sky Bridge
Diriyah. The mud-brick birthplace of the first Saudi state, on the north-west edge of Riyadh, has been rebuilt as the city's showpiece. At-Turaif, the UNESCO-listed old district, is entered with a timed ticket bought online; prices have varied by day of the week and season, and entry has at times been free, so check the official Diriyah site when you book. The restaurants on Bujairi Terrace, across the wadi, are among the most expensive in the city.
The Kingdom Centre Sky Bridge. The walkway across the top of the 300-metre Kingdom Centre tower costs about SAR 138 for adults and SAR 69 for children under 10, paid by card at the ticket desk in the mall. Sunset is the busiest time.
Museums. The National Museum and the Masmak Fortress are cheap or free, and take cards.
Edge of the World and Desert Trips
Jebel Fihrayn, the escarpment called the Edge of the World, is about 90 minutes north-west of Riyadh, the last part on rough tracks that need a 4x4. There are no facilities at the top. Most visitors take a tour.
Prices. Shared 4x4 tours cost roughly SAR 200 to 230 per person ($52 to 60), and private tours SAR 900 to 1,800 for the vehicle. Tours are booked online by card. The site is closed in the hottest months and in bad weather, and some days by the authorities; check before you pay.
Desert camps. Winter desert camps around Riyadh sell evening packages with dinner, dune bashing and campfires, from a few hundred riyals per person, paid by card.
ATMs in Riyadh
Look for these logos. Saudi Arabia's big banks have machines in every mall and at the airport.
Al Rajhi Bank
SNB
Riyad BankATM Locations
Al Rajhi Bank, Saudi National Bank and Riyad Bank machines are in every mall, at petrol stations, along Olaya and King Fahd Roads and in airport arrivals. Many charge foreign cards no operator fee; any fee is shown on screen. Withdrawal limits are generous by regional standards. Saudi Arabia has no Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner, so a BoA debit card pays the $5 non-network fee and 3% international transaction fee.
⚠ Pay in Riyals
Hotel desks and some shops offer to charge foreign cards in dollars or euros. Choose riyals: because the riyal is pegged to the dollar, the conversion offer is pure markup. Our DCC explainer shows the arithmetic.
VAT, Service Charges and Tipping
VAT. Saudi Arabia charges 15 percent VAT on most goods and services, included in shop and menu prices. Hotel bills may list it separately with a municipality fee.
Service charges and tips. Tipping is not required. Some restaurants add a service charge of 10 to 15 percent; if they do not, 10 percent is generous. Round up for drivers and give porters SAR 5 to 10.
Prices in Riyadh
Riyadh is moderate for food and transport, and expensive for hotels and the showpiece venues.
| Item | Price (SAR) | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Shawarma sandwich | SAR 8–15 | $2.10–4 |
| Arabic coffee and dates at a cafe | SAR 15–30 | $4–8 |
| Dinner for two, mid-range restaurant | SAR 200–350 | $53–93 |
| Metro, 2-hour pass | SAR 4 | $1.07 |
| Metro, 7-day pass | SAR 40 | $10.67 |
| Kingdom Centre Sky Bridge, adult | SAR 138 | $37 |
| Shared tour to the Edge of the World | SAR 200–230 | $53–61 |
| Taxi or Uber, airport to Olaya | SAR 80–120 | $21–32 |
| Bottle of water | SAR 1–3 | $0.27–0.80 |
| Mid-range hotel night | SAR 450–900 | $120–240 |
USD estimates use the fixed rate of SAR 3.75 = $1.
Riyadh Quick Reference
| Destination | Cards? | Cash Needed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shops and restaurants | ✅ Cards, phones | Everywhere | VAT included |
| Metro | ✅ Tap at the gate | SAR 4 for 2 hours | Airport line included |
| Riyadh Season | ✅ WeBook | Varies by zone | Opens 21 October 2026 |
| Diriyah, At-Turaif | ✅ Online | Timed ticket | Check the official site |
| Souks | Mixed | Bargain in cash | Al Zal, Al-Batha |
| ATMs | Al Rajhi, SNB, Riyad | Often no operator fee | No alliance partner |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need cash in Riyadh?
Hardly at all. Shops, restaurants, coffee carts, taxis, the metro and ticketed attractions take cards, and Apple Pay and Google Pay are everywhere. Carry SAR 100 to 200 for the occasional souk stall, tips and the rare machine that rejects a foreign card.
How much does the Riyadh Metro cost?
A 2-hour pass costs SAR 4 in standard class and SAR 10 in first class. Passes for 3 days (SAR 20), 7 days (SAR 40) and 30 days (SAR 140) are also sold. You can tap a contactless bank card or phone at the gates, or buy a Darb card.
When is Riyadh Season 2026?
Riyadh Season 2026 opens on 21 October 2026 and runs for about ten weeks. Tickets for zones, concerts and shows are sold on the WeBook app and website, paid by card. Some zones are free to enter, with paid attractions inside.
Is tipping expected in Riyadh?
Not required. Some restaurants add a service charge of 10 to 15 percent; if not, 10 percent is a generous tip at a sit-down restaurant. Round up for taxi and delivery drivers, and give porters a few riyals.
Is VAT included in prices in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Value added tax of 15 percent applies to most goods and services and is included in the displayed price in shops and on menus. Hotel bills may show it separately along with municipality fees.
Which ATMs should I use in Riyadh?
Al Rajhi Bank, Saudi National Bank and Riyad Bank machines, at branches, malls and the airport. Many do not charge foreign cards an operator fee, but check the screen. Saudi Arabia has no Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner.
Pay Smart in Riyadh
The Wise card works with Apple Pay and Google Pay, converts at the real mid-market rate, and covers metro fares, Riyadh Season tickets and restaurant bills without a foreign transaction fee.
Get the Wise Card →Hero photo: the Riyadh skyline with the King Abdullah Financial District and Kingdom Centre, by B.alotaby, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.