Money at Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz (MED)
Currency, tipping and cash-vs-card for arrivals at Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Medina uses the SAR (SR). Expected airport→city taxi fare is roughly SAR 45–80. Uber/Careem card-on-file; cash for street taxis.
Airport currency kiosks quote rates 5–15% worse than any bank ATM inside the terminal. If you need cash on landing, use an in-terminal bank ATM — not the "0% commission" kiosks (the margin is in the rate).
Frequently asked
Q.What currency is used at Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz (MED)?
Saudi Arabia uses the SAR (SR). Airport ATMs dispense SAR directly — skip the exchange kiosks.
Q.How much should a taxi from MED to the city cost?
Expected fare on the MED → Al Haram route is roughly SAR 45–80. Around SAR 150+ is already high, and SAR 250+ during Hajj is a scam quote — confirm the meter or a printed rate before you get in.
Q.Do I tip taxi drivers at MED?
Not expected. Drivers in Saudi Arabia don't rely on tips the way US drivers do; inflated "tips" are sometimes used to justify an overcharge — pay the metered fare first, then decide.
Q.Cash or card for a taxi at MED?
Uber/Careem card-on-file; cash for street taxis. "Card machine broken" is the most common excuse to force a cash overpay — carry a small stack of SAR notes and you keep the leverage.
Q.Should I change money at MED?
Only if you need $10–20 of SAR to cover a taxi or a SIM card. Airport exchange kiosks quote 5–15% worse than a bank ATM in the same terminal. If your card has no FX fee, just pay by card and skip cash entirely.
Every transport option ranked, fare tiers, first-30-minute checklist and reported scams.