What Can You Buy in Saudi Arabia for SAR 500,000–2,500,000 in 2026?

SAR 500,000 to 2,500,000 is roughly 117,000 to 588,000 euro (at about SAR 4.25 per euro; the riyal is pegged to the dollar at 3.75, not to the euro). That goes further than in most of Europe, but one condition comes before price: a foreigner may buy only inside designated zones. This is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice, and every figure is indicative as of October 2026. We have no listings here; the sizes below are our own estimate (budget divided by a sourced price per m2).

Quick answer

• Riyadh apartments averaged about SAR 6,200 per m2 in Q1 2026 (Enterprise, up 3.7% on a year earlier). District figures from agency blogs differ two- to threefold, so we use only their order: Al Malqa and Al Olaya at the top, Al Narjis in the middle, Al Yasmin the cheapest.
• Jeddah: about SAR 4,200 to 4,800 per m2 citywide in 2026 blog and broker figures (a JLL-based figure was SAR 4,376 for H1 2025). Al-Shati on the waterfront is far higher: one report gives SAR 8,000 to 14,000 or more.
• Al Khobar: about SAR 4,700 per m2 on a price tracker, the Corniche about SAR 6,300. Dammam: about SAR 2,700 on listing averages. None of these is an official index.

Tier 1: SAR 500,000 to 800,000 (about 117,000 to 188,000 euro)

• Our estimate: 80 to 130 m2 in Riyadh at SAR 6,200; 115 to 180 m2 in Jeddah at SAR 4,400; 105 to 170 m2 in Khobar at SAR 4,700.
• Type and places: a one- or two-bedroom flat in an older or outer Riyadh district such as Al Yasmin, a mid-market Jeddah district, or a Khobar flat away from the Corniche.
• Secondary regional cities are not a safe assumption for a foreign buyer: Makkah and Madinah have extra restrictions, and we could not confirm that Dammam or Khobar plots are inside the zones.
• Trade-off: building age, no lift or parking, and the owners' association. A very cheap unit needs more checking, not less.

Tier 2: SAR 800,000 to 1,200,000 (about 188,000 to 282,000 euro)

• Our estimate: 130 to 195 m2 in Riyadh; 180 to 270 m2 in Jeddah; 170 to 255 m2 in Khobar.
• Type and places: a three-bedroom family flat in Al Narjis or Al Yasmin (Riyadh), a newer building in northern Jeddah, an apartment one or two streets back from the Khobar sea front.
• Trade-off: new off-plan stock competes with resale. Riyadh recorded about 8,800 residential sales in Q1 2026, down about 64% year on year (press), so there is some room to negotiate. Check the zone and developer before the price.

Tier 3: SAR 1,200,000 to 1,800,000 (about 282,000 to 424,000 euro)

• Our estimate: 195 to 290 m2 in Riyadh at the average, but only about 115 to 270 m2 in Al Olaya at SAR 6,600 to 10,500 (Bayut); 270 to 410 m2 in Jeddah at the citywide level.
• Type and places: a quality flat or compact townhouse in a Riyadh compound, a larger Jeddah flat with a view, a Khobar Corniche unit.
• Trade-off: you pay for finish, parking and facilities, so test each premium against resale demand and service charges.

Tier 4: SAR 1,800,000 to 2,500,000 (about 424,000 to 588,000 euro)

• Our estimate: roughly 180 to 250 m2 in Al Malqa or Al Olaya at an assumed SAR 10,000 per m2 (agency figures run from 4,800 to 15,000, so this is only a sketch); 130 to 310 m2 in Al-Shati at SAR 8,000 to 14,000.
• Type and places: a large north-Riyadh flat or townhouse, or a waterfront flat in Jeddah. Villa prices fell about 9.7% year on year in Q2 2026 (GASTAT, via press), so a villa is not an obviously rising asset.
• Trade-off: compare with the next district before paying for a prestige name.

Four buyer scenarios

• Entry buyer, SAR 500,000 to 800,000. Decision: is the building inside a designated zone and does the unit have its own title deed? An unusually cheap flat is often outside one or both.
• Balanced buyer, SAR 800,000 to 1,200,000. Decision: new off-plan or resale. Ask for the Wafi licence and escrow details of the project and compare handover dates.
• Lifestyle buyer, SAR 1,200,000 to 1,800,000. Decision: pay for a district name (Al Olaya, Corniche) or take a larger flat in the next district. The easy-to-miss point is the owners' association: what it charges and whether it is formed.
• Upper-range buyer, SAR 1,800,000 to 2,500,000. Decision: flat or townhouse. With villas weak in 2026, a flat in a managed building is easier to rent or sell.

Total acquisition cost for a foreign buyer

• Real estate transaction tax (RETT): 5% of the price. The law makes the seller liable, but who bears it is agreed in the contract (PwC; regulations from 9 April 2025).
• Non-Saudi disposal fee: reported as 2% in the draft rules with a 5% cap; law-firm commentary in mid-2026 (Trowers) still calls the rates not final. Press has quoted up to 10% combined for foreign buyers.
• Registration: about SAR 1,600, first registration free (Trowers). Agent: up to about 2.5%. Lawyer and translations are negotiated.
• Illustrative total at SAR 1,500,000: our working range is 5% to 10%, so SAR 75,000 to 150,000. If the seller bears RETT it could be near 3%; if the buyer bears RETT, the fee at its cap and the agent, it could reach about 12.5%.

Running costs: we found no annual property tax on residential flats (one source). Maintenance and association charges are put at SAR 5,000 to 15,000 a year in one Riyadh guide, plus your own electricity, water and cooling; we could not check an official tariff.

Who can buy, and financing

• A foreign-ownership law has applied since January 2026, with regulations approved on 23 June 2026. Foreigners may buy in designated zones; one August 2026 report counts 57 zones in Jeddah, 9 in Riyadh, 12 in Makkah and 10 in Madinah (Enterprise). Sources disagree on how open Riyadh and Jeddah residential are, so read the REGA map. We found no minimum price. See the buying guide for foreigners and what the new law changes.
• Owning gives no residence by itself. The property route to Premium Residency is quoted at SAR 4,000,000 (consultancy sources, unverified), above this budget; see our residency article.
• Mortgages at about 4.1% to 5% with 30% down are quoted for foreign residents. We could not confirm that a non-resident can borrow, so plan for cash or financing from home; see mortgages for non-residents.

Yield and exit

• Published gross yields: Riyadh about 5.5% typical (4.5% to 7%) and 8.9% on one index, Jeddah about 7.9%, Dammam 6.2% to 6.6%, Khobar 5.3% to 7.4%. Net in Riyadh is reported at 2.8% to 5.2% (Bayut).
• Riyadh rents are frozen for five years from September 2025, and summaries mention 5% withholding tax on rent for non-resident individuals. Confirm both.
• Riyadh sales fell sharply in early 2026, so allow time to sell. A euro or zloty buyer carries exchange-rate risk against the dollar-pegged riyal.

New build or resale

Off-plan sales run under the Wafi system: a licensed developer, a reservation fee capped at 5%, and a separate escrow account per project, in force from 4 April 2024 (REGA platform and broker summaries; we did not read the regulation text). Ask for the Wafi licence number and the escrow details. A resale flat is easier to inspect; ask for the association's statement of arrears.

Due diligence checklist

• Confirm the exact plot lies inside a designated foreign-ownership zone on the REGA map.
• Check the title deed in the real estate registry against the seller's name and ID.
• For off-plan, confirm the Wafi licence and the escrow account.
• Check for mortgages, liens or court holds on the title.
• Ask for the building permit and the completion certificate.
• Get the association's charges, arrears and rules in writing.
• Use a Saudi-qualified lawyer; see notary or lawyer abroad.

FAQ

Can a foreigner buy a flat in Riyadh for SAR 1,000,000? In principle yes inside a designated zone, but the district must be on the map. Verify before paying a reservation fee.

Does buying give me a residence permit? Not at this budget; the property route to Premium Residency is quoted at SAR 4,000,000.

Is the disposal fee final? Not yet: 2% in the draft with a 5% cap, called not final by law firms in mid-2026.

How big is SAR 1,000,000? About 160 m2 in Riyadh at SAR 6,200 per m2, or 225 m2 in Jeddah at SAR 4,400 (our estimate).

Bottom line

SAR 500,000 to 2,500,000 buys a good flat in Riyadh, Jeddah or Khobar, but only where the law lets a foreigner buy. Fix the zone first, then the building, then add 5% to 10% in costs. See prices and buying costs, rental yield and the best areas to buy.

What this means for a normal buyer

• Check the zone map first, then compare prices.
• Add 5% to 10% for taxes and fees and agree the split in writing.
• Plan to pay cash; a mortgage for non-residents is not confirmed.
• Expect a net yield of 3% to 5%, not the headline gross figure.

An independent buyer-side adviser can help compare options and bring in a Saudi lawyer. D.H. Realting is Warsaw-based and independent; ask how any adviser is paid.