How to send money to Saudi Arabia from India with the best INR-SAR rate

Comparing based on your specific needs is the best way to send money from India to Saudi Arabia with confidence.

For INR/SAR

• Wise is our top pick for sending Indian Rupee to Saudi Arabia. For example, sending 22,100 INR to SAR will cost you ₹1471.95 in fees, and you will receive 817.93 SAR.

• We would recommend Ria Money Transfer for low cost, affordable transfers from Saudi Riyals to Saudi Arabia. We found that Ria Money Transfer is 3.98% cheaper than the second-best option. The cost is a combination of a fee of 4 INR and an exchange rate for converting Indian Rupee to Saudi Riyal that is 2.8% different to the mid-market rate.

• Fastest way to send money to Saudi Arabia from India is with PayPal App (P2P Transfer). For example, if you send 22,100 INR with PayPal App (P2P Transfer) to Saudi Arabia, the transfer time is minutes based on our data.

Our analysis, and search results, include 5 providers that operate between India and Saudi Arabia. These are ranked by speed, overall cost and ease of use.

Through this, you get a comprehensive view of all the options you have in India when you need to send money to Saudi Arabia.

The exchange rate determines the price you’ll pay for Saudi Riyal when you send Indian Rupee to Saudi Arabia.

The current exchange rate between the Indian Rupee and Saudi Riyal is 0.0396, and it constantly fluctuates.

When calculating the cost of sending money from India to Saudi Arabia, a combination of fees and exchange rates ensure the best deal:

• The Mid-Market and Exchange Rates: The current INR-SAR mid-market rate is 0.0396 SAR per Indian Rupee. Finding a provider as close to this number as possible will ensure more Saudi Riyal for your money.

• Fees: Transfer fees are charged on top of a transfer. Ria Money Transfer currently offers the lowest fees of 4 INR per transfer (based on ₹22,100 transfer). Although, we recommend searching for your exact send amount for an exact fee.

• Amount Received: The total amount received in Saudi Riyal is the biggest indicator in the total cost of sending money to India from Saudi Arabia. The higher the total amount received in Saudi Arabia, the lower the cost of sending from India.

It’s possible that waiting a day or two can help you get more SAR for the same amount of Indian Rupee. But, the best way to lock in a price between India and Saudi Arabia is by using a forward contract.

A bank transfer is our recommended option for money transfers between India and Saudi Arabia. Ria Money Transfer offers the best price on a bank transfer.

Here are all the ways to send money from India to Saudi Arabia:

Bank transfers

Bank transfers are often the best payment method for money transfers from India to Saudi Arabia.

A money transfer company like Ria Money Transfer offer bank transfers between India and Saudi Arabia with lower fees and better exchange rates than you would get from a traditional bank.

On average, Ria Money Transfer is the cheapest provider for bank transfers of the 5 we tested when sending INR to Saudi Arabia.

Debit and prepaid cards

Sending money from India to Saudi Arabia with a debit or a prepaid card is very simple with Western Union Agent.


Western Union Agent is a leader in debit card payments for transfers from India to Saudi Arabia, competing among a total of 5 active money transfer companies on this route.

Credit cards

We recommend avoiding credit cards where possible due to a lack of support and high fees.

If you have to use a credit card, we recommend comparing your options to find the company with the lowest fees.

Always choose providers that are regulated by financial authorities in both India and Saudi Arabia to ensure funds are protected.

Please refer to our directory of financial regulators worldwide for key regulatory bodies for money transfers between India and Saudi Arabia.

Some services have minimum or maximum thresholds on how much you can transfer from India to Saudi Arabia.

Companies will offer different rates and fees for different transfer amounts. Some companies will become more expensive after certain thresholds are hit.

We’d recommend using Wise if you need to send large amounts of INR to Saudi Arabia. The combination of rates and fees when sending to Saudi Arabia is the most competitive, even at larger amounts.

Also, always check with the recipient and understand any declarations needed on large amounts of money leaving India, or entering Saudi Arabia. Mis-understanding these could result in a slower, or even failed, transfer.

There are different ways to receive money in Saudi Arabia. You can do a direct bank deposit, cash pickup, use a mobile wallet or receive money into a multi-currency account. It’s likely not all providers serving transfers from India to Saudi Arabia will offer every method, so it’s best to check ahead of time.

A direct transfer to a bank account is one of the more common ways to transfer from India into Saudi Riyal. Wise is the best company for bank transfers between India and Saudi Arabia.

And if you need cash right away, check if cash pickup is an option for transfers between India and Saudi Arabia.

Mobile wallet services and payment apps like PayPal, Xoom, and CashApp are popular too, but they come with more limitations and higher costs compared to money transfer providers like Ria Money Transfer.

When signing up to a money transfer company to send between India and Saudi Arabia, you will need to verify your ID.

The exact documents you need might vary and in some cases you will need more than one.

For the most part, in India this will be a government ID like a passport or driver's license. In Saudi Arabia it will be a similar set of documents, although this should only be needed if you are opening a new account in Saudi Arabia, or collecting in cash.

Big transactions between India and Saudi Arabia, are subject to additional checks. A provider may ask you for proof of address or may want to know where the money comes from.

We recommend Wise in part due to their easy sign up process in India.

When sending large amounts of money between India and Saudi Arabia there will be tax implications to consider.

Some transfers into Saudi Riyal may need to be reported to tax authorities in Saudi Arabia, particularly where inheritance or property purchases are involved.

Tax limits and personal allowances differ in Saudi Arabia based on age, income and a few other elements. When in doubt, please contact a tax professional in India or Saudi Arabia to discuss your personal circumstances.