Remittance corridor · World Bank RPW · 2025Q1

South Korea → Vietnam

What it really costs to send money from South Korea to Vietnam, with the cheapest provider on record and the gap to the UN's 3% target.

5.4%
Average cost
2.1%
Cheapest · Woori Bank
$1.8B
Annual volume
11
Providers tracked

The verdict

At 5.4%, this corridor sits mid-pack, but the cheapest provider charges just 2.1% - switching saves about $6.48 on every $200 sent.

5.4%
average cost of a $200 transfer
-1.3pp
vs the 6.7% average of 322 corridors
+2.4pp
gap to the UN 3% target
$78/yr
saved by switching to the cheapest, 12 transfers

Compared against the 322 corridors we actually track, not a generic headline figure.

How South Korea → Vietnam compares

Average cost of a $200 transfer, percent, lower is cheaper

South Korea → Vietnam5.38%Cheapest provider2.14%322-corridor average6.71%World Bank global average6.4%UN SDG 10.c target3%

Source: World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW); UN SDG 10.c As of 2025Q1

SDG 10.c progress (target: 3%) 80.2%
Cheapest

5.38% average - 2.4pp above target

Cost trend: South Korea → Vietnam

Average and cheapest cost of a $200 transfer over time, percent

-2%0%2%4%6%8%10% 2011Q12013Q42015Q32017Q22019Q12020Q42022Q32024Q22025Q1 5.38%2.14% CheapestAverage

Source: World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) As of 2025Q1

Sending Country

South Korea
East Asia & Pacific
5.63%
Avg outbound cost
$10.2B
Total remittances sent
All corridors from South Korea →

Receiving Country

Vietnam
East Asia & Pacific
5.27%
Avg inbound cost
$16.0B
Total remittances received
All corridors to Vietnam →

Nearby Corridors from South Korea

South Korea's outbound coverage in our data is limited to a handful of corridors; here is how the other compare.

# Destination Avg costCheapest
1 China 5.9% 3.0%

What the South Korea → Vietnam Data Tells Us

Sending money from South Korea to Vietnam currently costs an average of 5.38% of the transfer amount, according to World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) data as of 2025Q1. That is 1.3 percentage points below the 6.7% average of the 322 corridors we track, and well under the World Bank's reported global average of about 6.4% - a relatively affordable route.

On the cheapest end of the market, Woori Bank delivers this corridor at 2.14% - the floor price a South Korea-based sender can realistically access today. The full panel includes 11 tracked providers.

This corridor moves roughly $1.8B in remittances each year, so even a one-percentage-point reduction in cost would return tens of millions of dollars annually to families in Vietnam. Costs here have crept up 0.40 percentage points over the tracked period, bucking the wider trend toward cheaper transfers seen on most corridors.

Across the 53 quarters of World Bank RPW data on record for this corridor, the average cost has ranged from 2.0% to 7.9%, and 5 of those 53 quarters (9%) met the UN SDG 3% target outright. Quarter-to-quarter pricing on this route has swung considerably (1.08pp 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 Korea to Vietnam?

The average cost to send money from South Korea to Vietnam is 5.38% of the transfer amount, based on World Bank RPW data as of 2025Q1. The cheapest available option is 2.14% via Woori Bank. 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 Korea to Vietnam?

Based on World Bank RPW data, the cheapest service for the South Korea to Vietnam corridor charges 2.14% - currently Woori Bank. A total of 11 providers are tracked on this corridor. Always compare rates directly with providers before sending, as prices change frequently.

Is the South Korea to Vietnam corridor meeting the UN SDG cost target?

Not yet. At 5.4%, this corridor sits 2.4 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)

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.