Between August 16 and August 22, 2026, point-of-sale operations across Saudi Arabia reached 237.3 million transactions with a total value of 14.17 billion riyals, according to the weekly bulletin published by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). This activity translates to a daily average of 33.9 million transactions and a mean value of 59.7 riyals per transaction. While total spending showed a slight contraction of 0.13%—or 18.3 million riyals—compared to the previous week’s total of 14.19 billion riyals, the underlying transaction data highlights a seasonal surge driven by the back-to-school period.
Daily Rhythm and Transaction Pace Across Saudi Arabia
During the week-long period, point-of-sale systems processed an average of 392 transactions every second, amounting to roughly 23,400 riyals per second. On a daily basis, this pace resulted in 33.9 million transactions worth 2.02 billion riyals every single day. Hourly spending across the Kingdom averaged 84.4 million riyals, while the baseline cost for a single transaction remained at 59.7 riyals. This steady rhythm underpinned a minor week-over-week drop of just 0.13%, preserving high overall liquidity across retail and service channels.
Did You Know? During the week of August 16–22, 2026, point-of-sale networks across the Kingdom handled 392 transactions every second, generating a continuous flow of roughly 23,400 riyals per second according to official SAMA figures.
Education Sector Spending and Seasonal Retail Shifts
The most pronounced shift in the weekly bulletin appeared within the education sector. Although it recorded just 250,000 transactions—the lowest volume among all tracked categories—the sector drove 1.04 billion riyals in total spending. This resulted in an average of 4,174 riyals per transaction, roughly 70 times the national average, reflecting the seasonal payment of tuition fees ahead of the new academic year. In contrast, restaurants and cafes led transaction counts with 56.8 million operations, accounting for roughly 24% of all volume at an average ticket size of just 29.4 riyals. Food and beverages topped category values among classified sectors with 2.1 billion riyals, while jewelry registered the highest average bill at 1,169 riyals across 258,000 transactions.
Geographic Distribution of Spending Across Major Cities
Geographically, consumer spending concentrated heavily in the country’s largest urban centers. Riyadh captured 36.2% of total spending value, recording 5.13 billion riyals across 77.9 million transactions—an amount equal to 2.85 times the expenditure in Jeddah, which logged 1.8 billion riyals. Dammam registered the highest average ticket size among major cities at 77.3 riyals. Meanwhile, Makkah and Madinah showed comparable average transaction values of roughly 59 riyals. Combined, the five major cities accounted for 61.3% of the Kingdom’s total point-of-sale spending value.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the total value of point-of-sale transactions for the week?
Point-of-sale transactions reached 14.17 billion riyals across 237.3 million operations between August 16 and August 22, 2026, according to SAMA.
Which sector recorded the highest average transaction value?
The education sector recorded the highest average at 4,174.4 riyals per transaction, totaling 1.04 billion riyals across 250,000 transactions.
How much did Riyadh contribute to total spending?
Riyadh accounted for 36.2% of the total spending value, registering 5.13 billion riyals through 77.9 million transactions.
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