What It Costs to Send Money to Eritrea from the US
In the 2024 Q3 World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide quarterly survey, sending USD 200 from the United States to Eritrea carried a median total cost of 6.41% and an average total cost of 6.08% of the amount sent. Total cost in this survey combines two components: the explicit transfer fee charged by the provider and the exchange-rate margin, which is the difference between the mid-market rate and the rate applied to the transaction.
Across the eight providers surveyed in that 2024 Q3 snapshot, the cheapest surveyed total cost was 4.50% and the most expensive reached 7.32%, reflecting a spread of nearly three percentage points. Western Union was the cheapest surveyed provider in that period; because the survey captures prices at a specific point in time, this standing may have changed since the data were collected.
Costs within this corridor can vary depending on the payment method used, such as bank account or debit card, the payout method available to the recipient, and the amount being transferred. The World Bank updates this survey quarterly, so figures cited here are tied specifically to the 2024 Q3 collection date. The per-provider table below shows the individual dated survey quotes for reference.
Surveyed providers (2024 Q3)
| Provider | Type | Pay-out | Speed (surveyed) | Total cost, $200 | Total cost, $500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Union | MTO | Agent | Less than one hour | 4.50% | 2.10% |
| Ria | MTO | Agent | Same day | 4.90% | 2.50% |
| Ria | MTO | Call Center | Same day | 4.90% | 2.50% |
| Western Union | MTO | Internet | 3-5 days | 6.00% | 4.70% |
| Xoom | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 6.82% | 5.32% |
| Ria | MTO | Call Center | Next day | 6.90% | 4.90% |
| Xoom | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 7.32% | 6.32% |
| Xoom | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 7.32% | 6.32% |
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.