Apartment fit-out cost in Riyadh depends less on the size of the unit than on two things: what the developer actually handed over, and the specification you choose for the floors, kitchen and bathrooms. Two 150 sqm apartments in the same tower can cost very different amounts to finish if one arrived with screed, plaster and AC units and the other is bare blockwork. This guide sets out indicative 2026 ranges per square metre, a cost breakdown by element, and a worked example for a typical three-bedroom unit.
All figures are in Saudi Riyals (SAR), exclude VAT, and are indicative only. They reflect the ranges we see when scoping apartment and residential fit-out in Riyadh, but the shell condition, the building's rules and your selections change the answer. A survey and a scope-based quotation are needed before you commit to a budget.
Apartment Fit-Out Cost per sqm: Three Tiers
The rates below cover the full internal fit-out from shell to move-in: floors, ceilings, walls, doors, wardrobes, kitchen cabinetry, bathrooms, and the electrical, plumbing and AC second fix. They apply to the internal floor area of the apartment and exclude appliances, loose furniture and curtains.
| Specification Tier | Indicative SAR per sqm | Typical Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | SAR 800 – 1,300 | Ceramic or standard porcelain floors, flat gypsum ceilings, painted walls, flush internal doors, modular kitchen with laminate or compact worktop, builder-grade sanitaryware, split AC units. |
| Mid-range | SAR 1,300 – 2,300 | Large-format porcelain, gypsum ceilings with concealed lighting, veneered or lacquered doors, semi-custom kitchen with quartz worktop, branded mixers and sanitaryware, ducted or concealed AC. |
| Premium | SAR 2,300 – 3,800+ | Marble or engineered timber floors, feature ceilings, wall panelling, bespoke wardrobes and kitchen, stone-clad bathrooms, designer lighting and basic smart-home controls. |
These tiers sit alongside the bands in our luxury villa fit-out cost guide. Apartments rarely reach the villa luxury and ultra-luxury bands because they have no majlis wing, no staff quarters and less ceiling height for elaborate gypsum work, but a premium apartment can overlap with a premium villa per square metre.
What a Developer "Shell" Handover Includes
"Shell" means different things in different Riyadh projects, and it is the most common reason two quotations for the same apartment look nothing alike. Before pricing, establish which of these you have:
- Bare shell. Concrete slab and blockwork walls, sometimes without plaster. Services are capped at the unit entrance or riser: a power supply to the main board position, a water connection, and drainage stacks. Everything inside is your scope.
- Shell with first fix. Walls plastered, floor screed laid, conduits and back boxes in the walls, plumbing and drainage roughed in to bathroom and kitchen positions, and sometimes AC refrigerant pipework or ductwork. You are paying mainly for finishes and second fix.
- Basic developer finish. Tiled floors, painted walls, a basic kitchen and bathrooms. Owners often strip some or all of this to upgrade, which adds demolition and disposal cost before the new work starts.
Ask the developer for the handover specification and the MEP drawings for your unit. If the first fix is already in, check that the socket, lighting and plumbing positions suit your layout. Moving them is possible but adds cost, and moving wet areas is the most expensive change of all because of drainage falls and the waterproofing beneath them. Our guide to turnkey vs shell-and-core fit-out explains how handover condition shifts cost and risk between the parties.
Apartment Fit-Out Cost by Element
The table below gives indicative supply-and-install ranges for the main elements, spanning standard to premium. Use it to see where the budget goes and where a change in specification has the most effect.
| Element | Unit | Indicative Range (SAR) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor screed (if not provided) | per sqm | 40 – 80 | Needed on bare shells before any floor finish |
| Floor finishes | per sqm | 120 – 700 | Ceramic at the low end; large-format porcelain mid; marble or engineered timber at the top |
| Gypsum ceilings | per sqm | 80 – 250 | Flat board ceilings to feature ceilings with concealed lighting |
| Plaster and paint | per sqm of wall | 25 – 80 | Plaster only where the shell is unplastered |
| Internal doors | per door | 1,200 – 5,000 | Flush painted to veneered or lacquered with quality ironmongery |
| Built-in wardrobes | per linear metre | 1,200 – 3,500 | MDF and laminate to lacquered or veneered bespoke units |
| Kitchen cabinetry and worktop | per kitchen | 18,000 – 90,000 | Excludes appliances |
| Bathroom (all-in) | per bathroom | 12,000 – 45,000 | Waterproofing, wall and floor tiling, sanitaryware, mixers, vanity and glass |
| Electrical second fix and lighting | per apartment (150 sqm) | 12,000 – 40,000 | Sockets, switches, boards and light fittings; more where conduits must be added |
| Air conditioning | per apartment (150 sqm) | 20,000 – 55,000 | Split units to concealed ducted systems, if not supplied by the developer |
Bathrooms and the kitchen together usually take the largest share of an apartment budget, followed by flooring. Waterproofing is a small line item but the one that matters most in an apartment, because a failed shower tray leaks into the unit below. It should be flood tested before any tiles go down.
Worked Example: 150 sqm Three-Bedroom Apartment
Consider a 150 sqm three-bedroom apartment handed over with plaster, screed and MEP first fix in place, with two full bathrooms and a guest WC, finished to a mid-range specification. No wet areas are relocated.
| Item | Basis | Indicative Cost (SAR) |
|---|---|---|
| Large-format porcelain flooring and skirting | ~130 sqm | 23,000 – 36,000 |
| Gypsum ceilings with concealed lighting coves | ~150 sqm | 15,000 – 24,000 |
| Wall preparation and paint | ~400 sqm of wall | 12,000 – 22,000 |
| Internal doors | 7 doors | 14,000 – 24,500 |
| Built-in wardrobes | ~10 linear metres | 15,000 – 25,000 |
| Kitchen cabinetry and quartz worktop | 1 kitchen, no appliances | 30,000 – 55,000 |
| Bathrooms and guest WC | 2 full bathrooms + 1 WC | 44,000 – 78,000 |
| Electrical second fix and light fittings | Whole unit | 15,000 – 30,000 |
| Air conditioning | Concealed split or ducted units | 25,000 – 40,000 |
| Site protection, supervision and final clean | Whole unit | 8,000 – 15,000 |
| Indicative total | 201,000 – 349,500 |
That works out at roughly SAR 1,350–2,350 per sqm, inside the mid-range band. On a bare shell, add screed, plaster and the electrical and plumbing first fix, which can add SAR 150–350 per sqm. At a premium specification with marble floors, bespoke joinery and stone bathrooms, the same apartment would sit closer to SAR 350,000–570,000.
What Is Usually Excluded
A fit-out quotation covers the fixed interior. These items are normally priced separately or bought by the owner, so check which ones a quotation includes before comparing contractors:
- Kitchen appliances, loose furniture, rugs, curtains and blinds
- Televisions, audio-visual equipment and anything beyond basic smart-home controls
- Interior design fees, if you appoint a separate designer
- VAT at the prevailing rate
- Any refundable deposit or charges set by the building management for fit-out works
- Utility account activation and meter fees
- Strip-out of an existing developer finish, if you are replacing it
Apartment towers also set their own working hours, lift bookings, delivery windows and noise rules. They rarely add a large line item, but they slow the programme, and a contractor who has not allowed for them will either claim for the delay or rush the finishing.
How to Reduce Apartment Fit-Out Cost
Keep the wet areas where they are. Relocating a kitchen or bathroom means new drainage, new falls and new waterproofing. Working with the developer's positions is the single biggest saving available.
Spend where it is seen. Put the better floor and ceiling finishes in the living and dining areas and the master suite, and use a good porcelain in the secondary bedrooms. The result looks consistent and the saving is real.
Choose a semi-custom kitchen. A well-specified modular carcass with good doors and a quartz worktop costs a fraction of a fully bespoke kitchen and performs just as well.
Limit feature ceilings. A single well-lit cove in the living room does more than gypsum detailing in every room, and costs less.
Make selections before work starts. Changing tiles or sanitaryware once the trade has started causes re-ordering and idle labour, and both end up in the final account.
Use one contractor for finishes and MEP. When the electrical, plumbing and AC second fix are with the same team as the finishes, there are fewer interfaces to coordinate and fewer gaps between quotations. That is how we run apartment projects.
Apartment, Townhouse or Villa?
The same principles apply to a townhouse or duplex, though these usually carry more stairs, more bathrooms and sometimes a small majlis, which pushes the cost per square metre up slightly. Our townhouse and duplex fit-out work follows the same approach. Private villas are a different exercise, with guest and family wings, a formal majlis and far more joinery and stone. For those, see our private villa fit-out service and the guide to how long a villa fit-out takes in Riyadh. If you are comparing contractors, our guide on choosing a fit-out contractor in Riyadh sets out what to ask.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to fit out an apartment in Riyadh?
Indicatively, SAR 800–1,300 per sqm for a standard finish, SAR 1,300–2,300 for mid-range and SAR 2,300–3,800 or more for premium, excluding appliances, furniture and VAT. A 150 sqm three-bedroom apartment at mid-range typically lands around SAR 200,000–350,000.
Is it cheaper to buy a finished apartment or fit out a shell?
A developer finish is usually cheaper per square metre because it is bought in bulk, but it is standardised. Fitting out a shell costs more and takes longer, but you choose every finish and avoid paying to strip out a basic finish you do not want.
How long does an apartment fit-out take?
A 150 sqm apartment at standard or mid-range specification typically takes around two to four months on site once selections are final, longer for premium finishes with imported materials or where the building restricts working hours.
Do I need approval to fit out my apartment?
Internal finishing work does not usually need a municipal permit, but the building management or owners' association normally has to approve your works and contractor before you start. Structural changes are a different matter and need engineering and approval. Confirm the current rules for your building.
What is the biggest hidden cost in an apartment fit-out?
Changing the developer's MEP layout, particularly relocating bathrooms or the kitchen. It brings new drainage, waterproofing, and sometimes work in the ceiling of the unit below. Fix the layout early and work with the existing positions where you can.
Planning an apartment fit-out? Send us the floor plan, the developer's handover specification and your target move-in date, and our residential fit-out team will return a scope-based quotation. Contact Dar Anan to arrange a site survey.