Sending country · World Bank RPW · TR
Send money from Turkey
What it costs to send money out of Turkey, the cheapest destination corridors, and how much the Turkey diaspora sends home each year.
- 41.6%
- Avg outbound cost
- 12.5%
- Cheapest · to Bulgaria
- $1.5B
- Sent per year
- 1
- Destination corridor
The verdict
Senders in Turkey can reach 1 tracked destination at an average cost of 41.6%, with the cheapest route, to Bulgaria - running just 12.5%. Outflows total about $1.5B a year.
- 41.6%
- average outbound cost
- 12.5%
- cheapest destination: Bulgaria
- $1.5B
- sent annually
- 1
- destination corridor tracked
Cheapest Corridors from Turkey
All Corridors from Turkey
| # | To | Avg cost | Cheapest | Cheapest provider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bulgaria | 41.6% | 12.5% | Turkey IS Bank via Western Union |
Remittance Guides
Data source: Source: World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) Database, quarterly release. Costs represent percentage of a $200 transfer amount.
Methodology reference: Source: UN Sustainable Development Goal 10.c target, reduce remittance transaction costs to below 3% by 2030. Always verify current rates directly with service providers before sending money.
Sending Money From Turkey: What the Data Shows
The World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide database currently tracks 1 outbound corridors from Turkey, with an average transfer cost of 41.63% across the full panel. That sits 35.2 percentage points above the World Bank's reported global average of about 6.4%, which suggests senders from Turkey are paying more than the typical diaspora worldwide, a cost differential usually explained by limited digital-provider competition or expensive last-mile payout networks. Altogether, senders in Turkey push roughly $1.5B abroad each year to recipients tracked in RPW.
The three cheapest corridors from Turkey right now are Bulgaria at 12.52% via Turkey IS Bank via Western Union. These floor prices, the lowest available rate any tracked provider quotes on a $200 transfer, are the benchmark a price-conscious sender should aim for before paying a bank, cash agent, or in-app default. Corridor-level shopping matters here: on any single destination, the gap between the cheapest and the average often equals the cost of groceries or school fees back home, which is why the RPW methodology, standardized at $200 and inclusive of both service fee and FX margin, is designed to make these spreads visible.
High-volume corridors are disproportionately important for SDG 10.c, the UN target of reducing average remittance cost to 3% or below by 2030, because even a modest percentage-point reduction on a billion-dollar corridor returns tens of millions of dollars to recipient households. Historically, corridors that have fallen fastest toward the 3% target are those where digital-first fintechs compete on price against legacy money-transfer operators and bank wires. For a sender in Turkey, the practical takeaway is straightforward: compare the cheapest provider on your specific corridor, account for both fees and exchange-rate margin, and use bank-deposit or mobile-wallet payout wherever the recipient supports it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the cheapest countries to send money to from Turkey?
Based on World Bank RPW data, the cheapest remittance destinations from Turkey are determined by the lowest transfer cost as a percentage of a $200 transfer. Currently, the most affordable corridors include transfers to Bulgaria, with costs as low as 12.52%. Costs reflect both fees and exchange rate margins.
How do I compare money transfer services?
To compare money transfer services from Turkey, look at three factors: (1) total cost as a percentage of your transfer amount, including both the service fee and exchange rate margin, (2) delivery speed, and (3) payment and payout methods available in your destination country. World Bank RPW data, used here, standardizes costs as a percentage of a $200 transfer, making services comparable across corridors. Always verify current rates directly with providers before sending.
What affects the cost of sending money internationally?
International transfer costs from Turkey depend on several factors: the destination country (some corridors have more competition and lower fees), the transfer amount (larger amounts often have lower percentage fees), the payment method (bank accounts are typically cheaper than cash), and the payout method at the destination. The average outbound transfer cost from Turkey is 41.63%, compared to the World Bank reported global average of approximately 6.4%.
How much money does Turkey send in remittances each year?
Turkey sends approximately $1.5B in remittances annually to 1 tracked destination countries, according to World Bank data. The average outbound transfer cost is 41.63%. Remittance outflows are driven by diaspora communities sending money to family members and for investments in their home countries.
Are digital money transfer services cheaper than banks?
In most corridors from Turkey, digital-first providers (fintechs and mobile apps) offer significantly lower fees than traditional bank wire transfers. Banks typically charge 10-15% for small transfers due to fixed fees and wide exchange rate margins, while digital providers often charge 1-4%. The World Bank RPW data used on PlainRemit tracks both traditional and digital providers so you can compare directly.
Source: World Bank, Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) Database (2011-2024) World Bank, Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) Database (2011-2024)
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.