The cost of performing Hajj could rise in 2027, a senior Indonesian lawmaker has warned, citing higher taxes and rising commodity prices in Saudi Arabia. The remarks came as Indonesia closed out its 2026 pilgrimage operations and began reviewing costs for the season ahead.

Marwan Dasopang, chair of Commission VIII of Indonesia's House of Representatives (DPR), said the increase would be difficult to avoid. He spoke at the National Working Meeting on the 2026 Hajj Evaluation held at the Hajj Dormitory in Jakarta on Saturday, July 4, in comments broadcast on the Ministry of Religious Affairs' YouTube channel.

Lawmakers Aim to Contain Costs

According to Hajj Reporters and Indonesian outlet Tempo, Marwan said the rise in prices and taxes in Saudi Arabia could not be avoided, so the cost of Hajj was likely to climb. Even so, he said Commission VIII hopes to keep costs down, and that lawmakers and the Ministry of Religious Affairs will review the Hajj budget to find areas where spending can be reduced.

Flights were one target he identified. Marwan suggested that Hajj transport could be handled by a single airline to improve efficiency, though he acknowledged that current regulations require Hajj flights to be shared among multiple carriers. Airfare is one of the largest single components of the total Hajj bill for Indonesian pilgrims.

Accommodation and Crowding Under Review

Marwan also raised complaints from participants in Indonesia's special Hajj program, a privately managed track that offers premium services at a higher price. He said some special Hajj pilgrims were dissatisfied after finding that regular pilgrims were staying in Ring 1 accommodation in Madinah, close to the Prophet's Mosque, which in some cases offered better facilities than the special program provided.

Congestion in Mina remained a challenge, he added. Marwan called for careful planning of the tanazul policy, which allows certain pilgrims to leave Mina earlier or stay outside the area to ease overcrowding. He said pilgrims must be fully prepared to take part in the program so the congestion issue can be resolved.

2026 Season Judged an Improvement

Overall, Marwan said the organisation of the 2026 Hajj was better than the previous year. He cited improvements in domestic preparations, including visa processing and the confirmation of departing pilgrims, while noting that services for Indonesian pilgrims inside Saudi Arabia still needed work.

Indonesia officially concluded its 2026 Hajj operations on July 1 after receiving an official quota of 221,000 pilgrims, one of the largest in the world. The season began on April 21, with the peak wukuf at Arafah on May 26. Repatriation ran from June 1 and finished between June 30 and July 1.

The DPR's Hajj monitoring team has completed its evaluation of this year's pilgrimage and is awaiting the ministry's official assessment before joint discussions on improvements.

What Pilgrims Should Keep in Mind

Cost decisions for 2027 are not yet final, and figures will depend on budget negotiations between the government and parliament. Prospective pilgrims should plan for possible increases rather than assume this year's prices will hold.

  • Budget with a margin above the 2026 cost, since airfares and Saudi-side prices are the main pressure points.
  • Register early and keep passports valid well beyond the expected travel date, as waiting lists in Indonesia stretch for decades.
  • Compare the regular and special Hajj tracks carefully, since accommodation quality between them can vary year to year.
  • Follow announcements from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and BPKH for the official 2027 cost and registration timeline.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs is expected to publish its own evaluation of the 2026 season before final costs for 2027 are set.