Indicators · Price gap · latest data August 2026 (Safar – Rabi' al-Awwal 1448 AH) · published by GASTAT 15 September 2026 (4 Rabi' al-Akhir 1448 AH)
Price gap between regions: where did prices rise most?
Each month we rank the thirteen regions by how much consumer prices rose compared with the same month last year, and measure the difference between the highest and the lowest, for the headline figure and for each division of the basket.
The indicator measures how fast prices change, not their level: it does not say which region has higher prices.
What this means for your decision: when the gap widens, the effect of rising prices differs for those who sell, buy or work in two regions; the national figure alone hides this difference.
The gap for each division of the basket
August 2026 (Safar – Rabi' al-Awwal 1448 AH). “Point” = percentage point: 4.3% minus 0.4% = 3.9 points. Divisions ranked from the widest gap.
| Division | Gap now | Highest region (annual change) | Lowest region (annual change) | Gap a year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All items (headline) | 4.8 pt | Al-Jouf +4.3% | Qassim −0.4% | 4.2 pt |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 12.9 pt | Northern Borders +11.9% | Jazan −1.0% | 8.7 pt |
| Restaurants and accommodation | 10.7 pt | Al-Baha +9.1% | Asir −1.7% | 10.8 pt |
| Personal care and miscellaneous goods and services | 10.4 pt | Najran +11.6% | Tabuk +1.2% | 11.0 pt |
| Furnishings, household equipment and maintenance | 9.8 pt | Al-Jouf +5.3% | Tabuk −4.5% | 7.3 pt |
| Recreation, sport and culture | 9.5 pt | Al-Jouf +7.9% | Madinah −1.6% | 7.2 pt |
| Clothing and footwear | 9.2 pt | Al-Jouf +3.2% | Madinah −6.0% | 9.1 pt |
| Transport | 8.3 pt | Riyadh +5.1% | Qassim −3.2% | 5.5 pt |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 7.8 pt | Najran +4.5% | Qassim −3.3% | 7.8 pt |
| Health | 6.4 pt | Al-Jouf +3.6% | Madinah −2.8% | 11.2 pt |
| Insurance and finance | 3.8 pt | Riyadh +3.6% | Eastern Province −0.2% | 19.0 pt |
| Information and communication | 3.7 pt | Asir +1.5% | Tabuk −2.2% | 4.3 pt |
| Education | 2.8 pt | Tabuk +1.4% | Madinah −1.3% | 4.0 pt |
| Tobacco | 1.9 pt | Qassim +0.8% | Northern Borders −1.1% | 5.4 pt |
Source: GASTAT — consumer price index by region (base 2023 = 100); the annual change as published by GASTAT, or, where not published, calculated from the same index.
What this means for your decision: a division with a wide gap means its price moves locally; compare your region with its own figure before relying on the national average.
All regions: annual change in prices
Headline figure, August 2026 (Safar – Rabi' al-Awwal 1448 AH) compared with August 2025 (Safar – Rabi' al-Awwal 1447 AH). Ranked from the highest rise.
| Region | Annual change in prices |
|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | +1.8% |
| Al-Jouf | +4.3% |
| Northern Borders | +3.6% |
| Najran | +2.4% |
| Riyadh | +2.3% |
| Hail | +2.2% |
| Al-Baha | +2.0% |
| Makkah | +1.8% |
| Eastern Province | +1.7% |
| Tabuk | +1.5% |
| Madinah | +1.5% |
| Asir | +1.3% |
| Jazan | +0.9% |
| Qassim | −0.4% |
The gap month by month
The band runs from the lowest to the highest region in the annual change of the headline figure; its width is the gap.
Source: GASTAT, consumer price index by region, up to August 2026 (Safar – Rabi' al-Awwal 1448 AH); DataPulse calculations. Axis: the Gregorian year, with the Hijri year on 1 January below it.
Before 2020 the gap was much wider and more volatile; since 2022 it has narrowed and has not exceeded a few points. The jumps in 2018 and 2020 coincide with public decisions (VAT and energy prices) that affected regions to different degrees.
How we calculate
- For each region and each month: the change in the consumer price index compared with the same month last year, as published by GASTAT.
- The gap: the highest region minus the lowest of the thirteen regions, in percentage points. Calculated for the headline figure and for each of the thirteen divisions.
- Updates itself: with every monthly GASTAT release everything is recalculated.
What the indicator does not measure
- It does not measure the level of prices: index numbers measure change from the base year in the same region. So we do not say that prices in one region are higher than in another; we say they rose more.
- It does not measure the prices of a particular shop or good: it is the average of the household basket in the whole region.
- Administrative region, not city: GASTAT publishes prices for the thirteen regions.
- Small divisions are more volatile: a division such as tobacco or insurance has few items, so its gap widens when a single price changes.
Source and download
Source: General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Saudi Arabia — consumer price index by region (base 2023 = 100), the official source of the original data. DataPulse organised the data and made calculations on it (such as percentage changes and regrouping). This processing and its results are ours; they are not an official statistic issued by GASTAT and do not imply its endorsement.
Reuse terms: GASTAT data use policy. We do not use GASTAT’s logo or marks.
The attribution statement in Arabic (the Arabic text governs; the English above is a summary)
المصدر: الهيئة العامة للإحصاء (المملكة العربية السعودية) — الرقم القياسي لأسعار المستهلك بالمنطقة (أساس 2023 = 100)، وهي المصدر الرسمي للبيانات الأصلية. أجرت «نبض البيانات» على البيانات تنظيمًا وحسابًا (مثل: حساب نسب التغيّر وإعادة التجميع). هذه المعالجة والنتائج من إعدادنا وليست إحصاءً رسميًا صادرًا عن الهيئة، ولا تعني تزكية منها.
شروط إعادة الاستخدام: سياسة استخدام بيانات الهيئة. لا نستخدم شعار الهيئة ولا علاماتها.
Monthly indicator file for each division (column notes in Arabic and English): indicator_price_gap.csv · Official figures as published · Cost of living in your region