PMP Certification Cost in Saudi Arabia: Exam Fees, Training and Total Budget
Read this guide in Arabic: اقرأ بالعربية
The honest answer to "how much does PMP cost in Saudi Arabia" is: less than most people fear for the exam, more than they expect for the whole thing, and often close to zero out of pocket if a Saudi employer is involved. Here is the full breakdown we give candidates in our Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar classes, in US dollars because PMI bills in dollars, with rough riyal equivalents at the pegged rate of about SAR 3.75 to the dollar.
One caution before the numbers. PMI prices by region and revised its fees in August 2026, so everything below is approximate and current at the time of writing. The figure your PMI account shows at checkout is the one that counts.
PMI's own fees: exam and membership
The exam fee depends on your PMI membership status at the moment you pay. At the time of writing, candidates paying from Saudi Arabia see roughly:
- PMI member: about USD 405 to 445, roughly SAR 1,520 to 1,670, depending on your region.
- Non member: about USD 655 to 675, roughly SAR 2,460 to 2,530, after the August 2026 revision. It was about USD 575 before that.
- PMI membership: about USD 139 to 154 a year plus a USD 10 joining fee, roughly SAR 560 to 615 in total for the first year, and PMI has been revising this.
Do the sum and membership pays for itself before you sit the exam: roughly USD 555 to 595 as a member, membership included, versus USD 655 to 675 without. Membership also gives you the PMBOK Guide and other standards as free downloads, discounts on retakes and renewal, and access to the PMI Saudi Arabia chapter community. Join first, pay second. Membership must be active before you pay the exam fee for the discount to apply.
The one exception we sometimes see: employers who pay the exam fee directly through a corporate account may not bother with individual membership. If your company is paying, ask which route they use before you buy a membership yourself.
Training: the 35 hours
PMI requires 35 hours of project management training before you can apply, and this is usually the largest single line in the budget. Prices in the Kingdom vary widely by format: a live online course costs less than a classroom program in Riyadh or Jeddah, and a five day intensive costs more than a weekend series spread over several weeks. Saudi VAT of 15 percent applies on top of training fees, so ask whether the quote is inclusive.
When you compare providers, check three things: that the certificate states 35 hours and maps to the PMP Exam Content Outline, that the trainer is currently certified, and that practice questions and instructor coaching are included rather than sold separately. Our own PMP course bundles all three, and our advisors will quote you the current fee for classroom or live online in a single message rather than making you dig for it.
Study materials, practice questions and small extras
If you are a PMI member, the PMBOK Guide and the Agile Practice Guide cost you nothing. Beyond that, most candidates buy one good exam prep book and one online question bank; together these usually cost a fraction of the exam fee. Skip the temptation to buy five question banks. One large, well explained bank worked through properly beats five worked through badly, and we share free samples in our PMP practice questions article.
Small extras people forget: attested English translations of Arabic degree certificates if you are audited, travel to a Pearson VUE test center if you live outside Riyadh, Jeddah or Al Khobar, and a quiet room and stable connection if you test online.
Rescheduling, retakes and renewal
Rescheduling: free if you move your exam more than 30 days ahead of the appointment. Inside 30 days, PMI's handbook lists a fee of about USD 70, roughly SAR 265. Inside 48 hours you forfeit the whole exam fee.
Retakes: you get three attempts inside your one year eligibility window. Retake fees at the time of writing are about USD 275 for members, roughly SAR 1,030, and about USD 375 for non members, roughly SAR 1,410. This is the number that turns a modest budget into an expensive one, which is why our advice is always to invest in preparation rather than plan for a second attempt. Our study plan for passing the PMP exam on the first attempt is built around that idea.
Renewal: every three years you report 60 PDUs and pay a renewal fee of about USD 60 for members, roughly SAR 225, or USD 150 for non members, roughly SAR 565. Many PDUs can be earned free through PMI webinars and chapter events. Details are in our guide to renewing your PMP certification.
A simple total budget
The table shows PMI's fees for two routes. Training is left as a line for you to fill in with your provider's quote, because it depends on format and city.
| Item | PMI member route | Non member route |
|---|---|---|
| PMI membership (first year) | About USD 149 to 164, about SAR 560 to 615 | None |
| Exam fee | About USD 405 to 445, about SAR 1,520 to 1,670 | About USD 655 to 675, about SAR 2,460 to 2,530 |
| 35 hour training | Provider quote plus 15 percent VAT | Provider quote plus 15 percent VAT |
| Books and question bank | PMBOK Guide free; one bank and one book | PMBOK Guide purchased; one bank and one book |
| PMI fees subtotal, first attempt | About USD 555 to 595, about SAR 2,080 to 2,230 | About USD 655 to 675, about SAR 2,460 to 2,530 |
| Contingency: one retake | About USD 275, about SAR 1,030 | About USD 375, about SAR 1,410 |
| Renewal after three years | About USD 60, about SAR 225 | About USD 150, about SAR 565 |
So for a first attempt, PMI's own charges land at roughly SAR 2,100 to 2,550 depending on membership, and the training fee sits on top. Whatever total you arrive at, compare it with the salary ranges in our article on PMP salary in Saudi Arabia. For most working professionals in the Kingdom the certification pays for itself quickly.
How employer sponsorship changes the picture
Most of the candidates in our Saudi classrooms are not paying the full amount themselves. Government entities, giga project delivery organizations, and large groups such as Aramco, SABIC and Ma'aden routinely fund PMP training and the exam fee for staff who manage projects, sometimes with a service commitment attached. Contractors and consultancies working on NEOM, Red Sea, Qiddiya and Diriyah often need a certain number of PMP holders on bids, so a well timed request to your manager frequently gets approved. Ask for training, exam fee and one retake as a package; it is easier to approve once than three times.
If the answer this quarter is that the budget is spent, three routes still work. The first is to split the bill: ask whether your department's learning and development budget can carry the training fee while you pay PMI's exam and membership charges yourself, which is often the fastest approval because no single cost center absorbs everything. The second is phased payment of the training fee, which our advisors arrange case by case, so the cost lands across more than one salary month. The third is to book a seat early in the next financial year and use the wait properly: join PMI now, write up your project experience while the details are fresh, and collect the sign offs from managers who may move on. Candidates who arrive at the course with the application already drafted usually sit the exam within six weeks of finishing the 35 hours.
Three ways to keep the cost down
Join PMI before you pay. Prepare properly so you pass once. And take the exam within a few weeks of finishing your training rather than letting months pass, because the biggest hidden cost of PMP is not money, it is paying twice after your knowledge fades. If you are still working out whether the whole thing is worth it, read our honest look at whether PMP is worth it in Saudi Arabia. And for the current official figures, check the PMI PMP certification page and your PMI account.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the PMP exam fee in Saudi Arabia?
PMI bills in US dollars wherever you sit the exam. At the time of writing the fee is about USD 405 to 445 for PMI members, roughly SAR 1,520 to 1,670, and about USD 655 to 675 for non members, roughly SAR 2,460 to 2,530, after PMI August 2026 revision. Check the exact figure in your PMI account before paying, as PMI prices by region and adjusts fees from time to time.
Is PMI membership worth it just for the exam discount?
Yes. Membership costs about USD 149 in the first year and cuts the exam fee by roughly USD 230 or more, so you come out ahead before counting the free PMBOK Guide, cheaper retakes and cheaper renewal. Join before you pay the exam fee, because the discount only applies if membership is active at the time of payment.
Does the training fee include the PMP exam fee?
Almost never, and you should ask before you book. Providers charge for the 35 hours of training and course materials; PMI charges separately for membership, the application and the exam itself, and you pay PMI directly through your own account. In Saudi Arabia, 15 percent VAT applies to the training fee, so ask whether the quote you were given already includes it.
How much does it cost to retake the PMP exam?
At the time of writing a retake costs about USD 275 for members and about USD 375 for non members, and you have up to three attempts within your one year eligibility period. If you use all three you must wait a year and reapply, paying the full fee again.
What is the PMP renewal fee?
Every three years you report 60 PDUs and pay about USD 60 as a member or USD 150 as a non member. Many PDUs can be earned free through PMI webinars, chapter events and your own project work, so the ongoing cost is small compared with the initial certification.
