- 01
“Does the shop cover its costs?”: the strongest source of demand around the neighbourhood, and the nearest places that draw visitors(Arabic)New
The free result now states in one line the strongest and weakest source of demand around the neighbourhood (residents, daytime workers, places that draw visitors, the road, clustered shops, or the delivery zone), compared with the neighbourhoods of the same city, together with the three nearest places that draw visitors and their distance. It is for comparison only and does not change the verdict.
- 02
A “Development and improvement” button on every pageNew
Spotted a problem on a page? Tell us in one click: “hard to understand”, “wrong or missing figure” or “something doesn't work”, with no form and no sign-up.
- 03
“You asked, we answered”: what do you want to know? Pick your question in one clickNew
From the “Development and improvement” button on any page: pick a question about population, work, prices, tourism and more in one click. We answer the most requested with a reading from official data.
- 04
The site in English: more than 400 pagesNew
An EN button at the top of every page: data, cities, activities, regions, indicators, insights, the newsletter, the calendar and the methodology in English, with the same figures. The “Should I rent this shop?” tool is in Arabic for now.
What’s new at DataPulse
Every feature we have released recently, and what we are working on for the coming months. Anything less than 30 days old carries a “New” tag. Links go to the English page where one exists; otherwise to the Arabic page, marked “(Arabic)”.
Everything on the site is currently free, and some services may become paid at any time.
Latest release 5 October 2026 (24 Rabi' al-Akhir 1448 AH) · 113 in the last 30 days · 8 coming
New
- 01
Where is the spring? Clearer on mobile and more accurateNew
The map comes first on mobile with place details in a bottom panel, spring glows on the map and farms are in a separate layer, a new land-cover mask (ESA WorldCover) excludes small fields and built-up areas, and a “How accurate are we?” box gives the measurement result.
- 02
Where is the spring? Watch the spring moveNew
A “Watch the spring move” button on the map shows the spread of spring across Saudi Arabia year by year since 2002 from satellite imagery, with a 24-year strip below the map comparing this year's spring with past years.
- 03
Where is the spring? What changed since your visitNew
Follow a region or a rawdah, and when you come back the tool shows you what changed since your visit: the spring's area in the region and the place's status. Your choice is saved by your browser on your device only; none of it reaches us, and you clear it with the “Forget my choice” button.
- 04
Where is the spring? A share image for each regionNew
The “Share” button sends the page with a ready-made story image for your accounts, and each region has its own preview image that appears when you send its link in chats.
- 05
Where is the spring? Search for any rawdah or wadiNew
Search more than 31 thousand names from wilderness maps and GeoNames: type “Rawdat Khuraim”, “Wadi Hanifah” or the name of your city, even with a typo, and the map moves to the place and the nearest spring to it.
- 06
Where is the spring? A page for every rawdah, wadi and nafudNew
A guide to the best-known rawdahs, faydahs, wadis and nafuds in Saudi Arabia, such as Rawdat Khuraim, Rawdat Nourah and Nafud Al-Thuwayrat: each destination has a page saying whether there is spring around it now from satellite imagery, when it usually turns green, in how many years since 2002 it did, the nearest road to it, and the protected-area conditions if it lies inside one.
- 07
Spring in numbers — the week's figures, ready to quoteNew
For researchers and writers: every week, ten figures on the spring in Saudi Arabia from satellite image analysis (land greenness only): the spring's area and its change from the previous reading, the month's rank among the years since 2002, the widest regions and what has newly turned green, each with a ready-made sentence, its source, a permanent link that does not change and a copy button, plus a CSV file and a permanent page for each week. An estimate from satellite imagery using DataPulse's methodology, not an official statistic.
- 08
RSS feed: the latest Where is the spring? updatesNew
An RSS feed updated with every new image: the regions with spring, their area and rank, what has newly turned green, and the places with spring now. It can be read in any feed reader.
- 09
“Where is the spring?” in English for residents and visitorsNew
An English version of the spring map, the region pages, the destination guide and “Spring in numbers”, with the same figures and updated with them every night: place names in Arabic with their Latin form, and the vehicle warnings, protected-area conditions and camping sites fully translated. Arabic remains the original.
- 10
Where is the spring? Camping sites from the Centre's family guideNew
A “Camping sites (Centre guide)” layer on the map and a table on each region's page: 63 camping and caravan sites in 9 regions as listed in the Camping and Caravans Guide 2025 issued by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, with each site's capacity and a link to request a permit from the Centre through the Nabati platform. The data was reorganised and has not been approved by the Centre, and DataPulse is a private entity that does not issue permits.
- 11
Where is the spring? On your phone's screenNew
Add “Where is the spring?” to your home screen as an app, and it opens the last version you visited even offline, with the date of the last update and a warning when the data is old.
- 01
Where is the spring? A map of the places turning green nowNew
A map updated every night from satellite imagery: where the land has turned green in each region, with the names of rawdahs, valleys and wadis, and the nearest spring to your location. Beta version.
- 02
Where is the spring? Protected areas, their entry conditions, and the nearest roadNew
A new layer on the spring map shows protected areas with approximate boundaries and entry and permit conditions from the authorities' websites, and warns you if a place is inside a protected area. For each destination, the distance to the nearest paved and dirt road from open maps, with “before you go” rules.
- 03
Where is the spring? This year compared with every year since 2002New
For each region: whether its spring now is wider than in past years in the same month, with a chart for every year since 2002. And for each rawdah and wadi: in which months it usually turns green, and in how many years it did. Famous rawdahs such as Khuraim and Nourah now appear, after being hidden by the farm mask.
- 04
The citation file: official figures ready to quote, with their sourceNew
34 official figures on population, income, prices, real estate, labour, the economy, tourism, energy and spending, each with a ready-made sentence, its source, its period, a permanent link and a copy button, plus a CSV file of them all.
- 01
Share an issue or a reading, and its figure shows with the linkNew
Each newsletter issue and each reading of the week has its own image that appears when its link is shared in chats and on social media: the title, the main figure, the week in Gregorian and Hijri, and the source. At the top of each page there is a “Share” button and copy-link, with no sign-up and no data collected about you.
- 02
The site study: one page for the meaning, source and limits of every figure(Arabic)New
The site-study samples now have a “Definitions and methodology” page before the terms: every word and figure in the study on one line, with its meaning, where it came from, how much confidence it carries and what it does not measure. The summary heading on the first page is now a sentence stating the verdict and its decisive figure from the study itself.
- 03
“Does the shop cover its costs?”: the free neighbourhood calculation in 14 cities instead of 4(Arabic)New
We added ten cities to the free result: Madinah, Taif, Hofuf, Qatif, Buraidah, Unaizah, Al-Rass, Abha, Hail and Sakaka. We chose them by a published rule: we record at least 7 in 10 of their restaurants and cafés, they have 10 or more neighbourhoods with sufficient data in every activity, and 200 or more restaurants and cafés on the map. Every result states how many neighbourhoods in your city have sufficient data, states the coverage in the added cities, and warns when coverage is lower. The paid site study remains in Riyadh, Jeddah, Al-Khobar and Dammam.
- 04
“Does the shop cover its costs?”: an executive summary in simpler language(Arabic)New
The free result now starts with the verdict and a five-point summary: how many sales a day you need, how much residents around you spend, the number of your competitors compared with your city's neighbourhoods, the weakest month, and your capital and how many months of costs it covers. We calculate what you need to sell; we do not forecast your sales.
- 05
“Does the shop cover its costs?”: offices, and a density score for demand generators around the neighbourhood(Arabic)New
The result now also counts offices, companies and banks around the neighbourhood centre, and gives a score from 0 to 100 comparing the surroundings with the neighbourhoods of the same city, with weights published on the “What we calculate ourselves” page. The score is information for comparison; it changes neither the verdict nor the threshold.
- 06
Reading of the week (released early): where do people live in Saudi Arabia?New
From GASTAT's Saudi Census 2022: how much of the population lives in the five largest cities and in each region, who lives there, and what this means for your decision and the limits of the figure. Released before its planned date of 7 October 2026 (26 Rabi' al-Akhir 1448 AH).
- 07
Reading of the week (released early): who is looking for work in each region?New
From GASTAT's Labour Force Survey: the unemployment rate in each region for Saudi men, Saudi women and non-Saudis, and its change over a year. Released before its planned date of 11 November 2026 (1 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH).
- 08
Reading of the week (released early): what happens to spending around Ramadan, and for which activity?New
From 6 Ramadan seasons in the Saudi Central Bank's weekly data (1442–1447 AH): when card spending rises and when it falls, in groceries, restaurants, clothing, jewellery and others. A description of what happened, not a forecast. Released before its planned date of 4 November 2026 (24 Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH).
- 09
Reading of the week (released early): which region saw prices rise most in a year?New
From the consumer prices by region published by GASTAT: where prices rose most over a year and where they fell, which group of the basket moved most in each region, and what this means for your decision and the limits of the figure. Released before its planned date of 14 October 2026 (3 Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH).
- 10
Reading of the week (released early): the regions growing faster than Saudi ArabiaNew
From population growth rates and density by region: which regions' populations grew faster than Saudi Arabia and which more slowly, and the limits of these figures. Released before its planned date of 16 December 2026 (7 Rajab 1448 AH).
- 11
Reading of the week (released early): how do Saudis live? Villas or apartments, and with what household sizeNew
From the dwellings statistics bulletin: the type of dwelling Saudi households live in in each region, and how it relates to household size. Ownership or renting is not published in this data. Released before its planned date of 9 December 2026 (29 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH).
- 12
Reading of the week (released early): how much does a household spend each month, and on what?New
From the household income and expenditure survey: average monthly household income and spending in Saudi Arabia and each region, the gap between them, and which groups the spending goes to. A single-year survey. Released before its planned date of 21 October 2026 (10 Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH).
- 13
Reading of the week (released early): how full are hotels? Occupancy and average rate by regionNew
From hospitality statistics: occupancy of hotels and serviced apartments and the average room rate in each region, compared with the same quarter a year earlier, and the effect of the season. Released before its planned date of 23 December 2026 (14 Rajab 1448 AH).
- 14
Reading of the week (released early): how many establishments open and close each year, and in which activity?New
From business demography statistics: new and closed establishments in Saudi Arabia for each section and activity, and how many establishments close for every 100 new ones. The survival rate is not published, and we say so plainly. Released before its planned date of 2 December 2026 (22 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH).
- 15
Reading of the week (released early): how much does a kilo cost? Prices of 20 basic goodsNew
From the average prices published by GASTAT: the price of 20 basic goods now and a year ago, the price per kilo, and which rose and which fell. Released before its planned date of 25 November 2026 (15 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH).
- 16
“My account”: one entry point for DataPulse clients and team(Arabic)New
A “My account” button at the top of every page. The team uses it to enter the admin portal. Client accounts for following requests, reports and receipts will open soon.
- 01
Umrah pilgrims since 1437 AH: domestic and international, every monthNew
A single series for Saudi Arabia from GASTAT's Umrah bulletins, from Muharram 1437 AH (2015) to March 2026 (Ramadan – Shawwal 1447 AH), in Hijri months as published and then Gregorian, with each year's total and a CSV file to download.
- 02
The competitor count is now corrected with official municipal licences(Arabic)New
Open maps do not record every shop (grocery stores especially). We now compare them with the official municipal commercial licences for each city and activity, base the verdict on the estimated number of competitors around the neighbourhood, and show the recorded and estimated numbers together.
- 03
The shop map is now four times larger: we added Foursquare(Arabic)New
We added Foursquare open data to Overture and OpenStreetMap: about 127 thousand restaurants, cafés, bakeries and grocery stores in our sixty cities after removing duplicates (it was 34 thousand). Because open sources contain duplicates and closed shops, we calibrate the number of competitors around each neighbourhood with official municipal licences. (The number was corrected the same day after a sample check: about 82 thousand shops after removing duplicates and non-food shops.)
- 04
“Does the shop cover its costs?”: where demand comes from around the neighbourhood(Arabic)New
The result now states how many government offices, hospitals, universities, malls and transport stations we recorded around the centre of each neighbourhood you chose, within 500 metres and one kilometre, from Overture's open maps. Count and type only, with the coverage limits; no customer estimate, and it does not change the verdict.
- 05
“Does the shop cover its costs?”: the effect of delivery apps, and a more accurate map(Arabic)New
Enter how much of your sales go through delivery apps and their commission, and we calculate how much the sales needed to cover your costs rise. The map now records about a third more shops after merging the latest Overture and OpenStreetMap data.
- 06
“Does the shop cover its costs?”: the decision at the top, in three lights(Arabic)New
The result and the report now start with three lights: rent compared with a benchmark of declared source, what is needed to cover it, and competitor density compared with the city rate from municipal licences, with the highest rent within the planning limit, “what would flip the light”, and the official establishment closure rate. We also cleaned the shop data after an independent sample check (about 93% accuracy).
- 07
How many shops do we record? The map's measured coverage for each city(Arabic)New
In “Does the shop cover its costs?”, the map-accuracy line now gives the measured coverage for your city (about 4 in 10 restaurants and cafés in Riyadh), by comparing the map with the number of active food and beverage establishments from GASTAT. Reality is harder than the figures, not easier.
- 08
Add the DataPulse calendar to your phone, and it updates itselfNew
From iPhone, Android or Outlook, once: seasons, Eids, holidays and major events, and official data release dates in a separate calendar, in Hijri and Gregorian. Whenever we add an event or a date changes, your calendar picks it up on your phone's schedule, with no account and no e-mail.
- 01
Checking against independent sources: does card data capture the market's direction?New
We compared point-of-sale spending growth (SAMA) with GASTAT's retail trade revenue index quarter by quarter, and published the result as it is, even when it goes against us: in how many quarters the direction agreed, in how many they sped up or slowed down together, and the average gap. Next: a comparison with the revenues of listed retail companies on 25 November 2026 (15 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH).
- 02
Second independent check: listed companies' revenues versus card spendingNew
A preliminary section on the verification page: the revenues of 15 listed retail and services companies for ten quarters from their published announcements, all matched against a second source, with the retail-segment figure from the notes to the financial statements when the consolidated figure does not match the activity, and a comparison of their growth with point-of-sale spending growth in electronics, groceries and pharmacies. No opinion on any company or share.
- 03
New indicator: tourism pulse by regionNew
Occupancy of hotels and serviced apartments and the average nightly rate in each region, and domestic and international Umrah pilgrims, each quarter compared with the same quarter of the previous year.
- 04
“Does the shop cover its costs?” made simpler, and your report as a PDF in one click(Arabic)New
Just three steps: where the shop is, your shop's figures, and the result. Below the result, a “Download the report as PDF” button creates the file on your device and downloads it directly, with no e-mail, no waiting and no figures sent anywhere.
- 05
“Related” at the bottom of data, indicator and region pagesNew
Every domain page links you to its indicators, readings, region pages and methodology, and every region page links you to its domains and indicators.
- 06
A page for each administrative region with official figuresNew
Thirteen pages, one for each administrative region: population in the 2022 Census, household income and spending (2024 survey), prices, the real estate price index, new sole proprietorships, card spending in the region's cities, and the coming season, compared with Saudi Arabia. Every figure has its source and date and is matched automatically against the data files at every build, and at the bottom of each page is what you do not know.
- 07
The Ramadan 1448 challenge: we lock our forecast before the season and measure it in publicNew
We lock the spending forecast for the four weeks of Ramadan for Saudi Arabia, 10 cities and 13 activities two weeks before the season, place next to it what SAMA publishes every Thursday, and publish the verdict even if it goes against us. With a backtest on Ramadan 1447 AH.
- 08
New indicator: the price gap between regionsNew
Every month: the gap between the region where consumer prices rose most and the region where they rose least, for the headline figure and for each group of the basket. It measures how fast prices change, not their level.
- 09
Population density and growth by regionNew
A new section on the population page: each region's density (people per km²) and the annual growth rate of its population from 2010 to 2022, and the median age in Saudi Arabia.
- 10
Open files from GASTAT: unemployment, population, tourism, Hajj and Umrah, and dwellingsNew
Six new CSV files in “Open data”: the quarterly unemployment rate by region, nationality and sex; population density and growth by region; occupancy of hotels and serviced apartments and room rates by region; Umrah pilgrims by region monthly; Hajj pilgrims annually; and dwellings 2025 by type and number of members. Each file has Gregorian and Hijri dates and units, and is updated automatically when GASTAT publishes something new.
- 11
A methodology page for every data sourceNew
The methodology now covers all our sources, not only spending: a page for GASTAT with ten categories (prices, population, households, real estate, labour, business, trade, tourism and transport, energy, education and health) with the latest release at GASTAT and on our site and the status of each group, and pages for the 2022 Census, the central bank, KAPSARC, the calendar, what we calculate ourselves, and what we cannot reach and why.
- 12
Merchant tool: where the threshold sits in the market(Arabic)New
The verdict and the site report describe where your threshold sits relative to the “average shop's share” in the neighbourhood (below a third of it, close to it, above it), with no unmeasured percentages. The 12-month forecast for the city and activity is withheld from the report until its measured accuracy is sufficient; it will be reviewed in March 2027 (Ramadan – Shawwal 1448 AH).
- 13
New indicator: labour market pulse by regionNew
The unemployment rate in each region for Saudis and non-Saudis and its change from the same quarter of the previous year, quarterly since 2021. Employment and wages are not added yet.
- 14
Tools, indicators and insights: every product in its place, with its dateNew
The Tools, Indicators and Insights pages now show everything we are building: each tool with the decision question it answers, the ten indicators on housing, prices, labour, business and tourism, and the schedule of the reading of the week every Wednesday. Anything not yet released shows “coming soon” with its date in Gregorian and Hijri, and each page has a bar showing spending's share of the domains.
- 15
Wages and employment by region, business and consumer confidence, construction costs, and SMEsNew
From GASTAT: average monthly wage and the employment and participation rates by region and nationality on the labour page and in the labour market pulse indicator; business and consumer confidence indices and small and medium enterprises by activity and size class on the establishments and business page; and the construction cost index on the real estate and housing page. Seven new CSV files in “Open data”, updated automatically when GASTAT publishes something new.
- 16
Announced fuel prices on the energy pageNew
The price per litre of 91 and 95 gasoline, diesel, kerosene and liquefied gas in every revision announced by Saudi Aramco since 2021, with the date of each revision and a link to its source.
- 17
The forecast log: every weekly estimate and what happened nextNew
Every next-week estimate in the data explorer for 26 spending series, with what SAMA actually published, the error, whether the actual figure fell within the highest and lowest expected figure, and a running tally. The first weeks were regenerated rather than saved at the time of publication, and we say so at the top of the page.
- 18
Tourism page: hospitality occupancy, Umrah and HajjNew
Occupancy of hotels and serviced apartments and their average daily rate by region, domestic Umrah pilgrims by region of residence monthly, and Hajj pilgrims each season, with the source's notes as they are.
- 19
Education, health and society page: literacy, enrolment, vaccination and internet by regionNew
Literacy, enrolment and years of schooling by region (2017 survey), completion rates by stage (2024–2025), health and vaccination by region (2018 survey), life expectancy and fertility up to 2022, and phone and internet in households (2025). Every figure is tagged with its year, with three open CSV files.
- 20
Prices page: region and group, and average prices of 174 itemsNew
Consumer prices for Saudi Arabia, 13 regions and 13 groups as published by GASTAT, a chart of the annual change over 36 months with a Gregorian and Hijri axis, and a table of the average prices of 169 goods and services and 5 building materials, searchable by name, with the current price, the earliest comparison and the change.
- 21
Macroeconomy page: GDP and industrial productionNew
Real and nominal GDP every quarter, the contribution of oil, non-oil and government activities to growth, GDP by activity and by expenditure item, monthly industrial production, and producer and wholesale prices; with charts on a Gregorian and Hijri axis, and four new CSV files.
- 22
Labour page: unemployment by region, nationality and sexNew
The quarterly unemployment rate from the Labour Force Survey for Saudi Arabia and 13 regions, for Saudis and non-Saudis, men and women, with the gap to Saudi Arabia and the change over a year, and a chart with a Gregorian and Hijri axis. Wages and employment coming soon.
- 23
Real estate and housing page: the price index by region and typeNew
The real estate price index quarterly for Saudi Arabia and 13 regions, and residential, commercial and agricultural for Saudi Arabia, and building permits by region up to 2019, marked “discontinued at source”. An indicator of price change by region, not a property valuation.
- 24
Energy and environment page: electricity by region, insulation and solar in dwellings, and drinking waterNew
Licensed electricity generation capacity, peak load and consumption in Saudi Arabia year by year, electricity sold in each region by category, the share of dwellings with thermal insulation or using gas and kerosene and the interest in solar energy, and the main source of drinking water by region. From GASTAT, with three open CSV files.
- 25
Data by domain: 12 domains, spending is one of themNew
The data page is now an index of twelve domains: population, prices, real estate, household income, establishments, spending, trade and others. Each domain has a recent figure with its source and date in Gregorian and Hijri, or “coming soon” with its date. Spending details moved to /data/spending/, and old links still work.
- 26
Establishments and trade pages, and dwellings 2025New
Two new pages under Data: Establishments and business (how many establishments were active, new and closed in 2024 by activity, with search; new sole proprietorships by region up to 2023; and establishments by size class up to 2019), and Trade (wholesale, retail, e-commerce and car-sales indicators, quarterly). And in “Real estate and housing”, a Dwellings 2025 section: dwelling type and household size by region for Saudi households. Every figure has its source and date.
- 27
New indicator: the cash share of payments since 1996New
Of every 100 riyals people withdraw in cash at ATMs or pay by card at points of sale, how many are withdrawn in cash? Monthly since 1996 from Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) data. It does not include transfers or digital wallets.
- 28
The calendar: official release dates, major events, and an “Add to my calendar” buttonNew
Release dates for inflation, unemployment, GDP, industrial production and trade are now marked “official date” from the advance release calendar announced by Saudi Arabia, and we added six major events with their sources (AFC Asian Cup 2027, Formula 1, Formula E, Riyadh International Book Fair, Cityscape, LEAP), each with a file that adds it to your phone's calendar.
- 29
The calendar is no longer only about money: official data release dates, Umrah pilgrims, Hajj pilgrims and hotelsNew
We added the release dates of seven GASTAT bulletins (inflation, unemployment, real estate prices, hotels, industrial production, trade, construction costs), and with each season what happened to Umrah pilgrims, Hajj pilgrims and hotel occupancy before spending. Salaries are now a single card, and colouring the grid by spending is optional.
- 30
The week calendar now runs to the end of 2028New
The week calendar used by the newsletter and the calendar page now covers 2027 and 2028: Ramadan and the two Eids from the Umm al-Qura calendar, including Ramadan 1448 AH (starting around 8 February 2027 (1 Ramadan 1448 AH); the official start depends on the moon sighting). Salary dates after 2026 are calculated by the Ministry of Finance rule and marked “estimated” until the ministry publishes its official schedule.
- 31
New indicator: business vitality by activityNew
For each of 84 activities: new establishments minus closed ones divided by active ones in 2024, and the survival ratio, next to the growth of people's card spending on the same activity through a published approximate concordance table.
- 32
Next week's estimate in the Explorer(Arabic)New
The Explorer's “Forecasts” tab now gives an estimate for next week's spending only, for the Saudi Arabia total, the ten cities with full history and 15 activities nationwide, with the highest and lowest expected figure and the historical average error of the same series, as in the forecast-accuracy table. Monthly forecasts and scenarios whose accuracy has not been measured by that table are no longer shown.
- 33
Next-week forecast accuracy on the Methodology pageNew
A new table in the Methodology measures how far our forecast of next week's spending missed over the last 52 weeks, for Saudi Arabia, 10 cities and 15 activities, with the share of weeks in which the actual figure fell between the highest and lowest expected figure, and the measurement caveats. It is analysis, not official statistics, and is recalculated automatically every month.
- 34
Spending after inflation, for every region, every weekNew
The “Week in detail” section of the data page has a table updated weekly: card-spending growth in Saudi Arabia and 13 administrative regions before and after removing price increases (an estimate), using the latest consumer prices GASTAT has published for each region. The same table appears in the weekly newsletter from issue 3.
- 35
“Your report now” in full: scenarios, summary and a printable sheet(Arabic)New
“Your report now” now has the remaining sections of the site report: scenarios for changes in rent, spending in the catchment, margin, ticket size and competition and their effect on the verdict; the long view of spending on your activity in your city month by month; and the summary with a “what would flip the verdict” table in figures, the source of every figure and its date in Gregorian and Hijri, and a button that prints it all on one sheet or saves it as a PDF. It describes what happened; it is not a forecast. All calculation and printing happen on your device: we do not send your figures anywhere.
- 36
City trend and seasons in “Your report now”(Arabic)New
Below the neighbourhood figures in “Your report now”, two sections of the site report itself now appear: the trend of spending on your activity in your city (last 12 months, last 3 months versus last year, the city's share of Saudi Arabia, and the average ticket), and its seasons (highest and lowest month, and the effect of salary week and Ramadan), together with the verdict text and the report's terms and client responsibility as they are. It describes what happened; it is not a forecast. All calculation happens on your device: we do not send your figures anywhere.
- 37
Value versus count in “Week in detail”New
Below the week's figures on the data page, a paragraph updated weekly: did the number of payments grow faster than their value or the reverse, how much the average transaction changed, the possible reasons, and the limits of what card data can tell.
- 38
Newsletter issue 2, with “Reading of the week”New
Issue 2 of the weekly newsletter covers the week of 13–19 September 2026 (2–8 Rabi' al-Akhir 1448 AH), and opens with “Reading of the week”, written by the newsletter's editor: card payments rose 11% on last year while the amount rose only 4%, so the average transaction got smaller, and what that may mean. Every figure in it matches Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) data. Issue 1 now covers the week of 6–12 September 2026 (24 Rabi' al-Awwal – 1 Rabi' al-Akhir 1448 AH), so the archive runs week by week.
- 39
Open data: CSV downloadsNew
All spending tables are now CSV files to download that open in Excel in Arabic: the weekly series for Saudi Arabia in total and by activity since 2020, the weekly series for each city, and the monthly series for each city × activity since 2024, with Arabic and English columns, Gregorian and Hijri dates, explicit units and an attribution line for the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). There is also a “Download CSV” button next to “Copy figure” in the data-page tables.
- 01
Cost of living in your region: how much it rose, and where it is headingNew
Our first indicator with a forecast: how many extra riyals a household pays per month compared with 2023 in each region, and a forecast of price increases for the next six months in 13 regions and 13 spending groups, with the highest and lowest expected figure. The same page gives the forecasting method, our average past error compared with the simplest forecast, and a file of all our previous forecasts to download. From GASTAT data.
- 02
Spending after inflationNew
Next to nominal spending growth, an estimate of growth after removing price increases now appears: for Saudi Arabia in “Week in detail”, and for each administrative region monthly on the consumer-prices page, using GASTAT consumer prices and with the limits of the estimate.
- 03
GASTAT data on the siteNew
The first pages of General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) data under Data: consumer prices in 13 administrative regions for August 2026 (Safar – Rabi' al-Awwal 1448 AH), with their monthly and annual change and 13 spending groups; population from the 2022 Census for the regions and 60 cities with their governorates; and household income and spending by region from the 2024 survey. Every figure has its source and release date, and all data files can be downloaded.
- 04
Every page knows its sectionNew
The top of every page now shows a path starting from Home and then the section the page belongs to (Data, Insights, Indicators, Tools or About), for example: Home › Data › Cities › Riyadh. Readings now sit under Insights, and the footer now links to the beta lab and shows the establishment's name and freelance document number.
- 05
The data page by topicNew
The “Explore the data” page now starts with Saudi Arabia's data by topic: population, prices, real estate, e-commerce, new establishments and purchasing activity, each figure with its meaning, official source and release date. Spending by city and activity is now a single section after it. And “What's new” is now ordered by day.
- 06
City-and-activity pages in the new designNew
Pages such as “Restaurants and cafés in Riyadh” (240 pages) now start with spending in the latest week and 52 weekly bars with a Gregorian and Hijri axis, the city's rank in the activity and its share of it. The “What this means for your decision” line now compares the activity in your city with the same activity in Saudi Arabia and with all spending in your city, instead of the Saudi Arabia total.
- 07
Clearer sections: Data, Insights, Indicators and ToolsNew
The menu now has five main sections: Data (official figures by city and activity), Insights (the newsletter and readings), Indicators (the retail indicator and the latest official indicators), Tools (the merchant tool, the calendar and comparison) and Methodology. Every old page keeps its link, and an index of all activities was added.
- 08
Follow the newsletter without e-mailNew
The weekly newsletter now has an RSS feed at /newsletter/feed.xml: add it to any feed reader and each new issue reaches you when it is out, with no e-mail, no sign-up and no data about you. The link is at the end of every issue and on the archive page.
- 09
A new home page: Saudi Arabia now, and the latest we receivedNew
The home page now starts with a map of Saudi Arabia from actual satellite imagery by day and its lights by night, with day and night shifting across it according to where the sun is now; its dots are city populations from the 2022 Census, and zooming in shows more names. Next to it is a clock in Saudi time with the Hijri date and sunrise and sunset from Dammam to Jeddah. Below it, “The latest we received”: the newest figure from every official source we follow, from population and prices to establishments and real estate, ordered by release date. All detailed spending figures are on the data page.
- 10
Reading: is consumer spending growing?New
A short question and answer on the week of 13–19 September 2026 (2–8 Rabi' al-Akhir 1448 AH): card spending rose 4.2% on last year for the twelfth week in a row, with its source, the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), and the limits of what the figure measures.
- 11
A new look for every activity pageNew
The 31 nationwide activity pages now start with the activity's spending in the latest week, its rank among activities and its share of Saudi Arabia's spending, with what this means for your decision, 52 weekly bars with a Gregorian and Hijri axis, and the top cities in a numbered list. When the monthly figure differs a lot from the weekly one, the page warns you instead of giving a verdict.
- 12
A new look for every city pageNew
The sixty city pages now start with the city's spending in the latest week, its rank and its share of Saudi Arabia, with what this means for your decision, 52 weekly bars with a Gregorian and Hijri axis, and the activities in a numbered list with each activity's share.
- 01
A clearer neighbourhood map on mobile(Arabic)New
On small screens, the map colour key in the merchant tool is now folded behind a “Map key” button, so the map shows in full and you open the key when you need it.
- 02
A faster home page on mobileNew
Arabic fonts now load directly from our site in files cut down to the letters we use, instead of being requested from an outside service, and each page loads only the styles it uses. The top of the page appears noticeably faster on mobile, looking exactly the same.
- 03
The live indicator on the home page pulsesNew
The top of the home page now fills the whole first screen, and the latest week's bar in the 52-week chart pulses continuously, with a slow scan crossing the bars like a monitoring screen, to show that the indicator follows the latest reading published by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). The data itself is still weekly, and with the “reduce motion” setting all movement stops.
- 04
The main figure leads each newsletter issueNew
The top of a newsletter issue is now a dark block led by the week's figure, sized to fill the width, with a line above it defining what the figure measures and the week's date in Gregorian and Hijri, and below it the change versus the same week last year and a table of transaction counts and their average. The figure counts up in under a second when the page opens; with “reduce motion” or without JavaScript it appears in full immediately.
- 01
The “Explore the data” pageNew
The home page is now shorter: a line on what we do, the live indicator and 52 weekly bars, how we work, this week's pulse, tools for your decision, and our limits. All the details moved to the “Explore the data” page: my city and activity, the city map and index, the week in detail, 52 weeks versus the previous year, compare two cities, and the methodology and what we do not measure. Old links take you there automatically.
- 02
Numbered chapters in each newsletter issueNew
A newsletter issue now has six numbered chapters, 01 to 06: highlights, trend, activities, cities, calendar and methodology. The chapter bar stays at the top of the screen as you read, showing the chapter you are in and how much of the issue is left, and one tap takes you to any chapter.
- 03
A new design for the home pageNew
The home page now starts with one line summing up what we do: we collect and analyse data so you can make your decision on a clear basis, and below it the live indicator for the latest week from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). Then “How we work” in three steps, “This week's pulse” with four indicators each with its source, date and limits, “Tools for your decision” and “Our limits”. All previous sections remain below: the map, the city index, 52 weeks, compare two cities, my city and activity, and the methodology.
- 04
Newsletter charts move as you readNew
In every newsletter issue the spending line is drawn week by week as you reach it, and the activity bars grow from zero, so you read the trend before the figures. If you prefer “reduce motion” on your device, the charts stay still.
- 05
The “About” pageNew
A new page with our vision: for DataPulse to be the reference for anyone who needs to make a data-based decision in Saudi Arabia. Our mission: we collect official and published data, analyse it and forecast its direction, and present it clearly. It gives examples of how this is applied, and our limits: we do not give financial or investment advice, we do not recommend buying or selling anything, we do not provide financing or loans, and we do not promise profits.
- 06
The site report, right away(Arabic)New
In the site-report request form: choose your city, your activity and up to three neighbourhoods, enter your rent and costs, and the same page shows how much you need to sell per month in each neighbourhood, how many customers per day, what that represents of the spending of residents in the catchment and of the average shop's share, and a verdict for each neighbourhood — no request, no waiting, no e-mail. It is the same calculation as the report's first two sections, with the same one-kilometre radius, and it runs on your device.
- 01
Transaction count and average transaction valueNew
Next to the value of spending in riyals: how many payments were made in the week, the average value of a payment, and the change in each versus the same week last year, on the home page, in the newsletter and on the city and activity pages.
- 02
The interactive monthly calendarNew
A full-month grid in Gregorian and Hijri: events on their days, each day's details with its measured effect and source, and a “spending heat” for each week compared with the year's average.
- 03
The DataPulse calendarNew
Dates of Ramadan, the two Eids, salaries, holidays and Riyadh Season for the next twelve months, in Gregorian and Hijri, and with each event what happened to spending the last time.
- 04
City pulse and your quick toolsNew
The city pulse map, the week's pulse bar, “A year in 52 weeks”, compare two cities, “My city and activity” with your figure every week, copy and share buttons, and a separate methodology page.
- 05
The site's instant verdict in the merchant tool(Arabic)New
Enter your shop's details in the “Merchant plan” and you see at once the required threshold and where it sits relative to the average shop's share in the neighbourhood; the decision is yours.
- 06
The weekly spending indicator newsletterNew
Every Thursday: card spending in Saudi Arabia, the activities, the 10 largest cities, and the coming weeks.
- 07
A new interface: the week's figure firstNew
The home page shows the week's figure, the 52-week pulse and the latest newsletter issue, and the interactive tools moved to the “Data explorer”.
- 08
Our new name: DataPulseNew
“Marqab Al-Bayanat” is now “DataPulse” (Nabd Al-Bayanat): the same data and tools, with a new name and logo.
- 09
The Hijri date with every dateNew
Every Gregorian date on the site is shown with its Hijri date according to the Umm al-Qura calendar.
Coming soon
- 01
Where should I open? Comparing cities for expansionOctober 2026 (Rabi' al-Akhir – Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH)
Compare cities for your activity side by side to see where demand is stronger before you expand.
- 02
Activity opportunitiesOctober 2026 (Rabi' al-Akhir – Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH)
The activities whose spending grows fastest in your city, so you know where the opportunity is.
- 03
The in-depth quarterly report — restaurants and cafésNovember 2026 (Jumada al-Ula – Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH)
A reading every three months of the restaurant and café market in the large cities.
- 04
Real spending after removing price risesNovember 2026 (Jumada al-Ula – Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH)
Did spending really rise, or did prices? The figures after removing price increases.
- 05
The effect of events and seasonsDecember 2026 (Jumada al-Akhirah – Rajab 1448 AH)
How much spending in a city changes during major events and seasons.
- 06
Sector dashboardsDecember 2026 (Jumada al-Akhirah – Rajab 1448 AH)
A dashboard for each sector bringing its figures together on one page.
- 07
Indicator: card spending per resident5 November 2026 (25 Jumada al-Ula 1448 AH), after the legal adviser’s opinion on using population data
Monthly card spending in each of 60 cities divided by its population in the 2022 Census, compared with Saudi Arabia, with its limits: it includes visitors' spending and measures cards only.
- 08
Newsletter: the week's figure from outside spendingIssue 3, 4 October 2026 (23 Rabi' al-Akhir 1448 AH)
From issue 3, each issue adds one figure from GASTAT, in rotation: the price of a product, prices in a region, real estate prices, population, establishments and trade — with its source, release date and a link to the domain page.
Dates are estimates and may change; we update this page with every release.