Riyadh is Saudi Arabia's capital, a fast-changing desert city where the mud-brick Masmak Fortress, the National Museum, the Kingdom Centre Sky Bridge and the UNESCO-listed At-Turaif district in Diriyah sit within a short drive of each other.
Local currency: Saudi riyal (SAR).
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Riyadh.
- Mid-range
- ~$213/day (SAR 800)
- Luxury
- ~$667+/day (SAR 2,500+)
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- Few true hostels; shared or basic rooms ~$27–53 (SAR 100–200)
- Budget
- ~$40–80 (SAR 150–300)
- Midrange
- ~$93–213 (SAR 350–800)
- Luxury
- ~$267–800 (SAR 1,000–3,000)
Food
- Street
- SAR 10–25 (~$2.7–6.7)
- Local
- SAR 25–60 (~$6.7–16)
- Midrange
- SAR 80–180 (~$21–48)
- Fine
- SAR 300–700 (~$80–187)
Transport
- Bus
- Metro and Riyadh Bus 2-hour pass SAR 4 (~$1.07); 3-day pass SAR 20 (~$5.33); 7-day SAR 40 (~$10.67)
- Taxi
- SAR 15–40 (~$4–10.7) per short city trip by app (estimate; fares rise at peak times and during Riyadh Season)
- Airport
- About SAR 100 (~$26.7) taxi fare cited in a 2025 guide; Yellow Line Metro SAR 4 (~$1.07) when running
- Daytrip
- Day trips to Edge of the World or Diriyah by taxi or tour vary widely; confirm the price in the app or with a licensed operator
Activities
- Diriyah
- At-Turaif and Al Bujairi areas are ticketed; check the current price at diriyah.sa
- National Museum Of Saudi Arabia
- Ticketed; check the current price at the museum
- Kingdom Centre Sky Bridge
- Ticketed observation deck; check the current price at the venue
- Souq Al Zal And Masmak
- Souq Al-Zal is free to browse; Masmak Fortress is a low-cost ticketed sight
- Riyadh Season Boulevard World
- Ticketed per entry; booked through the official Riyadh Season platforms (riyadhseason.sa)
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Riyadh costs end-to-end.
3 Day traveller
~$240–400 (SAR 900–1,500) per person on a budget (excluding flights and visa)
7 Day traveller
~$560–930 (SAR 2,100–3,500) per person on a budget (excluding flights and visa)
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Use the Metro and Riyadh Bus (SAR 4 for 2 hours) instead of taxis on main corridors.
Eat at Indian, Pakistani, Yemeni and Filipino cafeterias in Batha, Malaz and Olaya for meals under SAR 30 (~$8).
Visit free sights: Souq Al-Zal, Wadi Hanifah, Al Bujairi public areas and King Abdullah Park.
Book hotels early for Riyadh Season (October to December), when rates rise sharply; summer rates are lower but heat limits sightseeing.
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
Souq Al-Zal
Wadi Hanifah
Al Bujairi public areas
King Abdullah Park