Saudi Arabia Quietly Allows Wealthy Foreign Residents to Buy Alcohol, Signalling Policy Shift
The ultraconservative kingdom has expanded access to controlled alcohol sales for non-Muslim expatriates with premium residency or high incomes
Saudi Arabia has quietly expanded access to the sale of alcoholic beverages to wealthy foreign residents, marking a notable shift in the kingdom’s strict social policies more than seven decades after alcohol was first banned.
The change, introduced without an official public announcement late in 2025, permits non-Muslim foreign residents who meet specific residency or income criteria to purchase alcohol legally at a designated outlet in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter.
The only licensed outlet selling alcoholic beverages in the capital first opened in January 2024 and was initially limited to non-Muslim diplomats.
Under the updated arrangement, non-Muslim foreigners holding a Premium Residency permit — a special status typically granted to highly skilled professionals, executives and investors — or those earning at least fifty thousand Saudi riyals per month can now also make purchases.
Buyers must present documentation such as a residence ID listing their religion and residency status, with those relying on the income threshold also required to show a company-issued salary certificate.
Tourists remain excluded from the scheme.
Inside the discreet, unmarked facility, customers report queuing for entry, with phones sealed in tamper-proof bags before shopping is permitted.
Prices for premium brands are significantly higher than in international markets but are reportedly lower than black-market rates.
Purchases are controlled through a monthly points-based system, designed to manage consumption and uphold standards of regulation.
The policy adjustment aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader economic and social reforms under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 agenda, which has included reopening cinemas, hosting large-scale entertainment events and lifting other longstanding social restrictions.
Observers see the move as an effort to attract foreign talent and investment while balancing conservative religious norms with economic diversification goals.
However, the expansion of alcohol access remains tightly controlled, reflecting the kingdom’s ongoing sensitivities around cultural and religious expectations.
The change, introduced without an official public announcement late in 2025, permits non-Muslim foreign residents who meet specific residency or income criteria to purchase alcohol legally at a designated outlet in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter.
The only licensed outlet selling alcoholic beverages in the capital first opened in January 2024 and was initially limited to non-Muslim diplomats.
Under the updated arrangement, non-Muslim foreigners holding a Premium Residency permit — a special status typically granted to highly skilled professionals, executives and investors — or those earning at least fifty thousand Saudi riyals per month can now also make purchases.
Buyers must present documentation such as a residence ID listing their religion and residency status, with those relying on the income threshold also required to show a company-issued salary certificate.
Tourists remain excluded from the scheme.
Inside the discreet, unmarked facility, customers report queuing for entry, with phones sealed in tamper-proof bags before shopping is permitted.
Prices for premium brands are significantly higher than in international markets but are reportedly lower than black-market rates.
Purchases are controlled through a monthly points-based system, designed to manage consumption and uphold standards of regulation.
The policy adjustment aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader economic and social reforms under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 agenda, which has included reopening cinemas, hosting large-scale entertainment events and lifting other longstanding social restrictions.
Observers see the move as an effort to attract foreign talent and investment while balancing conservative religious norms with economic diversification goals.
However, the expansion of alcohol access remains tightly controlled, reflecting the kingdom’s ongoing sensitivities around cultural and religious expectations.
