Foreign residents claim alcohol sale rules in Saudi Arabia have been revised again. This change comes only days after non-diplomats were allowed for the first time to buy alcohol legally in the kingdom.
Residents said that non-Muslim foreign workers earning at least 50,000 riyals a month can now purchase drinks at the country’s only alcohol shop inside Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter.
Six people familiar with the situation confirmed that staff at the store checked their residency details and verified their salaries through a national system before allowing the sale.
The move follows a recent policy shift that allowed premium visa holders to buy alcohol. That marked the first time in Saudi history that people other than foreign diplomats could access the shop.
Premium residency, introduced in 2019, is granted to a small group of foreigners who meet strict conditions, including a one-time payment of 800,000 riyals.
For many years, some people in Riyadh relied on homemade drinks or the black market, where a single bottle of whisky could cost hundreds of dollars.
The recent changes are part of the broader social and economic shifts launched under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aimed at opening the country to tourism and international business.
