- Landed cost is goods plus shipping, insurance, duty, import VAT and fees. It's the number to price from, not your factory invoice.
- Most goods pay 5% duty on the CIF value in every GCC country. Some Saudi tariff lines run 10–25%.
- Personal parcels are duty-free up to a limit: SAR 1,000 in Saudi Arabia, AED 1,000 in Dubai, and 100 dinars or rials in Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait.
- Commercial stock for a warehouse pays full duty at any value.
What will one unit really cost you once it's cleared in Riyadh, Dubai or Doha? That's your landed cost, and it's the number your price has to beat.
This calculator adds Gulf customs duty, import VAT, customs fees and Saudi SABER costs to your goods and freight. Pick a country, enter a few numbers, and you'll see the total and the cost per unit.
GCC landed cost calculator
Duty, import VAT, customs fees and SABER costs for Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the wider GCC
GCC default is 5%. Check your HS code: some Saudi lines are 10-25%.
Your landed cost
- GoodsSAR 750
- Shipping + insuranceSAR 94CIF valueSAR 844
- Customs dutySAR 0
- Customs feesSAR 15
- Import VATSAR 129
- SABER (incl. VAT)SAR 0
- Total landed costSAR 988
- Under the de minimis threshold: no customs duty.
- Flat SAR 15 fee for online-store parcels up to SAR 1,000.
Estimates based on published ZATCA, Dubai Customs, SABER and GCC customs rules as of October 2026. VAT is charged on CIF + duty + customs fees. Confirm rates for your HS code with a licensed customs broker.
How to use the calculator
You only need your supplier invoice and a freight quote:
- 1
Pick the destination
Choose Saudi Arabia, the UAE (Dubai) or Other GCC. For Other GCC, pick Bahrain, Oman, Qatar or Kuwait.
- 2
Choose the shipment type
B2C parcel is an online order shipped straight to a shopper. Commercial import is stock going to a warehouse, a 3PL or a marketplace.
- 3
Enter goods, freight and units
Type the goods value and the shipping plus insurance cost in USD, then the number of units in the shipment.
- 4
Check the duty rate
It starts at the 5% GCC rate. Look up your HS code and change it if your product sits on a higher line.
- 5
Add SABER for Saudi Arabia
Switch on the product (PCoC) and shipment (SCoC) certificates if your product needs them.
How it works
Everything starts from the CIF value: goods plus shipping and insurance. The calculator converts your dollar inputs at each currency's fixed peg to the US dollar, then applies that country's rules.
| Cost | Saudi Arabia | UAE (Dubai) | Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs duty | 5% of CIF (edit for your HS code) | 5% of CIF | 5% of CIF |
| Duty-free parcel limit | Under SAR 1,000 | Up to AED 1,000 | Under BHD 100 · OMR 100 · QAR 1,000 · KWD 100 |
| Import VAT | 15% | 5% | 10% · 5% · none · none |
| Customs fee | SAR 15 flat for parcels up to SAR 1,000, else 0.15% of CIF (SAR 15–500) | Not included | Not included |
| SABER | PCoC SAR 500, SCoC SAR 350, plus 15% VAT | – | – |
| Currency per USD 1 | SAR 3.75 | AED 3.6725 | BHD 0.376 · OMR 0.3845 · QAR 3.64 · KWD ~0.31 |
A few rules sit behind the numbers:
- VAT is charged on CIF plus duty plus fees, so duty raises your VAT bill too.
- Saudi Arabia has no VAT-free limit. Even a small duty-free parcel pays 15% VAT.
- Bahrain waives both duty and its 10% VAT on personal parcels under BHD 100.
- Commercial imports pay full duty in every country, whatever the value.
The SABER figures are platform fees only. The certification body that tests your product charges separately. Our SABER certificate guide explains which products need which certificate.
Worked example: a first shipment to Saudi Arabia
Say you ship 500 phone stands as stock to a Riyadh warehouse. The goods cost USD 5,000 and sea freight plus insurance is USD 600. You need a shipment certificate (SCoC).
| Line | SAR |
|---|---|
| Goods | 18,750 |
| Shipping + insurance | 2,250 |
| Customs duty (5%) | 1,050 |
| Customs fee (0.15%) | 31.50 |
| Import VAT (15%) | 3,312.22 |
| SABER SCoC incl. VAT | 402.50 |
| Total landed cost | 25,796.22 |
The good news? Import VAT is the biggest tax line, and a VAT-registered seller in Saudi Arabia gets it back as input tax. Duty and fees stay as real costs.
Single parcels work differently. A USD 200 order with modest shipping lands under the Saudi duty-free limit, so it pays no duty. You only pay the flat customs fee and 15% VAT.
Related guides
Ready to go deeper? These guides cover the rules behind each line:
- GCC customs duties explained: tariff rates, HS codes, DDP and the 2026 parcel limits.
- Shipping from China to Saudi Arabia: sea, air and express routes with real transit times.
- Saudi VAT for online sellers: when to register and how to reclaim import VAT.
Need someone to clear your goods? Compare customs brokers in the Middle East and request free quotes. More calculators live on our free tools page.
Frequently asked questions
CIF stands for cost, insurance and freight. It's the value of your goods plus the cost of shipping and insuring them to the Gulf port. Customs works out duty on CIF, so a cheap product with expensive freight can still pay noticeable duty.
Sources & further reading
- E-Store Customers (customs rules for online purchases) — Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA)
- New customs fee structure (news 1282) — Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA)
- Dubai Customs exempt goods up to Dh1,000 from import duty — Khaleej Times
- Bahrain: customs duties and 10% VAT on shipments of BHD 100 or more — KPMG
- Exemption of parcels and personal mailings up to QAR 1,000 — Qatar General Authority of Customs
- SABER product and shipment conformity platform — Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO)
This guide is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change — always confirm with the official source or a licensed advisor.
Maya is MiddleEastEcom's lead guide and editor. She researches GCC marketplaces, payments and regulations and turns them into practical playbooks for sellers.
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