Sending country · World Bank RPW · ZA
Send money from South Africa
What it costs to send money out of South Africa, the cheapest destination corridors, and how much the South Africa diaspora sends home each year.
- 16.0%
- Avg outbound cost
- 1.8%
- Cheapest · to Lesotho
- $1.0B
- Sent per year
- 11
- Destination corridors
The verdict
Senders in South Africa can reach 11 tracked destinations at an average cost of 16.0%, with the cheapest route, to Lesotho - running just 1.8%. Outflows total about $1.0B a year.
- 16.0%
- average outbound cost
- 1.8%
- cheapest destination: Lesotho
- $1.0B
- sent annually
- 11
- destination corridors tracked
Cheapest Corridors from South Africa
Largest Flows from South Africa
Nearby Destinations from South Africa
Top outbound corridors from South Africa by annual remittance flow, the most active peer routes on the same sending market.
All Corridors from South Africa
| # | To | Avg cost | Cheapest | Cheapest provider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mozambique | 8.9% | 3.9% | Mukuru |
| 2 | Kenya | 10.4% | 4.4% | Mama Money |
| 3 | India | 11.1% | 4.2% | EcoCash Remit |
| 4 | Lesotho | 11.1% | 1.8% | Shoprite Money Transfer |
| 5 | Zimbabwe | 11.9% | 5.0% | Sasai Money Transfer |
| 6 | Nigeria | 13.1% | 4.0% | Mama Money |
| 7 | Tanzania | 13.9% | 6.6% | WorldRemit |
| 8 | Zambia | 13.9% | 5.2% | WorldRemit |
| 9 | Botswana | 14.9% | 4.3% | Hello-Paisa |
| 10 | China | 23.2% | 16.6% | Western Union |
| 11 | Malawi | 43.4% | 14.5% | ABSA 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 South Africa: What the Data Shows
The World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide database currently tracks 11 outbound corridors from South Africa, with an average transfer cost of 15.98% across the full panel. That sits 9.6 percentage points above the World Bank's reported global average of about 6.4%, which suggests senders from South Africa 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 South Africa push roughly $1.0B abroad each year to recipients tracked in RPW.
The three cheapest corridors from South Africa right now are Lesotho at 1.82% via Shoprite Money Transfer, Mozambique at 3.93% via Mukuru, Nigeria at 4.01% via Mama Money. 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.
By dollar volume, the largest outbound flows from South Africa run to Zimbabwe ($1.8B/yr), Mozambique ($1.2B/yr), Lesotho ($500M/yr). 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 South Africa, 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 South Africa?
Based on World Bank RPW data, the cheapest remittance destinations from South Africa are determined by the lowest transfer cost as a percentage of a $200 transfer. Currently, the most affordable corridors include transfers to Lesotho, Mozambique, Nigeria, with costs as low as 1.82%. Costs reflect both fees and exchange rate margins.
How do I compare money transfer services?
To compare money transfer services from South Africa, 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 South Africa 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 South Africa is 15.98%, compared to the World Bank reported global average of approximately 6.4%.
How much money does South Africa send in remittances each year?
South Africa sends approximately $1.0B in remittances annually to 11 tracked destination countries, according to World Bank data. The average outbound transfer cost is 15.98%. 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 South Africa, 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.