Payment methods in Saudi Arabia

Groceries and rents could be paid by net banking / mobile banking so that u get a proof.

Groceries if. By local stores, u can pay by debit card. For Malls, u can use debit / credit card.

Better not to carry too much cash with you. A hundred or 120-150 riyal cash is enough for emergencies. There had been few reports of thefts n bag snatching in few areas.

I didn't came across any payment apps ...

Most common and preferred payment method is Cash

which is followed by Card (Debit and Credit) Visa/MasterCard/Mada

Netbanking and Apple/Google Pay is also available

Actually there is 3 main way to pay for your purchases sort by popularity

1- Cash
2- Mada also available as mobile app (Mada pay)
3- credit or debit cards


Mada is using you current bank account card to pay for you groceries, you limit is your balacnce.

One way for payments I didn't see anywhere else you can use it via E-Banking

4- Saddad

Mostly used with government payments but also almost every major service provider (Telecommunications companies, Online shopping, transportation companies, etc ...) can provide this service for you

For me I use it to pay all my bills and I cannot remember when was the last time I paid any bill by cash or credit card.

P.S. I'm from Syria but lived my whole life in Saudi Arabia (35) and I can tell it is one of the safeties country I have  (Syria, Jordan, Egypt, UAE, Thailand, Turkey, and Lebanon) so feel safe to carry cash around with you but you dont have to announce it.

Hi Priscilla,

Normally i'm using online payment methods for pay bills.

For grocery purchases commonly people like average, mid level and high level categories using  POS transactions.

Using Online banking nowadays need very care due to some online frauds.

thank you & welcome

Mather

I disagree. I lived here over 10 years. Neither I nor my friends never encounter or heard of "reports of thefts n bag snatching". My favorite method to pay is Platinum CC because I get back 2 percent of my ALL charges around the world with no min or max. if I lose them no one can use them because of a password, and I receive messages. It’s the perfect system. I also don’t pay a penny for issue bank because I transfer my salary. I’ve been around and this is the best deal you can get in the world. It’s a win/win situation. If anything, bad about it’s you can’t forget your password 2 or 3 times max it would be locked which is ok because I get both (Visa and MC) 

Payments are made only by cash and for online purchase, cash on delivery.  Electronic media never used and never will be.

Hello.. there is one new method to pay for groceries, mobile recharges.. it's called stcpay

Groceries and rents could be paid by CASH.

You can pay by debit card or CC for purchases in Malls.

500 riyal cash is enough for emergencies.

I don't pay rent or have any transportation costs when going or coming from work I don't even have money in my wallet right now. Whenever I need to buy something  I use my bank cards. For transportation, I use uber or careem, also paid for using my card. Even the wet markets receive bank cards. I only use cash when giving to charity or leaving tips ( I leave tips for those cleaners  on the tables in food courts). Government services and fees are paid thru SADAD, also an online bank service.

Almost all (if not all), accepts bank cards and I find this more convenient. Before, we dont really use coins that much, only for vending machines. Now, most groceries will give you 1-2 Riyal coins in change.

Thanks for the mail, payment method of Saudi Arabia is excellent, we can pay any amount of utilities bill, purchase for any items through  online, payments method is very easy using Visa, credit card, or Master card, We are very happy with the payment method in Saudi Arabia.

There are variety of payment methods available in Saudi Arabia.

1. Cash, of course, everyone can accept payment with the cash.

2. Every shop is equipment with merchant machines, so, anyone can pay with their Debit Cards and Credit Cards

3. Online Payments, Groceries, Clothing accessories can be purchased online. Souq.com is most popular and reliable website to purchase online.

4. For Electricity Bills, Traffic Violations, Iqama fees, everything payment can be made with the bank website.

5. For sending money to home country, Quick Pay and Western Union are commonly used.

I think paying here is similar to methods in vogue in other developed countries, I prefer prepaid credit card as I define my limit myself and also I get reward point in every 5 riyal spending in my alfursan credit card of alrajih bank which assists me in my travelling