Saudi Arabia has announced important changes to electricity, water and wastewater service tariffs, alongside a package of financial support measures for specific categories of Saudi citizens. The revised utility tariffs are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027, while the government has also outlined measures intended to reduce the financial impact on eligible households.

The announcement was made on Sunday, October 25, 2026, when Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud directed a series of citizen support measures following a proposal by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.

The measures were announced in conjunction with revised consumption tariffs introduced by Saudi Energy and the National Water Company, affecting customers according to the relevant service category, consumption volume and technical specifications of their utility connections.

Under the support package, a SAR 500 increase in monthly allowances has been directed for eligible civilian and military personnel covered by civil service salary scales and operational programme contracts. The measures also cover retirees and eligible family members of deceased subscribers or retirees under the Social Insurance system, subject to applicable rules.

An additional monthly payment of SAR 500 has been directed for families receiving Social Security benefits, with eligibility and implementation governed by the relevant official mechanisms.

For residential electricity customers, the new consumption tariff will be 21 halalas per kilowatt-hour for monthly usage up to 6,000 kilowatt-hours, compared with the previous rate of 18 halalas.

Electricity consumption exceeding 6,000 kilowatt-hours per month will be charged at 33 halalas per kilowatt-hour, compared with the previous tariff of 30 halalas.

The revised system also introduces a fixed monthly electricity tariff based on the capacity of the customer’s approved electrical breaker, replacing the previous charges associated with meter reading, maintenance and bill preparation.

For residential customers, the fixed tariff starts at SAR 70 per month for breakers rated from 20 to below 100 amperes. The amount increases to SAR 80 for breakers from 100 to below 200 amperes and SAR 90 for breakers from 200 to below 300 amperes.

Customers with breakers rated at 300 amperes or above will be charged a fixed monthly amount of SAR 100, in addition to the applicable consumption charges.

The National Water Company has also announced revised water tariffs based on four monthly consumption brackets.

The first 15 cubic metres of water consumption will be charged at SAR 1 per cubic metre. The next bracket, covering consumption above 15 and up to 30 cubic metres, will be charged at SAR 2 per cubic metre.

Consumption above 30 and up to 45 cubic metres will be charged at SAR 4 per cubic metre, while the bracket exceeding 45 cubic metres will be charged at SAR 6 per cubic metre.

For wastewater services, the corresponding rates are SAR 0.50, SAR 1, SAR 2 and SAR 3 per cubic metre across the four consumption brackets. Applicable fixed service charges will also depend on the relevant meter specifications and official tariff arrangements.

The changes will affect utility customers covered by the revised tariff schedules, including Saudi citizens and expatriate residents. However, the SAR 500 monthly financial support measures are directed at the specified eligible Saudi categories and do not constitute an automatic payment to every household or utility subscriber.

The published tariff amounts also exclude value-added tax, meaning the final amount payable will depend on the customer’s actual consumption, connection specifications and applicable additional charges.

A separate measure concerns Saudi nationals employed in private-sector establishments. The minimum wage required for a Saudi worker to be counted fully under the Nitaqat Saudization programme will increase to SAR 5,000 six months after the measure begins.

The threshold will subsequently increase to SAR 6,000 twelve months after the first increase takes effect, according to the announced implementation schedule.

Importantly, these figures concern the wage threshold for full calculation under the Nitaqat programme and should not be interpreted as a universal minimum wage imposed on all private-sector employment contracts.

The new electricity and water tariffs will not take effect until January 1, 2027. Customers should therefore distinguish between the official announcement date and the actual implementation date when assessing their present and future bills.

Citizens, residents and businesses are encouraged to review the tariff schedules published by Saudi Energy and the National Water Company, verify the consumption brackets and fixed charges applying to their accounts, and follow official government channels for details concerning eligibility and implementation of the financial support measures.

Source: Saudi Press Agency – Saudi Energy – National Water Company