What It Costs to Send Money to China from the US
In the 2024 Q3 World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide quarterly survey, the cost of sending USD 200 from the United States to China averaged 7.86% of the amount sent, with a median total cost of 6.80%. Total cost in this survey refers to the combined transfer fee and exchange-rate margin expressed as a percentage of the send amount, covering both the upfront charge and any markup applied to the mid-market exchange rate.
Across the 22 providers surveyed in that same 2024 Q3 snapshot, total costs ranged from a low of 2.36% to a high of 22.50%, illustrating a wide spread depending on the provider used. Remitly returned the cheapest surveyed total cost at 2.36% for this corridor and send amount in that specific quarter. Provider pricing changes over time, so this ranking reflects only the 2024 Q3 survey and may not reflect current pricing.
Costs within any single provider can also vary depending on the payment method chosen, the payout method available to the recipient, and the amount being sent, so figures for one scenario do not necessarily apply to another. The World Bank survey is updated quarterly, and the per-provider table below presents the dated quotes from the 2024 Q3 survey for reference.
Surveyed providers (2024 Q3)
| Provider | Type | Pay-out | Speed (surveyed) | Total cost, $200 | Total cost, $500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remitly | MTO | Internet | 3-5 days | 2.36% | 1.46% |
| Wise | MTO | Internet | Next day | 2.94% | 1.46% |
| Walmart2World | Bank | Agent | Less than one hour | 3.00% | 1.80% |
| MoneyGram | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 3.00% | 1.80% |
| Western Union | MTO | Internet | 3-5 days | 3.24% | 2.64% |
| Remitly | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 3.61% | 2.71% |
| Wise | MTO | Internet | Next day | 4.28% | 2.82% |
| Xoom | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 4.94% | 3.44% |
| Western Union | MTO | Agent | Less than one hour | 5.51% | 3.11% |
| MoneyGram | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 6.00% | 4.50% |
| Remitly | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 6.61% | 5.71% |
| Walmart2World | Bank | Agent | Less than one hour | 7.00% | 2.80% |
| MoneyGram | MTO | Agent | Less than one hour | 7.00% | 2.80% |
| Cathay Bank | Bank | Bank branch | 2 days | 7.50% | 3.00% |
Total cost = transfer fee + exchange-rate margin, as a percent of the amount sent, at the two surveyed send amounts ($200 / $500). Surveyed prices, not live quotes.
Estimate your transfer cost →Source: The World Bank, Remittance Prices Worldwide, available at http://remittanceprices.worldbank.org (CC BY 4.0). Figures are from the 2024 Q3 survey — surveyed prices, not live quotes.