Remittance corridor · World Bank RPW · 2025Q1
Saudi Arabia → Ethiopia
What it really costs to send money from Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia, with the cheapest provider on record and the gap to the UN's 3% target.
- 7.3%
- Average cost
- 3.8%
- Cheapest · Western Union
- $1.2B
- Annual volume
- 3
- Providers tracked
The verdict
At 7.3%, this corridor costs more than most, only 27% of tracked corridors are pricier, but the cheapest provider charges just 3.8% - switching saves about $7.02 on every $200 sent.
- 7.3%
- average cost of a $200 transfer
- +0.6pp
- vs the 6.7% average of 322 corridors
- +4.3pp
- gap to the UN 3% target
- $84/yr
- saved by switching to the cheapest, 12 transfers
Compared against the 322 corridors we actually track, not a generic headline figure.
How Saudi Arabia → Ethiopia compares
Average cost of a $200 transfer, percent, lower is cheaper
7.26% average - 4.3pp above target
Cost trend: Saudi Arabia → Ethiopia
Average and cheapest cost of a $200 transfer over time, percent
Sending Country
Receiving Country
Nearby Corridors from Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is one of the most connected sending markets in our data, with 15 tracked outbound corridors. The 5 below span the widest cost range, from the cheapest to send anywhere from Saudi Arabia through to the most expensive.
| # | Destination | Avg cost | Cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philippines | 4.0% | 2.4% |
| 2 | Pakistan | 4.7% | 0.7% |
| 3 | Egypt | 5.5% | 2.8% |
| 4 | India | 5.8% | 2.7% |
| 5 | Bangladesh | 10.2% | 6.6% |
What the Saudi Arabia → Ethiopia Data Tells Us
Sending money from Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia currently costs an average of 7.26% of the transfer amount, according to World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) data as of 2025Q1. That is 0.6 percentage points above the 6.7% average of the 322 corridors we track, though still below the World Bank's reported global average of about 6.4%.
On the cheapest end of the market, Western Union delivers this corridor at 3.75% - the floor price a Saudi Arabia-based sender can realistically access today. The full panel includes 3 tracked providers.
This corridor moves roughly $1.2B in remittances each year, so even a one-percentage-point reduction in cost would return tens of millions of dollars annually to families in Ethiopia. Costs on this route have stayed essentially flat, moving 0.25 percentage points over the tracked period, unusual stability against the broader downward trend seen on most corridors.
Across the 38 quarters of World Bank RPW data on record for this corridor, the average cost has ranged from 3.9% to 10.7%, and 0 of those 38 quarters (0%) met the UN SDG 3% target outright.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to send money from Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia?
The average cost to send money from Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia is 7.26% of the transfer amount, based on World Bank RPW data as of 2025Q1. The cheapest available option is 3.75% via Western Union. Costs are calculated as a percentage of a $200 transfer and include both service fees and exchange rate margins.
What is the cheapest way to send money from Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia?
Based on World Bank RPW data, the cheapest service for the Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia corridor charges 3.75% - currently Western Union. A total of 3 providers are tracked on this corridor. Always compare rates directly with providers before sending, as prices change frequently.
Is the Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia corridor meeting the UN SDG cost target?
Not yet. At 7.3%, this corridor sits 4.3 percentage points above the UN SDG 10.c target of 3% or below by 2030.
Source: World Bank, Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) Database (2011-2025) World Bank, Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) Database (2011-2025)
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Every figure on PlainRemit is rendered directly from World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.