Summary
“Using your Saudi Mada card at ATMs abroad carries three separate charges: a withdrawal fee (up to 3%, capped at SAR 25), a foreign currency conversion fee (up to 2%), and 15% VAT on both. GCC country withdrawals use a different rate structure. SAMA updated these rules in December 2025.”
Most people assume one fee hits their account when they use a Mada card at a foreign ATM. The reality is three separate charges stack on top of each other, and if you pick the wrong option on the ATM screen, you add a fourth. Saudi Arabia’s Central Bank (SAMA) overhauled the fee structure in December 2025, replacing the old flat SAR 25 charge with a percentage-based model that actually saves you money on smaller withdrawals.
What Is a Mada Card and How Does It Work Abroad?
Mada is Saudi Arabia’s national payment network. Every bank in the Kingdom is required by SAMA to issue cards on the Mada network. What makes those cards work outside Saudi Arabia is the co-branding layer: each Mada card is also linked to an international network, either Visa or Mastercard, and in some cases Cirrus, Plus, or Maestro.
When you insert your Saudi debit card at an ATM in Pakistan, India, the UK, or anywhere else outside the GCC, the transaction runs on the Visa or Mastercard network. Your Saudi bank handles the settlement and deducts the amount plus its fees directly from your account in real time.
One key point: a Mada card is a debit card, not a credit card. There is no credit line. Every transaction pulls live funds from your account. Keep enough balance, especially before traveling, and be aware that some hotels and car rental companies place pre-authorization holds that may not process cleanly with a debit card.
SAMA’s New Fee Structure: What Changed in December 2025?
Before December 2025, most Saudi banks charged a flat fee of SAR 25 for every international cash withdrawal, regardless of how much you withdrew. Pulling SAR 100 or SAR 2,000 cost the same fee.
On December 22, 2025, SAMA issued a revised Fees Guide for Financial Institutions’ Services. The flat fee model is gone for international withdrawals outside the GCC. The new rule works like this:
New SAMA Rule (effective December 2025): International ATM withdrawals using a Mada card are charged at 3% of the transaction value, with a maximum cap of SAR 25. VAT at 15% applies on top of this fee.
This means smaller withdrawals now cost significantly less than before. The cap kicks in once you withdraw the equivalent of SAR 833 or more. At that point, the fee hits SAR 25 and goes no higher regardless of the amount.
The official rules are published at rulebook.sama.gov.sa. Individual banks may charge less than the cap but cannot legally charge more.
Table 1: International ATM Withdrawal Fee Breakdown
| Amount Withdrawn (SAR Equiv.) | 3% Fee | Fee Charged (Cap: SAR 25) | 15% VAT | Total Extra Cost |
| SAR 100 | SAR 3 | SAR 3 | SAR 0.45 | SAR 3.45 |
| SAR 200 | SAR 6 | SAR 6 | SAR 0.90 | SAR 6.90 |
| SAR 300 | SAR 9 | SAR 9 | SAR 1.35 | SAR 10.35 |
| SAR 500 | SAR 15 | SAR 15 | SAR 2.25 | SAR 17.25 |
| SAR 833 or more | SAR 25+ | SAR 25 (capped) | SAR 3.75 | SAR 28.75 |
Note: VAT column shows 15% on the withdrawal fee only. FX conversion fee is a separate charge covered in the next section.
GCC vs. International Withdrawals: Two Different Fee Structures
Saudi banks treat GCC country withdrawals separately from the rest of the world. When you use your Mada card at an ATM in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, or Oman, the transaction routes through GCC Net, a regional payment network linking Gulf state banks. The fees are lower because it is a regional network, not a global one.
Table 2: GCC vs. International Fee Comparison
| Transaction Type | GCC Countries (GCC Net) | Outside GCC (Visa / MC) |
| ATM Cash Withdrawal | SAR 10 flat fee | 3% of amount, max SAR 25 |
| Balance Inquiry | SAR 3 | Varies by bank |
| POS Purchase | Free | FX conversion fee applies |
| FX Conversion Fee | Not applicable | Up to 2% of amount |
| 15% VAT | Applies on fees | Applies on fees |
The SAR 10 flat fee for GCC withdrawals applies per transaction. For frequent small withdrawals within the Gulf, this can add up faster than the percentage model used outside the GCC, so withdraw in one larger transaction when possible.
The Three-Layer Cost Most People Miss
The withdrawal fee is only the first charge. A single international ATM transaction can carry three separate deductions from your account:
- Cash withdrawal fee: 3% of the amount, capped at SAR 25 (outside GCC)
- Foreign currency conversion fee: up to 2% of the transaction value
- 15% VAT: applied separately on both of the fees above
These are not combined into one charge. Your bank applies them individually, and each one appears as a separate line item or is bundled into the total deduction without a clear breakdown on your statement. The FX conversion fee is often the one people overlook because it is not highlighted in the fee guides.
Table 3: Full Cost Example on a Real Withdrawal
| Fee Component | Rate | SAR 500 Trip | SAR 833 Trip |
| Withdrawal Fee | 3% (max SAR 25) | SAR 15 | SAR 25 |
| FX Conversion Fee | Up to 2% | SAR 10 | SAR 16.66 |
| 15% VAT | On all fees | SAR 3.75 | SAR 6.25 |
| Total Charged on Top | SAR 28.75 | SAR 47.91 | |
| Total Deducted from Account | SAR 528.75 | SAR 880.91 |
FX conversion fee shown at the maximum rate of 2%. Your bank’s actual rate may be lower. Always check your bank’s specific fee schedule before traveling.
The practical takeaway from the table: if you are withdrawing the equivalent of SAR 500 abroad, budget roughly SAR 529 being deducted from your account. At SAR 833 or above, the withdrawal fee hits its ceiling but the FX fee continues to scale with the amount.
The Dynamic Currency Conversion Trap
This is the most common mistake Mada cardholders make at foreign ATMs, and it costs real money every time.
When you insert your card at an ATM abroad, the machine will often show a screen asking something like:
“Would you like to be charged in Saudi Riyals (SAR) or in [local currency]? Accept conversion / Decline.”
This is called Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC). The ATM is offering to convert the amount into SAR at its own exchange rate before processing the transaction.
Always select Decline or Continue in local currency. Here is why:
- If you Accept: the ATM applies its own exchange rate, which is almost always worse than the Visa/Mastercard interbank rate. The ATM operator also earns a margin on this conversion.
- If you Decline: your Saudi bank handles the conversion using the Visa or Mastercard network rate, which is typically closer to the real market rate.
The ATM may phrase the Accept option as the “convenient” or “guaranteed” choice. It is not. Selecting local currency and letting your Saudi bank handle the conversion will consistently give you a better rate.
Does Your Mada Card Work Everywhere Abroad?
Mada cards work at ATMs and payment terminals in most countries worldwide. Because every Mada card is co-branded with Visa, Mastercard, or affiliated networks like Cirrus, Plus, and Maestro, you can use them wherever those networks are accepted.
There are a few practical limits to keep in mind:
- Debit card holds: hotels, car rental agencies, and some online bookings require a pre-authorization hold. These work differently on debit cards and can temporarily freeze a portion of your balance.
- Some countries and ATM networks: a small number of ATMs in certain countries may not accept international debit cards. Always have a backup payment method.
- Account balance: since Mada is a debit card, your withdrawal is limited to your available balance. Ensure your account has enough funds plus the estimated fees before you travel.
- International usage settings: some Saudi banks require you to enable international transactions through their app or by contacting the bank before travel. Check this before your trip.
How to Keep Mada Withdrawal Costs Down Abroad
You cannot avoid the fees entirely, but you can reduce how much you pay with a few practical adjustments:
- Withdraw less frequently, in larger amounts: each transaction triggers a new fee. One withdrawal of SAR 833 equivalent hits the SAR 25 cap. Four withdrawals of SAR 200 each cost SAR 6 per transaction, which totals SAR 24 but with four rounds of FX fees too.
- Always choose local currency at foreign ATMs: never accept DCC. This saves you the ATM operator’s conversion markup every single time.
- Use GCC ATMs for Gulf trips: the SAR 10 flat fee is lower than the 3% fee on amounts above SAR 333, making it worth factoring into your plans when traveling within the Gulf.
- Check your bank’s specific FX rate: SAMA sets the cap at 2% for FX conversion, but some banks charge less. Al Rajhi, SNB, Riyad Bank, and SABB each publish their own rate schedules.
- Consider a dedicated transfer service for home remittances: if you are sending money to family rather than spending personally, services like Wise or STC Pay often offer better exchange rates than an ATM withdrawal in a foreign country.
Final Word
Using a Mada card abroad is straightforward once you know the cost structure. The December 2025 SAMA update made smaller withdrawals cheaper by replacing the old flat SAR 25 with a 3% cap, but the FX conversion fee and 15% VAT still apply on top. The full cost on a typical SAR 500 withdrawal outside the GCC comes to around SAR 28.75 in extra charges.
For GCC travel, the SAR 10 flat fee through GCC Net is a separate structure entirely. And regardless of where you travel, always decline Dynamic Currency Conversion at the ATM screen. That single habit saves you money on every single transaction. For the official and most up-to-date fee schedule, check rulebook.sama.gov.sa or contact your bank directly before you travel.
