Education Spending Surges 145% as Students Return From Break

Saudi Arabia’s education sector saw a 144.6% increase in spending, reaching SAR 200.7 million (USD 53.5 million) in the week ending March 8th, as students resumed classes after a school break. According to the latest point-of-sale (POS) data from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), transaction volumes in education rose 7.6% to 116,000 transactions, rebounding from a 33.6% decline the previous week.

While education was the only sector to record growth, as overall consumer spending in Saudi Arabia fell sharply. Total POS transactions dropped 25.5% to SAR 13.09 billion, down from SAR 17.57 billion the previous week. POS transactions reflect electronic purchases made through credit and debit cards across various sectors, providing insights into consumer spending trends.

This decline suggests a slowdown in discretionary spending across categories such as food, electronics, and transportation, highlighting a shift in consumer behaviour following the school holiday period.