Every Muslim dreams of making Umrah, but the cost can stop many people from going. If you plan carefully, you can keep your trip very affordable. The main things you need to think about are:

• Visa
• Flight
• Hotel
• Transportation
• Food

For this example, we will only focus on going to Makkah, since adding Madinah will increase your costs.

Visa

The first step is making sure you can enter Saudi Arabia. Some people can apply online for an eVisa which isn’t too expensive. Others need to apply through an Umrah agency in their country.

If you can apply online by yourself, that is the cheapest choice. If you must use an agency, look at different ones and compare prices.

Flight

Flights are usually the most expensive part of the trip. Prices change depending on where you are flying from and what time of year it is. During Ramadan, Hajj season, and school breaks, flights cost much more. 

Hotel

Hotels near the Haram are very expensive, especially in busy seasons. If you are trying to save money, look for hotels 15 minutes or more from the Haram. Websites like Booking.com or Airbnb often have good deals. Rooms can sometimes be found for $25 a night.

Transportation

You will need a couple hundred riyals for rides to and from the airport. Many taxi drivers will try to charge high prices. To avoid this, use Uber. It’s usually cheaper, the drivers pick you up where you are, and the price is fixed in the app.

Food

If you are only staying one or two days, 100 riyals should be more than enough for food. Water from Zamzam is free inside the Haram, so you do not need to spend on drinks. If you want to save even more, buy simple meals like bread and yogurt from small shops for less than 5 riyals each.