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Sending Money to India in 2026: Real Costs Compared
Send money to India from the US, UK, Gulf or Germany: quotes we recorded, World Bank average costs by country, and how UPI and bank payouts work.
In summary
India received $150.7 billion in remittances in 2025, more than any other country. Sending $200 costs 1.91% on average from the UK and 5.59% from Saudi Arabia; our recorded quotes from the US and UK ranged from 0.77% to 4.22%.
India received $150.7 billion in personal remittances in 2025, more than any other country, according to the World Bank. How much a transfer costs depends heavily on where it leaves from:
| Sending country | Average cost, sending 200 | Sending 500 |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 1.91% | 1.12% |
| United States | 3.68% | 2.45% |
| United Arab Emirates | 3.72% | 2.19% |
| Saudi Arabia | 5.59% | 3.07% |
| Germany | 6.53% | 3.40% |
World Bank, Remittance Prices Worldwide, Q3 2025: fees and exchange-rate margin, averaged across operators.
What we recorded from the United States (26 September 2026)
Sending $100:
| Provider | Fee | Recipient gets | Total cost | Stated delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| InstaReM | Free | ₹9,516 | 0.80% | not stated |
| Wise | $1.58 | ₹9,445 | 1.54% | under an hour |
| Western Union | $1.99 | ₹9,359 | 2.44% | not stated |
| WorldRemit | $2.99 | ₹9,279 | 3.27% | not stated |
| Remitly* | $3.99 | ₹9,188 | 4.22% | not stated |
* Remitly's price includes a discount that its own calculator flags as promotional: it may not apply to later transfers.
What we recorded from the United Kingdom (29 September 2026)
Sending £100:
| Provider | Fee | Recipient gets | Total cost | Stated delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | £1.03 | ₹12,588 | 0.77% | under an hour |
| Western Union | £0.99 | ₹12,506 | 1.42% | about 24 h |
| Remitly | £1.99 | ₹12,441 | 1.93% | not stated |
What this means in practice
- From the US, InstaReM left the most rupees on $100 and Wise was close behind with the fastest stated delivery. The gap between best and worst was ₹328.
- From the UK, Wise was both the cheapest and the fastest we recorded.
- From the Gulf and Germany, average costs are two to three and a half times the UK's: comparing matters most there.
Wise is the only provider that pays this site a commission. It has no influence on the order of any table: providers are ranked by the amount the recipient gets.
How money is received in India
Transfers are usually paid into a bank account through IMPS or NEFT, and many providers can also credit an account linked to UPI. Cash pickup exists but is less common. Check that the recipient's bank and payout method are supported before comparing prices.
Compare by route
Before you send
- Compare the rupees received, not the fee.
- Check larger amounts on the route page: fees do not scale the same way across providers.
- Treat a first-transfer price as a one-off.
- Re-check on the day you send: quotes change daily.
Sources:
Charles Parenteau
Founder of TransfertCompare. I collect the providers' prices myself and compare the options to help you save on every transfer.Learn more →