The currency of Saudi Arabia المملكة العربية السعودية
Saudi
RiyalSAR
The currency of Saudi Arabia is the Saudi riyal (SAR), divided into 100 halalas and issued by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). It has been fixed at SR 3.75 to the US dollar since 1986: one riyal costs ₹26.54 at our selling rate right now.
- Code
- SAR
- Symbol
- SRر.س
- Subunit
- 100 halalas
- In use since
- 1920s
What is the currency of Saudi Arabia?
The currency of Saudi Arabia is the Saudi riyal, code SAR, written SR or ر.س. One riyal is divided into 100 halalas, and the Saudi Central Bank, known as SAMA, issues it. The first Saudi coins were struck in Makkah in 1925, and the riyal has been fixed at SR 3.75 to the US dollar since 1986, so against the rupee it moves with the dollar: on 5 Oct 2026, one riyal was worth about ₹26.54 at our selling rate. The riyal currency is not only Saudi: Qatar has a riyal and Oman a rial, but the Qatari riyal and the Omani rial are separate currencies.
Saudi Riyal at a glance
- Currency
- Saudi riyalريال سعودي
- Code
- SARNumeric code 682
- Symbol
- SR, or ر.سOfficial riyal sign U+20C1, added in Unicode 17.0
- Subunit
- 1 riyal = 100 halalas
- Issuer
- Saudi Central Bank (SAMA)Founded 1952; named the Saudi Central Bank since 2020
- Introduced
- 1920sFirst coins struck in Makkah in 1925; the silver riyal in 1927 or 1928
- Exchange rate
- SR 3.75 per US dollarFixed since June 1986
- Used in
- Saudi Arabia only
- Banknotes
- 5, 10, 50, 100, 200 and 500 riyalsSixth issue, in circulation since 26 December 2016
- Coins
- 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 halalas, and 1 and 2 riyalsSeven coins, all from 2016
Saudi Arabia currency notes and coins
Saudi money comes as six banknotes and seven coins. The notes are the sixth issue, in circulation since 26 December 2016, with the 200 riyal added on 25 April 2021. The Arabic value is on the front of each note and the English value on the back, and each is shown with what it costs in rupees at our selling rate today.
- Saudi Central BankFive riyals5SR
Five riyals SR 5
≈ ₹132.71 today- Colour
- Purple, in paper and polymer
- Front
- The Shaybah oil field in the Empty Quarter, and King Salman
- Back
- Spring wildflowers native to the Kingdom
- Saudi Central BankTen riyals10SR
Ten riyals SR 10
≈ ₹265.42 today- Colour
- Brown
- Front
- Al-Murabba' Palace in Riyadh, and King Salman
- Back
- The King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh
- Saudi Central BankFifty riyals50SR
Fifty riyals SR 50
≈ ₹1,327.09 today- Colour
- Green
- Front
- The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, and King Salman
- Back
- The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem
- Saudi Central BankOne hundred riyals100SR
One hundred riyals SR 100
≈ ₹2,654.19 today- Colour
- Red
- Front
- The Green Dome of the Prophet's Mosque, and King Salman
- Back
- The Prophet's Mosque in Madinah
- Saudi Central BankTwo hundred riyals200SR
Two hundred riyals SR 200
≈ ₹5,308.38 today- Colour
- Grey
- Front
- King Abdulaziz and the Vision 2030 logo
- Back
- Qasr Al-Hukm in Riyadh
- Saudi Central BankFive hundred riyals500SR
Five hundred riyals SR 500
≈ ₹13,270.95 today- Colour
- Blue
- Front
- The Kaaba, and King Abdulaziz
- Back
- The Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Saudi emblem
Coins, in halalas
All seven coins date from 2016. The 100 and 200 halalas are the 1 and 2 riyal coins, both bimetallic, and the 1 riyal note is gone.
- 11 halala
≈ ₹0.27 - 55 halalas
≈ ₹1.33 - 1010 halalas
≈ ₹2.65 - 2525 halalas
≈ ₹6.64 - 5050 halalas
≈ ₹13.27 - 11 riyal
≈ ₹26.54 - 22 riyals
≈ ₹53.08
Sources: Saudi Central Bank, sixth issue; Coin World; Arab News; colours as printed. Rupee values at our selling rate, 10:25 AM IST, 5 Oct 2026.
The riyal that was built to match the rupee
In 1935 the silver riyal was set to the same silver content as the rupee. In 1953 the first paper money from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) was made for pilgrims, and India issued special Haj notes of its own.
A silver riyal to match the rupee
The silver riyal is set to the same silver content as the Indian rupee. In August 1943 a US diplomatic telegram from Cairo records the riyal as having the same weight and fineness as the old rupee.
Paper money for pilgrims
A year after its founding, SAMA issues its first paper money: ten-riyal pilgrim receipts, a lighter alternative to carrying silver riyals, each backed by an equal amount of silver riyals.
India prints its own
The Reserve Bank of India issues special Rs 10 and Rs 100 notes for Indian pilgrims going to Saudi Arabia. They are marked HAJ, their serial numbers start with HA, and pilgrims exchange them for riyals there.
The pilgrim receipts end
SAMA withdraws the receipts. Regular riyal banknotes have been in circulation since 14 June 1961.
Sources: Saudi Central Bank, pilgrims' receipts and first issue pages; Reserve Bank of India Museum, Haj notes; Numismatic News; US Department of State, Foreign Relations of the United States 1943, volume 4; Arab News, 29 May 2007; Wikipedia, "Saudi riyal".
Why the riyal stays at 3.75
The riyal does not float. It has been held at SR 3.75 to the US dollar since June 1986, which is why its rupee price moves only when the dollar does.
Fixed to the dollar since 1986
The riyal has been fixed at SR 3.75 per US dollar since June 1986, after a devaluation. The Saudi Central Bank issues and regulates it.
One dollar is always SR 3.75
Because the rate is fixed, SR 37.50 is always USD 10 and SR 375 is always USD 100. Only the rupee side of a price changes.
The rupee is what moves
Because the riyal is fixed to the dollar, every change in the rupee's dollar rate shows up in the riyal's rupee price.
One unit in rupees · our selling rate, 5 Oct 2026
Saudi money through the years
The first Saudi coins came before the Kingdom had a central bank, and its first paper money was made for pilgrims. What changed along the way, in eight entries.
- EntrySaudi Arabia
The first Saudi coins
Quarter and half qirsh pieces are struck in Makkah. A silver riyal follows in 1927 or 1928, depending on the source.
Launch - EntrySaudi Arabia
A riyal to match the rupee
The silver riyal is set to the same silver content as the Indian rupee, a match a US diplomat still noted in 1943.
India link - EntrySaudi Arabia
Paper money for pilgrims
A year after its founding, SAMA issues its first paper money: ten-riyal pilgrim receipts, a lighter alternative to carrying silver riyals.
First notes - EntrySaudi Arabia
The first banknotes
On 14 June SAMA issues its first regular banknotes: 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 riyals.
- EntrySaudi Arabia
SR 3.75 to the dollar
In June the riyal is fixed at SR 3.75 to the US dollar after a devaluation, and that is still its rate.
- EntrySaudi Arabia
The sixth issue
On 26 December five new notes and a set of seven coins enter circulation, and the 1 riyal note gives way to a coin.
New notes - EntrySaudi Arabia
A polymer note and a new name
In October the first polymer banknote, a purple SR 5, enters circulation. In November the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority becomes the Saudi Central Bank, keeping the name SAMA.
- EntrySaudi Arabia
An official riyal sign
King Salman approves the sign on 20 February, and Unicode 17.0 encodes it as U+20C1 on 9 September.
New sign
Sources: Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), historical information, first issue, pilgrims' receipts, sixth issue and riyal sign pages; Brookings on the GCC pegs; Coin World; Arab News and Argaam; Unicode Consortium, Unicode 17.0; Wikipedia, "Saudi riyal" and "Saudi riyal sign".
Riyals and rupees side by side
Worked out at our selling rate at 10:25 AM IST on 5 Oct 2026. For the live rate on any amount, use the SAR to INR or INR to SAR converter.
| You pay | You get |
|---|---|
| ₹5,000 | SR 188.38 |
| ₹10,000 | SR 376.76 |
| ₹25,000 | SR 941.91 |
| ₹50,000 | SR 1,883.81 |
| ₹1,00,000 | SR 3,767.63 |
| ₹2,00,000 | SR 7,535.26 |
| You buy | It costs |
|---|---|
| SR 10 | ₹265.42 |
| SR 50 | ₹1,327.09 |
| SR 100 | ₹2,654.19 |
| SR 500 | ₹13,270.95 |
| SR 1,000 | ₹26,541.90 |
| SR 5,000 | ₹1,32,709.50 |
Spending riyals in Saudi Arabia
Three things about Saudi currency that help on the first day.
Prices start with SR
In English, prices are written with SR before the figure, usually with no space, as in SR200. SR 12.50 is twelve riyals and fifty halalas, about ₹331.77.
SR 12.50 = 12 riyals + 50 halalasLocal cards run on mada
mada is the national card and cash machine network, the commercial name that SAMA announced for it in November 2014. Bring some riyals in cash as well as a card.
mada · national networkThe 1 riyal is a coin
The 2016 coins ended the 1 riyal note, so the smallest banknote is the SR 5. It comes in paper and in polymer, and a polymer SR 5 has circulated beside the paper one since October 2020, worth about ₹132.71.
SR 5 = ₹132.71Taking Saudi riyals from India
The Reserve Bank of India's rules apply to every currency, and the riyal is no exception.
Up to the equivalent of USD 3,000 per trip can leave India as Saudi riyal notes. The rest goes on a forex card or as a bank transfer.
Every resident can send up to USD 250,000 abroad each financial year under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme, travel included.
Tax collected at source applies once your foreign-exchange purchases in a financial year cross ₹10 lakh: nil when an education loan pays, 2% for self-funded education and medical treatment, and 20% for travel and everything else. It is credited against your income tax when you file.
Saudi riyals are on our booking form. Send your amount and the desk confirms your exact rate before anything is booked.
Book Saudi Riyals→Saudi riyal questions
The questions people type about the riyal, answered in full, in three groups.
The basics
8 questionsWhat is the currency of Saudi Arabia?
The currency of Saudi Arabia is the Saudi riyal, code SAR, divided into 100 halalas. It is issued by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and used across the Kingdom, from the capital, Riyadh, to Makkah and Madinah.
What is the currency of Riyadh?
Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, uses the Saudi riyal like the rest of the Kingdom, so the Riyadh currency and the Makkah currency are the same money. For the capital of Saudi Arabia and currency together, the answer is Riyadh and the riyal.
What is the full form of SAR?
SAR stands for Saudi Riyal: SA is Saudi Arabia's two-letter country code and R is for riyal, following the ISO 4217 standard. That is the SAR full form and the SAR currency full form alike, and its numeric code is 682. Asked as "SAR which country currency", the answer is Saudi Arabia only.
What is the Saudi riyal symbol?
The Saudi riyal symbol, also called the SAR symbol, is SR in English and ر.س in Arabic. SR is the riyal currency symbol in English prices, written before the figure and usually without a space, as in SR200. Since 2025 the Saudi Arabia currency symbol also has an official sign of its own, described in the question on the new riyal sign.
What is the Saudi Arabia currency name?
The Saudi Arabia currency name is the riyal, in full the Saudi riyal, and the same money is also called the Saudi Arabia riyal or the Saudi Arabian riyal. The Saudi currency name is often typed as soudi currency name or currency of Saudi Arab, and both mean this riyal. There is no Saudi dinar or Saudi dirham, and the ISO list spells the name Saudi Riyal.
Which country uses the riyal currency?
The riyal currency most people mean is the Saudi riyal (SAR), which only Saudi Arabia uses. Qatar has its own Qatari riyal and Oman its own Omani rial, but these are separate currencies with their own central banks and values. On this page, riyal always means the Saudi one.
How many halalas make one Saudi riyal?
One Saudi riyal is 100 halalas. Coins come in 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 halalas, plus the 1 and 2 riyal coins, and the smallest banknote is the 5 riyal.
What is Saudi money called?
Saudi money is called the riyal, in full the Saudi riyal, and its small change is the halala. Saudi Arabia money runs from a 1 halala coin to the SR 500 note, and the Saudi money name is the same on every one.
Value and history
6 questionsWho issues the Saudi riyal?
The Saudi Central Bank, known as SAMA, which issues and regulates the riyal under its central bank law. It was founded in 1952 as the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, later became the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, and has been the Saudi Central Bank since November 2020, keeping the acronym SAMA.
Since when is the Saudi riyal fixed at 3.75 to the dollar?
Since June 1986, when the riyal was fixed at SR 3.75 to the US dollar after a devaluation. Wikipedia dates the official dollar rate to 1 January 2003, but all sources agree on the rate: SR 3.75. Against the rupee, the riyal moves only when the dollar does.
Which Saudi banknotes are in use?
The sixth issue: SR 5, 10, 50, 100, 200 and 500. The 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 came out on 26 December 2016, the 200 followed on 25 April 2021, and a polymer SR 5 has circulated beside the paper one since October 2020. There is no 1 riyal note: the 1 riyal is a coin.
Are old Saudi riyal notes still valid?
In most cases, yes. SAMA said in 2007 that earlier notes stay legal tender beside the fifth series and repeated the point for the 200 riyal note in 2021, and we found no withdrawal deadline for any series. Two older issues were withdrawn: the first notes of 1961 on 24 June 1971, and the pilgrim receipts on 1 February 1965.
What is the new Saudi riyal sign?
On 20 February 2025 King Salman approved an official riyal sign, , which SAMA announced: the Arabic word riyal in calligraphy-inspired form. Unicode added it in version 17.0 on 9 September 2025 as U+20C1, SAUDI RIYAL SIGN, although not every phone or font shows it yet. Until they do, SR and SAR are the safe way to write a price.
What is the India link to the Saudi riyal?
The riyal and the rupee once matched in silver. In 1935 the silver riyal was set to the same silver content as the Indian rupee, and the Reserve Bank of India also issued special Rs 10 and Rs 100 Haj notes, marked HAJ with serial numbers starting HA, for pilgrims going to Saudi Arabia. Today the riyal is fixed to the US dollar instead.
Buying from India
2 questionsHow much Saudi currency can I carry from India?
Up to the equivalent of USD 3,000 per trip in currency notes. Anything above that goes on a forex card or as a bank transfer, all within the USD 250,000 a year Liberalised Remittance Scheme limit.
How do I get Saudi riyals for a trip to Saudi Arabia?
Order them before you fly. Matrix Forex, an RBI-authorised Category-II dealer, has Saudi riyals on its booking form: send your amount through the booking bar at the top of this page and the desk confirms your exact rate before anything is booked. For the live rate on any amount, see the SAR to INR converter.