Guests of God from various countries of the world, especially Arab countries, began arriving to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj in the season of 1445 AH, at a time when the holy sites are witnessing preparations for receiving more pilgrims.
At the beginning of this month, the Kingdom announced the completion of preparing the camps and supplying them with the necessary needs, while the government and private sectors concerned with serving pilgrims and guests of God continue their efforts in accordance with operational plans.
The prices of Hajj trips in the Arab world increased during the current year with the increase in air ticket prices and the decline of many currencies against the dollar, while the costs differed between visas provided by private companies and governments. These are the prices of Hajj in the Arab countries during the current Hajj survey:
The costs of Hajj vary in Arab countries, as shown by the follow-up of Al Jazeera Net correspondents, which we review below:
Mauritania
Mauritanian Minister of Islamic Affairs Dah Sidi Omar Taleb said that the cost of Hajj this year has increased due to the rise in air ticket prices and the rise in foreign exchange rates.
The cost of Hajj is 280,000 ouguiyas ($7,000), in the case of a government visa, but if the pilgrim obtains it through independent agencies, its cost will reach 370,000 ouguiyas ($9,000), including all Hajj services.
Mauritania’s quota is 3,500 pilgrims, of which the government provides 2,000 visas and organizes their trips, while the private sector distributes 1,500 visas.
The level of inflation in Mauritania declined last April to 3% from 3.3% recorded in the previous March, according to the National Agency for Statistics and Demographic and Economic Analysis.
Algeria
The cost of Hajj in Algeria this year is 840,000 dinars ($6,248), including travel, transportation, and accommodation.
The number of Algerian pilgrims this year reaches 41,300 male and female pilgrims.
Inflation rates fell to 5% in the first quarter of 2024, compared to 9.3% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank report issued late last May.
Egypt
The minimum cost of Hajj in Egypt during the Lottery Hajj (government) is 149,000 Egyptian pounds (about 3,100 dollars) without the air ticket, which ranges between 35,000 and 50,000 pounds (between 745 dollars and 1,000 dollars), and the number of Egyptian pilgrims this year reaches 56 thousand male and female pilgrims.
As for the civil society (governmental) Hajj, its price ranges between 151,000 pounds and 235,000 pounds (between $3,200 and $5,000) without the flight ticket.
The cost of the tourist Hajj (private) ranges between 191,000 pounds ($4,000) and 450,000 pounds ($9,500) depending on the category. There is no maximum cost for the Hajj and it may reach exorbitant amounts.
Annual inflation in Egypt declined during April to 31.8% from 33.1% in March.
The cost of Hajj constitutes a major financial burden on many who wish to perform the fifth religious obligation in Islam, especially in light of the high inflation and exchange rates, and the shortage of hard currencies affects the ability of pilgrims to meet their needs during the rituals, according to an Al Jazeera Net correspondent.
Syria
In Syria, the minimum cost of Hajj is 85 million liras ($5,700), while the maximum is 200 million liras ($13,400), and the average cost is 135 million liras ($10,000), according to the central exchange rate, as payment is regulated. Exclusively through him.
17,500 pilgrims obtained visas out of 50,000 applicants this year, according to data from the Syrian Ministry of Endowments.
The annual inflation rate last April reached 122%, according to a statement by the Assistant Governor of the Central Bank of Syria, Maha Abdel Rahman, in a televised interview.
It is difficult for most Syrians to complete the fifth obligation in Islam for several reasons, according to an Al Jazeera Net correspondent, including:
The high cost of the Hajj trip is not commensurate with salaries and wages, which averaged about $25 per month. The exchange companies responsible for providing foreign exchange to pilgrims impose a commission ranging between 5% and 10% on the total amount, which means added costs to the total expenses.
Morocco
The cost of Hajj in Morocco, according to the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, is 66,865 dirhams ($6,700), an amount that does not include expenses during the rituals.
If a pilgrim resorts to travel agencies, he will pay between 80,000 and 120,000 dirhams ($8,000 and $12,000).
The number of Moroccan pilgrims this year is 34,000, and the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs organizes trips for 22,500 of them, while tourist agencies organize trips for 11,500 male and female pilgrims.
The number of organizers accompanying the Moroccan pilgrims is 738 administrators, scholars, doctors and media professionals, including 520 escorts and organizers, with an average of one organizer for every 47 pilgrims.
Annual inflation in Morocco slowed to 0.2% in April from 0.9% the previous month, according to what the High Commission for Planning announced this month.
According to the Al Jazeera Net correspondent, the problems associated with Hajj are related to two aspects, the first of which is the high cost, as the amount of Hajj expenses moved from 50 thousand dirhams ($5 thousand) in 2020 to 67 thousand dirhams ($6,700) in 2024 with regard to the official organization, and the second is problems related to the weakness of the services provided. And organization.
Palestine
In Palestine, the Ministry of Endowments set the Hajj fee into 4 categories, according to the service provided and the distance from the Meccan and Civil Mosques (the first and highest category is 5,986 Jordanian dinars ($8,444.5) and the fourth and lowest price category is 3,485 dinars ($4,916.3).
The number of Palestinian pilgrims this year is only 5,400 from the West Bank, and no one from the Gaza Strip has obtained a visa for Hajj due to the ongoing Israeli aggression for the ninth month in a row.
The war in Gaza is at the top of the obstacles facing Palestinian pilgrims this year, according to Al Jazeera’s correspondent, in addition to the difficult conditions of people in the West Bank, as employees have been receiving insufficient salaries for years, and the segment of workers in Israel (200,000 workers) have not gone to their workplaces since the beginning of the war. The war turned them into unemployment queues.
In addition, some people are prohibited from traveling by the occupation for security reasons.
Qatar
In Qatar, the minimum amount for Hajj is 28,000 riyals ($7,600), while the maximum is 53,000 riyals ($14,500). There is the very highest category, which costs 83,000 riyals ($22,500).
The number of beneficiaries of Hajj in Qatar is 4,400 pilgrims this year, according to Al Jazeera Net correspondent.
Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, the country hosting the Hajj rituals, the minimum cost for domestic pilgrims is 5,274 riyals ($1,574), while the maximum is 6,215 riyals ($1,702).
Data from the General Authority for Statistics revealed that the inflation rate in Saudi Arabia stabilized at 1.6% during last April compared to the previous March.
The Kingdom announces the number of pilgrims from within the country at the end of the season, and last year their number reached 184,000 pilgrims.
Kuwait
In Kuwait, the minimum cost for Hajj is 2,700 dinars ($9,000), while the maximum is 4,000 dinars ($13,000).
The quota allocated to Kuwait is 8,000 pilgrims this year.
Kuwaiti government data showed that the annual rate of inflation in Kuwait rose to 3.17% in April from 3.02% in March.
The UAE
As for the Emirates, the minimum cost for Hajj is 25,000 dirhams ($6,830), while the maximum is 55,000 dirhams ($15,000). The Emirates’ share of the number of pilgrims this year is 6,200 pilgrims.
Inflation in the country reached 3.9% last April.
Sultanate of Oman
The minimum cost of Hajj in the Sultanate of Oman is 1,700 riyals ($4,417), and the maximum is 2,300 riyals ($5,976).
The Sultanate of Oman’s quota is 14,000 pilgrims this year.
The annual inflation rate in the Sultanate of Oman rose 0.39% at the end of last April on an annual basis.
Jordan
The cost of Hajj in Jordan this year is between 3,100 and 3,200 Jordanian dinars ($4,375 to $4,516).
Jordan’s quota this year is 8,000 male and female pilgrims, out of 23,000 registered for Hajj.
The most prominent difficulties for Jordanian pilgrims are the high costs for Jordanians, and the low level of services at some stages of the Hajj.
Iraq
The cost of Hajj in Iraq for the current season ranges between 3,500 and 5,000 dollars, and 50% of the pilgrims will travel by land, and the same number will go by air.
The cost of Hajj by land is $3,500, while by air the cost is $5,000, according to what the head of the Hajj and Umrah Authority, Sheikh Sami Al-Masoudi, told an Al Jazeera Net correspondent.
The number of Iraqi pilgrims for the current season is 36,000 pilgrims, in addition to 1,500 pilgrims including administrators, doctors and technicians, bringing the total number to 37,500 pilgrims.
The inflation rate in Iraq ranges between 4 and 7% for the first four months of the current year 2024.
Preparations
In preparation for the Hajj season, Saudi Arabia tested the quality of the roads leading to the Holy Sites, through a materials laboratory under the supervision of specialized engineers and qualified technical teams, in addition to the treatment and maintenance of 4,767 lighting poles and lighting towers in the Holy Sites, and the maintenance of 123 bridges in Mecca and 20 bridges in the Holy Sites. In addition to completing maintenance work on 58 tunnels, including 48 for vehicles and 10 for pedestrians, with a total length of 34,000 metres, according to what the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Municipality of the Holy Capital prepared many service centers in the Holy Sites according to geographical distribution, and provided them with equipment, mechanisms, and manpower.
The Saudi General Transport Authority has prepared more than 27,000 buses to serve pilgrims, including more than 3,500 buses designated for transporting pilgrims to and from the Grand Mosque via more than 16 routes and more than 11 stops and stations, in addition to preparing more than 355 buses for public transportation service. Within Mecca, as well as more than 27 buses within Medina.
