Plugs and voltage
Saudi Arabia uses Type G sockets; Types A and B are also found. Mains supply is 230 V at 60 Hz.
Saudi Arabia completed its move from 127 V to 230 V; sockets are Type G. US-style sockets survive in some older buildings and may still carry 127 V or 230 V: check.
At 230 V, devices made only for 100–127 V (many American and Japanese hair dryers, curling irons and some shavers) will be damaged without a step-down converter. Chargers labelled “100–240V” work fine with just a plug adapter.
Adapter guides: from United States
Money
SAR Saudi Riyal SAR
Average in 2025: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (World Bank). No daily reference rate is published for this currency by the ECB; check a live rate before exchanging.
Price level 50 (US = 100, 2025)
Everyday household prices in Saudi Arabia are about 50% of US prices when converted at market exchange rates: dearer than the median country (50). All countries
Language
- Arabicofficial100%
Bars show the share of the population that speaks each language (CLDR estimates).
Time
Saudi Arabia is on UTC+3, with no daylight saving time.
Driving
Traffic in Saudi Arabia drives on the right, so the steering wheel is on the left.
Public holidays in the next 12 months
12 national public holidays from 2 November 2026. Banks, offices and many shops close; regional holidays are not shown. Dates marked “estimated” follow a lunar calendar and can move by a day.
February 2027
- Founding Day Holiday
March 2027
- Eid al-Fitr Holiday
- Eid al-Fitr Holiday
- Eid al-Fitr Holiday
- Eid al-Fitr Holiday
- Eid al-Fitr Holiday (observed)
May 2027
- Day of Arafah
- Eid al-Adha Holiday
- Eid al-Adha Holiday
- Eid al-Adha Holiday
- Eid al-Adha Holiday (observed)
September 2027
- National Day Holiday
Travel advisories
United States · State Department
Level 3 Reconsider travel
Read the full advisory. Checked 2026-11-02.
United Kingdom · FCDO
- FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country
- FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country
Updated 2026-10-27. Read the full advice. Checked 2026-11-02.
Advisories are written for each government's own citizens and change without notice: read the original before you travel.
Other practical facts
- Calling code
- +966
- Internet domain
- .sa, AlSaudiah
- Measurement
- Metric
- Paper size
- A4
- Week starts on
- Sunday
- Read more
- Wikipedia
More in Western Asia
Flag: Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg, Public domain. Arms: Emblem of Saudi Arabia.svg, Public domain. Electricity: resolved by intl.life from three sources, see methodology.
