The Remittance Cost Index

The index compares two ways to send ₹1,00,000 to India: a traditional bank wire or exchange house, and a low-cost digital app that converts near the mid-market rate.

The mid-market rate shown for each corridor is live — the same multi-source rate the rest of PaisaTools uses. The channel costsare modelled: we apply a typical all-in cost (upfront fee plus the hidden exchange-rate markup) for each channel, drawn from published averages such as the World Bank's Remittance Prices Worldwide and providers' own fee schedules. The app channel is modelled at 0.6% all-in; traditional channels range from roughly 1.3% in the Gulf to 3.5% on Western bank wires.

These are illustrative typical costs, not live quotes from every provider, and not financial advice — always check the exact rate and fee your provider shows before you send. But the direction is consistent and well-documented: a low-cost app almost always beats a bank wire, and the gap is largest on the high-fee Western corridors.

Last updated 2026-09-12. Rates refresh live on this page.