Cheapest country to buy gold today
Raw gold costs the same everywhere: the dollar ounce divided by 31.1 g, times the karat's purity, times the exchange rate. The real difference between countries is jewellery tax, making charges and the local premium. The table uses 7 November 2026 prices; rows are ordered by the estimated cost of a 10 g 21K piece including making charge and tax.
Cheapest today for jewellery: Qatar
| Country | 24K per gram | 21K per gram | 21K in USD | Jewellery tax | Usual making charge | 10 g of 21K (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar | 476.55 QAR | 416.98 QAR | 114.56 $ | no VAT | 6–12% | 4,545.12 QAR ≈ 1,249 $ |
| Kuwait | 40.638 KWD | 35.558 KWD | 114.56 $ | no VAT | 6–12% | 387.584 KWD ≈ 1,249 $ |
| Egypt | 7,039.63 EGP | 6,159.67 EGP | 114.56 $ | 14% (on the making charge only) | 5–12% | 67,565.44 EGP ≈ 1,257 $ |
| UAE | 480.81 AED | 420.71 AED | 114.56 $ | 5% · refunded to tourists | 3–10% | 4,704.55 AED ≈ 1,281 $ |
| Oman | 50.339 OMR | 44.046 OMR | 114.56 $ | 5% | 6–12% | 504.111 OMR ≈ 1,311 $ |
| Bahrain | 49.226 BHD | 43.073 BHD | 114.56 $ | 10% | 6–12% | 516.446 BHD ≈ 1,374 $ |
| Saudi Arabia | 490.95 SAR | 429.58 SAR | 114.56 $ | 15% | 8–15% | 5,508.35 SAR ≈ 1,469 $ |
| Jordan | 92.823 JOD | 81.220 JOD | 114.56 $ | fees per piece | 5–12% | 881.239 JOD ≈ 1,243 $ * |
Method: the raw gram price from the world ounce and the exchange rate at build time, the making charge at the middle of each market's usual range, tax on the total except in Egypt where it applies to the making charge only. These are estimates for comparison; real prices differ between shops and designs. Ask for weight, karat and making charge on the invoice. * Fees not known for this country: the figure covers gold and making charge only and the row is not ranked.
In practice: Dubai has the lowest making charges and refunds VAT to tourists, Kuwait and Qatar charge no VAT, and the Egyptian market can trade away from the world price depending on demand and dollar availability. Investment bars of 99% purity or higher are taxed differently from jewellery in most Gulf states.
Raw 24K gram price elsewhere
| Country | 24K per gram | In USD |
|---|---|---|
| USA | 130.92 USD | 130.92 $ |
| UK | 98.02 GBP | 130.92 $ |
| India | 12,294.80 INR | 130.92 $ |
| Pakistan | 36,208.85 PKR | 130.92 $ |
| Turkey | 6,563.64 TRY | 130.92 $ |