How Much Does a Bodyguard Cost in Saudi Arabia in 2026?

Saudi Arabia has opened rapidly to international business and tourism, and demand for professional protection in Riyadh and Jeddah has grown with it. Understanding what close protection costs in the Kingdom, and the structure that governs it, helps a principal or assistant budget correctly.

What follows is an honest market overview. Figures are starting points; a precise quotation always follows a short brief.

The Saudi Day Rate in 2026

An internationally briefed close protection officer in Saudi Arabia starts from USD 750 per day for a single principal on a standard twelve-hour day: the Algoz rate for the Middle East outside the UAE. The talent pool is international and standards are high; senior team leaders and specialist profiles are quoted above the base, to the brief. The final rate is shaped by the officer's profile, the threat picture, the city and the season, and is confirmed on the quotation; hours beyond the standard day are charged at the rate written on the quotation. The same figure appears on our Riyadh and Jeddah close protection pages and in the main cost guide.

What Moves the Rate

Female officers, often required for family or cultural reasons, are available on request and priced in line with their male colleagues. Arabic-speaking officers, advance work, secure transport and multi-officer details are quoted to the brief as their own lines. Multi-day engagements and retainers are quoted per engagement in exchange for guaranteed availability. We ask for at least seven days' notice; shorter notice is looked at case by case, and under 48 hours is an urgency case with additional fees and no guarantee.

What the Rate Includes

A day rate covers the officer's professional time. It does not normally include the vehicle. A security-trained driver and an appropriate vehicle is quoted as a separate line, and most briefs in the Kingdom buy the two together, given the distances and the importance of reliable movement. Accommodation and travel for the team on multi-city trips are quoted as a separate line.

Licensing Is Not Optional

Private security in Saudi Arabia is licensed and supervised by the Ministry of Interior, and human security services are delivered through Saudi-licensed establishments. Armed protection sits with the state and with those licensed establishments: where a documented threat raises the question, it is a licensed, time-bound approval requested well before arrival, may be refused and is never promised. A suspiciously low quotation usually means an unlicensed arrangement, a false economy that exposes the principal to real legal risk. Algoz coordinates only licensed Saudi operators, including Arabic-speaking and female officers, with full respect for the culture.

Budgeting Sensibly

For a typical short visit, one officer and one secure vehicle with driver, budget from USD 750 per day for the officer plus the transport line, across the days of cover, with the final figure shaped by the city and the profile and confirmed on the quotation. For the wider regional picture, see our full pricing guide, and for where protection earns its place, our Riyadh guide. The right operator at market rate is always cheaper than the wrong outcome at a discount.