Saudi Weekly Spending Near $3.8bn as Education Surges

Consumer spending in Saudi Arabia reached about SR 14.19 billion (roughly $3.8 billion) for the week ending 15 August 2026, staying above SR 13 billion for a third straight week, official card-payment data show. The figures cover in-person and some online point-of-sale (POS) transactions inside the Kingdom.

The total marks a weekly decline of about 2.8% in value compared with the previous week, which recorded SR 14.60 billion. The number of transactions also eased by around 1.5%, to 249.68 million.

Despite the overall dip, education spending stood out as the fastest-growing category. POS purchases tied to education reached SR 446.08 million, up 62.7% from the prior week, as families stocked up on back-to-school supplies ahead of the new academic year.

A steady build-up in education outlays

The jump extends a clear upward trend through early August. In the week ending 8 August, education spending was about SR 274.1 million after rising 54.1%, while the week ending 1 August saw SR 177.8 million, up 69.9%. Earlier in the year, the week ending 4 April recorded SR 296.5 million in education outlays, a surge of 797.5% as students returned to classrooms after an Eid break.

For residents and families, the numbers reflect the familiar rhythm of the school calendar and its impact on household budgets. The weekly POS data, published as official statistics by the Saudi Central Bank, offer a timely snapshot of where consumers are directing their money across the Kingdom.

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