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In Saudi Arabia, apartment stays are priced in one of three ways: a nightly rate multiplied by the number of nights, a weekly rate, or a single monthly amount. Monthly stays come in two forms. A monthly serviced apartment is a tourism stay with services, utilities and Wi-Fi included, VAT added and no lease to sign. A furnished flat on an Ejar lease is a residential tenancy, usually with a deposit, broker fee and utilities in your name, but no VAT on the rent. Which works better depends on how long you stay and how much you want handled for you.
Searching for a monthly apartment in Saudi Arabia can be confusing. One listing shows a nightly price, another a monthly figure, a third asks you to sign a yearly lease. Some include cleaning and bills, others leave everything to you. The headline numbers rarely compare like for like.
This guide explains how each pricing model works, what is usually included, what extra costs to expect and how monthly serviced stays differ from Ejar leases. It draws on official sources and on how we run long stays at Best Trip Hotels, including our two dedicated monthly properties, Best Trip City Zone in An Nuzhah and Best Trip Istanbul in Al Rawabi. It does not include a price list, because monthly prices change with the season, the unit and the length of stay.
The Three Ways Apartment Stays Are Priced
Each model suits a different length of stay. Knowing which one a listing uses is the first step to comparing it fairly.
Nightly pricing
Most short stays are sold by the night. You pay the nightly rate for each night, plus taxes. This is how hotels and most serviced apartments price stays of a few days.
Nightly pricing is flexible. You can book three nights or ten, and the rate may move from night to night depending on demand. It is usually the most expensive way to stay for a month, because you are paying a short-stay price every day.
Weekly pricing
Some properties offer a weekly rate for stays of seven nights or more. It sits between nightly and monthly pricing and often suits business trips, family visits and short medical stays. Not every property offers it, so ask directly if your stay is between one and three weeks.
Monthly pricing
For stays of around a month or more, many properties quote a single monthly amount instead of adding up nightly rates. Monthly pricing usually works out cheaper per night than booking night by night, because the property fills the unit for a longer period and has fewer turnovers to clean and prepare.
Monthly terms are often agreed directly with the property rather than booked online. That is the case at Best Trip Hotels, where monthly terms for City Zone and Istanbul are arranged with reception or head office.
Two Kinds of Monthly Stay
The word “monthly” covers two very different arrangements. They are regulated differently, taxed differently and include different things.
Monthly serviced apartment stays
A monthly stay in a serviced apartment or hotel apartment is a tourism stay. The property is licensed by the Ministry of Tourism, there is a reception team, and services such as cleaning, linen and maintenance are provided. You do not sign a lease or register a contract on Ejar. You check in with your ID like any other guest.
Ejar residential leases
A furnished flat rented as a home is a residential tenancy. The contract is registered on Ejar, the national rental platform, and since January 2024 all residential rent payments go through Ejar. You become a tenant, with the rights and duties of a tenant, and you usually handle your own cleaning, bills and repairs.
If you want a deeper look at how these labels and licences work, our guide to hotel apartment vs furnished apartment explains the categories in full.
Side-by-Side: Monthly Serviced Stay vs Ejar Lease
| Point | Monthly serviced apartment | Furnished flat on Ejar |
|---|---|---|
| Contract | Booking and invoice | Registered lease on Ejar |
| Typical length | A few weeks to several months | Often a year, sometimes shorter |
| Registration fee | None | SAR 125 for the first year, usually paid by the landlord unless agreed otherwise |
| Broker fee | None when booking direct | 2.5% of the first year’s rent by default under the Brokerage Law |
| Deposit | Card pre-authorisation or deposit, depending on the property | Set in the contract, refunded if the unit is returned in good condition |
| Utilities | Included in the price | Electricity and water meters linked to the tenant |
| Wi-Fi | Included | Arranged by the tenant |
| Cleaning and linen | Provided or available on request | Tenant’s responsibility |
| Reception and support | Yes | No, deal with the landlord |
| VAT | 15% applies | Residential rent is exempt |
| Leaving early | Under the property’s cancellation terms | Under the lease terms |
Sources for the Ejar figures: Raghdan’s 2026 Ejar guide for registration fees and deposits, and Argaam’s 2022 report on the Real Estate Brokerage Law for the 2.5% commission.
What Is Usually Included in a Monthly Serviced Stay
Monthly serviced stays are popular because the price covers most of what you would otherwise arrange yourself.
At Best Trip Hotels, every property includes a reception desk open 24 hours, free Wi-Fi in rooms and common areas, free parking and air conditioning. Apartments are cleaned before arrival, and guests can ask reception for fresh towels, extra linen or a full clean during the stay. Most units have a kitchen or kitchenette, and a washing machine is available on request. The full list sits on our Best Trip services page.
Electricity and water are part of the stay. You do not open accounts, read meters or pay separate bills. For visitors who are in Saudi Arabia for a project, a hospital stay or a family visit, that alone can save hours of paperwork.
Extra Costs to Expect on an Ejar Lease
An Ejar lease can look cheaper on paper, but a few extra costs come with it.
Broker commission
Under the Real Estate Brokerage Law, the default commission for a lease is 2.5% of the first year’s rental value, unless the parties agree otherwise, according to Argaam’s report on the law. If you find a flat through an agent, budget for this.
Security deposit
The deposit amount is written into the Ejar contract. Raghdan’s guide explains that it is refunded at the end of the lease if the unit is in good condition, judged by comparing the handover and return forms both sides complete within seven days of the start and end of the contract. Repair costs are deducted first.
Utilities in your name
Ejar offers a free service to transfer electricity and water meters into the tenant’s name when the lease is documented. You pay these bills directly to the Saudi Electricity Company and the water provider. Air conditioning runs most of the year in Jeddah, so electricity can be a significant monthly cost.
Setting up and moving out
Internet, cleaning, small repairs and any furniture or appliances the landlord does not supply are on you. When you leave, you need to give notice under the lease. Raghdan notes that a landlord must notify a tenant at least 60 days before expiry if the lease will not be renewed.
Taxes on Monthly Stays
Tax is one of the biggest differences between the two kinds of monthly stay.
Monthly serviced apartment and hotel apartment stays are taxable. ZATCA treats accommodation for visitors and travellers as standard-rated, even for stays of several months, so 15% VAT applies. Licensed properties also collect a municipality fee, which at Best Trip Hotels is shown as 2.5% city tax on our daily properties.
Residential leases used as a home are exempt from VAT. That is one reason an Ejar lease can look cheaper. Our guide to hotel tax in Saudi Arabia explains both charges and shows a worked example on a real room rate.
When you compare, always look at the total monthly cost, including tax, utilities, internet, cleaning and any broker fee, not just the headline rent.
Deposits, Payment and Cancellation for Monthly Stays
At a serviced apartment
Payment terms are set by the property. At Best Trip Hotels, our terms state that full payment or a deposit may be required at booking depending on the payment method, and card bookings may be pre-authorised or charged in full depending on the rate. We accept cash on arrival and credit cards.
For monthly stays, ask the property to confirm in writing how payment is split, whether there is a deposit, how and when it is refunded, and what happens if you need to leave early. At Best Trip Hotels, refunds on our published terms are processed within 7 business days to the original payment method.
On an Ejar lease
Ejar contracts let rent be paid monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually, as agreed in the contract. Late payment follows a formal process, with reminders and notices set out on the platform. Read the payment schedule carefully before signing, as many landlords ask for larger instalments upfront.
Which Option Fits Your Stay?
| Your situation | Usually the better fit |
|---|---|
| A few nights to two weeks | Nightly serviced apartment or hotel |
| Two to four weeks | Weekly or monthly serviced apartment |
| One to six months, flexible dates | Monthly serviced apartment |
| Medical treatment with uncertain dates | Monthly serviced apartment near the hospital |
| A year or more, settled plans | Furnished flat on an Ejar lease |
| A family relocating with schools and work fixed | Ejar lease after a short serviced stay |
Flexibility is often the deciding factor. Treatment plans, work projects and family visits change. A serviced stay lets you adjust without breaking a lease. If you are coming for treatment, our guide to medical treatment in Jeddah covers hospitals by district and why space and a kitchen matter on long stays.
How to Compare Monthly Offers
A simple routine helps you compare offers that look very different on the surface.
- Convert every offer into a total for your full stay.
- Add VAT and the municipality fee where they apply.
- Add utilities, internet and cleaning for leases.
- Add broker fees and any non-refundable deposit amounts.
- Check the cancellation or early exit terms.
- Check the location against where you will spend most days.
Our comparison of serviced apartment vs hotel uses the same total-cost approach for shorter stays.
Questions to Ask Before You Agree a Monthly Stay
Before you pay anything, ask:
- Is the price per night, per week or per month, and does it include tax?
- Are electricity, water and Wi-Fi included?
- How often is the apartment cleaned, and is linen changed?
- Is there a washing machine in the unit or on request?
- What deposit is needed, and when is it refunded?
- What happens if I need to leave early or extend?
- Is the property licensed by the Ministry of Tourism?
If you are new to this kind of stay, our explainer on what is a serviced apartment covers the basics.
Monthly Stays at Best Trip Hotels
Best Trip Hotels runs two properties set up specifically for monthly stays in Jeddah, alongside our daily properties.
Best Trip City Zone, An Nuzhah
City Zone sits on King Fahad Road in An Nuzhah, about 8 minutes from the airport and around 290 m from Jeddah National Hospital. Units range from 40 m² studios to two-bedroom apartments of 65 m² and 75 m², each with a full kitchen and separate living area, and a washing machine is available on request. It suits long work assignments, hospital stays and families who want the airport close by. Our An Nuzhah, Jeddah guide covers the district in detail.
Best Trip Istanbul, Al Rawabi
Best Trip Istanbul is on the east side of Jeddah, close to Janoub Ibn Laden Road. It offers studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments with separate living rooms and equipped kitchenettes, near LuLu Hypermarket, the Jeddah Dates Market and local supermarkets. Our guide to Al Rawabi, Jeddah explains daily life, clinics and commute times in the area.
How monthly pricing works with us
We do not publish a fixed monthly price list. Monthly terms depend on the unit, the length of stay and the season, and prices move up and down during Ramadan, school holidays and the Umrah peak. Tell us your dates, the number of guests and the unit type you need, and the property will send a quote with the tax breakdown included.
Plan Your Monthly Stay With Best Trip Hotels
A good monthly stay should feel like home from the first evening, without the paperwork of a lease. With Best Trip Hotels you get a furnished apartment, a kitchen, Wi-Fi, parking and utilities in one price, with a 24-hour reception team for anything you need.
Here is how to get started:
- Choose your side of the city: City Zone in An Nuzhah for the airport and Jeddah National Hospital, or Istanbul in Al Rawabi for supermarkets and the east of Jeddah.
- Share your dates and needs: Number of guests, unit size, and whether you need a washing machine or extra linen.
- Get a written quote: Including VAT, city tax and payment terms.
- Check in with your ID: Every adult shows a valid original ID at reception.
Booking direct keeps every detail in one conversation. Our guide on book hotel direct vs Booking.com explains why that matters most for long stays. To ask for a monthly quote, call or WhatsApp +966 547010115 at any time, or contact Best Trip Hotels through our website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do monthly apartment stays work in Saudi Arabia?
You either book a monthly serviced apartment, which is a tourism stay with services and utilities included and VAT added, or sign an Ejar lease on a furnished flat, which is a residential tenancy with no VAT on rent but with utilities, deposit and broker fees to arrange.
Is a monthly apartment cheaper than paying nightly?
Usually yes. Properties often quote a single monthly amount that works out lower per night than booking night by night. Ask the property for a monthly quote rather than adding up nightly rates.
Do I pay VAT on a monthly serviced apartment?
Yes. ZATCA treats visitor accommodation as taxable, even for stays of several months, so 15% VAT applies. Residential leases used as a home are exempt.
Are utilities included in monthly stays?
In serviced apartments, electricity, water and Wi-Fi are normally included. On Ejar leases, electricity and water meters are linked to the tenant, who pays the bills directly.
What deposit is needed for a monthly stay?
Serviced apartments may take a card pre-authorisation or deposit depending on the property. Ejar leases set the deposit in the contract and refund it if the unit is returned in good condition.
Can I stay monthly without signing a lease?
Yes. Monthly serviced apartments, such as Best Trip City Zone and Best Trip Istanbul, offer furnished units with services included and terms agreed directly with the property.
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