Remittance corridor · World Bank RPW · 2025Q1
South Africa → Malawi
What it really costs to send money from South Africa to Malawi, with the cheapest provider on record and the gap to the UN's 3% target.
- 43.4%
- Average cost
- 14.5%
- Cheapest · ABSA via Western Union
- 13
- Providers tracked
The verdict
At 43.4%, this corridor costs more than most, only 1% of tracked corridors are pricier, but the cheapest provider charges just 14.5% - switching saves about $57.78 on every $200 sent.
- 43.4%
- average cost of a $200 transfer
- +36.6pp
- vs the 6.7% average of 322 corridors
- +40.4pp
- gap to the UN 3% target
- $693/yr
- saved by switching to the cheapest, 12 transfers
Compared against the 322 corridors we actually track, not a generic headline figure.
How South Africa → Malawi compares
Average cost of a $200 transfer, percent, lower is cheaper
43.35% average - 40.4pp above target
Cost trend: South Africa → Malawi
Average and cheapest cost of a $200 transfer over time, percent
Sending Country
Receiving Country
Nearby Corridors from South Africa
South Africa is one of the most connected sending markets in our data, with 10 tracked outbound corridors. The 8 below span the widest cost range, from the cheapest to send anywhere from South Africa through to the most expensive.
What the South Africa → Malawi Data Tells Us
Sending money from South Africa to Malawi currently costs an average of 43.35% of the transfer amount, according to World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) data as of 2025Q1. That is 36.6 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, ABSA via Western Union delivers this corridor at 14.46% - the floor price a South Africa-based sender can realistically access today. The full panel includes 13 tracked providers.
Annual corridor volume is not separately reported for this route in the current release, but reducing transfer costs on any route translates directly into more money reaching recipient households. Costs on this route have risen sharply, up 23.33 percentage points over the tracked period, a notable outlier since most tracked corridors have moved the other way.
Across the 53 quarters of World Bank RPW data on record for this corridor, the average cost has ranged from 8.5% to 43.4%, and 0 of those 53 quarters (0%) met the UN SDG 3% target outright. Quarter-to-quarter pricing on this route has swung considerably (4.90pp standard deviation across the full record) - worth checking the current quarter's reading specifically rather than relying on the long-run average.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to send money from South Africa to Malawi?
The average cost to send money from South Africa to Malawi is 43.35% of the transfer amount, based on World Bank RPW data as of 2025Q1. The cheapest available option is 14.46% via ABSA 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 South Africa to Malawi?
Based on World Bank RPW data, the cheapest service for the South Africa to Malawi corridor charges 14.46% - currently ABSA via Western Union. A total of 13 providers are tracked on this corridor. Always compare rates directly with providers before sending, as prices change frequently.
Is the South Africa to Malawi corridor meeting the UN SDG cost target?
Not yet. At 43.4%, this corridor sits 40.4 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.