Last updated: 11 November 2026 by Ahmed. Fees checked on each provider’s official website on 11 November 2026.
To send money from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan cheaply and legally, use a Saudi bank app, a licensed exchange company or a licensed transfer app, send at least SAR 375 per transfer where your provider waives the fee, and pick the option that puts the most rupees in your family’s account after fees and the exchange rate. Never use Hundi or Hawala.
Saudi Arabia is the largest source of remittances to Pakistan. Workers there sent $981.6 million in October 2026 and $3.67 billion in July to October FY27, up 16.5% on a year earlier (SBP data, reported by Dawn on 11 November 2026).
Compare your own quotes: enter today’s rate and fee from up to three providers in our free remittance calculator. It shows the rupees received and how much you save in a year.
Ways to Send Money from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan
| Method | How it works | Paid out as | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi bank app | Transfer from your account with Al Rajhi, SNB, Riyad Bank and others, often through their remittance brands (for example Tahweel Al Rajhi) | Bank account, sometimes cash pickup | People with a Saudi salary account |
| Exchange company or remittance centre | Licensed remittance centres such as Enjaz (Bank Albilad); pay in cash or from a card | Bank account, cash pickup, some mobile wallets | Cash payers and workers without online banking |
| Digital bank or wallet app | Apps such as STC Bank send through partners such as Western Union | Bank account, cash pickup, some wallets | Small, frequent transfers from a phone |
| International transfer app | Licensed apps that convert SAR and pay a Pakistani bank or wallet | Bank account or wallet | Comparing rates quickly |
Whichever you use, it must be licensed by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). Ask your provider which Pakistani banks and wallets (for example Easypaisa or JazzCash) it can pay into, because the list differs by provider.
Fees on Official Provider Pages (11 November 2026)
| Provider | Service | Fee listed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| STC Bank | Western Union transfer to Pakistan | Free from SAR 375; SAR 15 below SAR 375 | Excludes VAT |
| STC Bank | Bank transfer to a bank outside KSA | SAR 50 | Excludes VAT |
| Al Rajhi Bank | Outbound international transfer (maximum fee) | SAR 50 online; SAR 75 at a branch | Excludes VAT; Tahweel offers may differ |
On the Pakistan side, the State Bank of Pakistan told banks and exchange companies on 2 July 2026 to keep processing eligible home remittances free of charge for both sender and receiver, even though it stopped reimbursing them from 1 July 2026. Under the scheme’s last criteria, the minimum eligible transaction was US$200.
Al Rajhi Bank is also running a “Transfer to Pakistan & Win” offer from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027: transfers of SAR 375 or more to a Pakistani bank account or wallet (not cash pickup) earn prize-draw entries for the receiver, under Pakistan Banks’ Association terms.
Worked Example: SAR 2,000 Every Month
The fees below are the ones listed above. The exchange rates are illustrative, set close to the SBP reference rate of Rs 73.70 per riyal on 10 November 2026, to show how fee and rate interact.
| Option | Rate (Rs) | Fee | Family receives | In a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A: bank transfer to Pakistan, SAR 50 fee | 73.70 | SAR 50 | Rs 1,43,715 | Rs 17,24,580 |
| B: app via Western Union, free from SAR 375 | 73.40 | SAR 0 | Rs 1,46,800 | Rs 17,61,600 |
| C: remittance centre, no fee | 73.55 | SAR 0 | Rs 1,47,100 | Rs 17,65,200 |
Option C beats option A by Rs 3,385 a month, or Rs 40,620 a year, even though A has the better rate: a flat SAR 50 fee wipes out the rate advantage. For a small transfer of SAR 300, option B would charge SAR 15 and pay Rs 20,919 instead of Rs 22,020, so it pays to send once a month rather than in small amounts.
How to Send Money from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan: Step by Step
- Collect your family’s details: full name as on the CNIC, bank name and 24-character IBAN (starts with PK), or the mobile wallet number registered on their CNIC.
- Check your Iqama is valid. Saudi providers need a valid Iqama (or passport for visitors) to send money.
- Get two or three quotes on the same day: your bank app, a remittance centre and an app.
- Compare the final rupee amount in our remittance calculator, not the “zero fee” label.
- Add the beneficiary in the app or at the counter and choose the payout type (account credit, wallet or cash pickup).
- Send and keep the receipt with the reference number. Your family can track it with the receiving bank.
Hundi and Hawala: Why the Legal Route Is Worth It
Hundi may look cheaper, but you have no protection if the agent disappears, the money leaves no record, and the State Bank of Pakistan warns overseas Pakistanis against Hundi and Hawala and asks them to use official channels only. A formal transfer also creates proof of income from abroad, which helps when your family buys property, opens accounts or deals with tax in Pakistan. If a formal transfer is delayed, the SBP’s Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) runs a call centre on +92-21-111-727-774.
Common Mistakes When Sending Money from Saudi Arabia
- Picking a provider only because it says “no fee” and ignoring a weaker rate.
- Sending many small amounts below SAR 375 and paying a fee each time.
- Spelling the receiver’s name differently from the CNIC, which can hold the transfer.
- Using an old IBAN or a wallet not registered on the receiver’s CNIC.
- Sending money for investment into a relative’s account instead of your own Roshan Digital Account.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to send money from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan?
The cheapest way is the licensed provider that puts the most rupees in your family’s account after its fee and exchange rate on that day. Compare a bank app, a remittance centre and an app with the same amount, and send at least SAR 375 where the provider waives fees for that amount.
Is sending money from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan free?
Often, yes. STC Bank lists Western Union transfers to Pakistan as free from SAR 375, and the SBP requires eligible home remittances to be processed free on the Pakistan side. Bank-to-bank international transfers can cost up to SAR 50 plus VAT.
Can I send money from Saudi Arabia to Easypaisa or JazzCash?
Many licensed providers can pay into Pakistani mobile wallets, but not all. Check the payout options in your provider’s app, and make sure the wallet is registered on the receiver’s CNIC.
How long does a transfer from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan take?
Account credits and wallet payouts through partner networks are often instant or same day. Standard bank wire transfers can take one to three working days.
Saudi se Pakistan paise kaise bheje?
Apne Saudi bank app, kisi licensed remittance centre (jaise Enjaz) ya licensed app se bhejein. Ghar walon ka naam CNIC ke mutabiq, bank IBAN ya wallet number chahiye. Do teen jagah ka rate dekh kar woh chunein jo sab se zyada rupay de.
Saudi se paise bhejne ka sab se sasta tarika kya hai?
Jo licensed option fee kaatne ke baad sab se zyada rupay de, wohi sasta hai. SAR 375 se kam bar bar bhejne ke bajaye mahine mein ek dafa bhejein, aur hundi se bachein kyun ke us mein koi tahaffuz nahin.
Related Guides
- Overseas Pakistanis financial guide 2026
- Remittance calculator: SAR to PKR comparison
- How to send money from UAE to Pakistan
- Best way to send money to Pakistan
- Roshan Digital Account: complete guide
- Bank profit rates in Pakistan
Sources
- Dawn: Remittances increase 14pc to $14.8bn in four months (11 Nov 2026, SBP data)
- STC Bank: product and service fees
- Al Rajhi Bank: products and services fees
- Al Rajhi Bank: Transfer to Pakistan & Win offer
- SBP: EPD Circular Letter No. 12 of 2026 (2 Jul 2026)
- SBP: EPD Circular Letter No. 4 of 2025
- SBP: mark-to-market exchange rates (10 Nov 2026)
This guide is for general information only and is not financial advice. The Invest Pakistan is not a licensed adviser and is not paid by any provider named here. Fees and exchange rates change daily; confirm the final amount with your provider before you send.