There is no day or month when gold is guaranteed to be cheaper. The metal's price is set by the global market and changes every day, so if you are buying for an occasion, buy when you need it, and if you are saving, the safer approach is to buy in stages rather than with one lump sum. What you can really control is the making charge: compare it between shops, because the difference there is bigger than the difference in price from one day to the next. Today 21K is 408.86 SAR per gram and 24K is 467.27 SAR.
When should I buy gold? Is there really a "best time"?
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The price moves a lot and is hard to predict
Here is an example from the numbers: according to Trading Economics, gold was at $4,085.66 an ounce on 22 October 2026, down 4.71% from a month earlier and 0.98% from the same time a year before. So someone who bought a month earlier paid more than someone buying now, but over a year the difference is small. This volatility is what makes "timing the market" hard, even for specialists.
What moves the price? The dollar, interest rates, central bank buying and crises. For example, central banks bought 39 tonnes of gold in August 2026 and 170 tonnes since the start of the year, according to the World Gold Council. The full explanation is in Why does the gold price rise or fall?
Buying in stages: an example in numbers
Rather than trying to catch the "lowest price", you set a fixed amount and buy with it every month. Say SAR 3,000 a month for three months, with the price per gram changing like this (illustrative figures):
| Month | Price per gram | Gold bought |
|---|---|---|
| First | SAR 400 | 3,000 ÷ 400 = 7.50 g |
| Second | SAR 450 | 3,000 ÷ 450 = 6.67 g |
| Third | SAR 500 | 3,000 ÷ 500 = 6.00 g |
| Total | SAR 9,000 → 20.17 g (exactly 20.1667) |
Your average cost is SAR 446.28 per gram (9,000 ÷ 20.1667), below the average of the three prices (450). That is because a fixed amount buys more gold when the price falls and less when it rises. It doesn't guarantee a profit, but it reduces the effect of buying everything on one expensive day.
What you can really control
- The making charge: this is what differs between shops, not the gold price. A difference of SAR 20 in the making charge per gram on a 10 g piece = SAR 230 with VAT. See How do I know if a gold shop's price is fair?
- The type of gold: if you are saving, bars lose far less than jewellery when you sell. See Gold bars or jewellery?
- Busy periods: before Eid and other occasions shops are crowded, and negotiating the making charge is harder. If you can, buy well ahead.
- Follow the price: check today's price before you go, so you can do the sums. The Dhahabi app can alert you when the price reaches a figure you set.
If your question is more about saving than timing, read saving in gold or dollars.
Sources
- Trading Economics: Gold: the ounce price and its monthly and yearly change (22 October 2026).
- World Gold Council: Central Bank Gold Statistics, August 2026 (6 October 2026).
Frequently asked questions
Is there a month when gold is cheaper?
No month is guaranteed. The metal's price is set by the global market, moves with the dollar, interest rates and events, and changes every day.
Is it better to buy all at once or in stages?
For saving, buying in stages softens the effect of volatility: a fixed amount buys more gold when the price falls. It doesn't guarantee a profit, but it keeps you from buying everything on one expensive day.
Should I wait until the price falls?
If you need gold for an occasion, waiting usually isn't worth it. If you are saving for the long term, day-to-day differences shrink over time. What matters most is comparing making charges.
What saves me the most?
The making charge. A difference of SAR 20 in the making charge per gram on a 10 g piece comes to SAR 230 including VAT.