Saudi Consumer Spending Up 6.8% to SAR425bn in Q1 2026

Consumer spending in Saudi Arabia climbed 6.8% year-on-year to around SAR 425 billion in the first quarter of 2026, cash withdrawals, and e-commerce purchases. The growth points to resilient household demand and continued momentum in non-oil activity.

E-commerce led the gains, with spending reaching about SAR 98.4 billion — up roughly 42% compared with the same period a year earlier — as digital payments and online retail continue to expand. Point-of-sale spending rose 4.4% to about SAR 189.7 billion, while cash withdrawals fell 6.9% to about SAR 136.8 billion, reflecting a steady shift toward cashless payments.

Broader national accounts data showed private final consumption expenditure up about 5.3% year-on-year, signalling that household spending strengthened beyond payment-channel figures alone. Inflation remained contained, with the average Consumer Price Index rising 1.8% year-on-year and 0.4% quarter-on-quarter. Notable price increases were recorded in personal care and miscellaneous goods (around 8.1%) and in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (around 4.1%).

Why it matters

For residents and businesses across Riyadh, Jeddah and beyond, the numbers reflect steady purchasing power supported by stable prices and expanding digital retail options. Official readings attribute the quarter's growth to resilient domestic demand, controlled inflation, and non-oil activity, with e-commerce and point-of-sale gains offsetting the decline in cash usage.

The Q1 2026 total forms part of a wider upward trend, following a record of about SAR 1.57 trillion spent through official payment channels during 2025. The figures are aggregate macroeconomic totals and do not reflect any per-service or administrative fee changes.

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