Alcohol

Yes. Alcohol is banned in Saudi Arabia for almost everyone. Making, selling, importing and drinking it has been illegal since 1952, and the ban still applies to Saudi citizens, Muslims and ordinary visitors. Since 2024, one tightly controlled store in Riyadh has been the only legal exception.

The only alcohol store in Saudi Arabia

In January 2024, the government opened an unmarked shop in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter for non-Muslim diplomats. Buyers had to register through a government app and stick to a monthly quota. At the same time, the authorities ended the old system in which embassies brought in alcohol through diplomatic shipments, some of which leaked onto the black market.

The late-2025 expansion

Without any public announcement, access was widened at the end of 2025. Non-Muslim foreigners holding Saudi Premium Residency, a costly status for investors, senior executives and skilled professionals, can now shop there, and reports say non-Muslim residents earning at least 50,000 riyals a month can also qualify. The Associated Press reported long queues and prices well above those diplomats pay.

What has not changed

Tourists cannot buy alcohol, and bringing any into the country is illegal. Saudi citizens and Muslims are excluded entirely. In May 2025, officials denied reports that the ban was being lifted, and the store remains a narrow, closely watched exception rather than a sign of open sales. Many residents who want a drink still travel to nearby Bahrain, where alcohol is legal.

What visitors should know

Do not pack alcohol, including duty-free bottles, and be careful with foods or medicines that contain it. Penalties can include fines, detention and deportation.

Saudi Arabia’s neighbour takes a very different approach: the UAE allows alcohol under its own licensing rules. For other food rules in the kingdom, see the ban on pork, our food and drink bans, or the Saudi Arabia page.