Remittance Cost Calculator (Send Money to Nepal)
See the true cost of sending money to Nepal for construction — the transfer fee plus the hidden exchange-rate margin — and how many NPR actually arrive.
The mid-market rate is auto-filled from the live market. Lower "your provider's rate" to the number your bank or transfer app actually offers to reveal the hidden margin.
Cost breakdown
| item | value |
|---|---|
| NPR received (at offered rate) | NPR 1,50,000 |
| NPR at mid-market rate | NPR 1,52,000 |
| Exchange-rate margin (NPR) | NPR 2,000 |
| Exchange-rate margin (USD) | $13 |
| Transfer fee (USD) | $5 |
| Total cost (USD) | $18 |
| Effective cost | 1.82 % |
How this works
Every transfer costs you twice: a visible fee and a hidden exchange-rate margin. We measure both.
nprReceived = sendAmount × offeredRate
marginNPR = sendAmount × (midMarketRate − offeredRate)
marginHome = marginNPR / midMarketRate
totalCostHome = fee + marginHome
effectiveCost = totalCostHome / sendAmount × 100Rates are NPR received per 1 unit of your home currency (e.g. 152 means 1 unit → NPR 152). Pick your country and the live mid-market rate is filled in for you; lower "your provider's rate" to the number your bank actually offers to reveal the margin.
Worked example
Sending 1,000 at an offered rate of 132 when the mid-market rate is 134, with a 5 fee:
- NPR received = 1,000 × 132 = NPR 1,32,000
- At mid-market = 1,000 × 134 = NPR 1,34,000
- Margin cost ≈ 14.9 in home currency
- Total cost ≈ 19.9 (≈ 1.99%)
A provider advertising "zero fees" but a rate of 130 would actually cost you more than this paid transfer — that is exactly what the margin reveals.
Sources
FAQ
What is the real cost of sending money to Nepal?
The real cost has two parts: the visible transfer fee, and the hidden exchange-rate margin — the difference between the mid-market (interbank) rate and the rate the provider actually gives you. A 'zero fee' offer with a weak rate can cost more than a paid transfer with a fair rate. This calculator adds both so you see the true, total cost.
What is the mid-market rate and where do I find it?
The mid-market rate is the 'true' interbank exchange rate, halfway between the buy and sell rates, before any provider margin. You can find a reference rate from a search engine, a currency site, or Nepal Rastra Bank's published foreign-exchange rates. Enter it in the calculator to measure how far your provider's offered rate sits below it.
Does this calculator use live exchange rates?
Yes. Pick the country you live in and the calculator auto-fills the current live mid-market rate for your currency, updated hourly. The rate stays fully editable, so you can type your bank's exact rate instead. If the live feed is briefly unavailable, it falls back to a saved estimate and clearly says so — the calculation always works.
Why does it show cement bags?
Because most people sending money to Nepal are funding construction, it helps to see buying power in real terms. If you enter a local price for a 50kg cement bag, the calculator shows roughly how many bags the delivered rupees would buy — a concrete way to compare two transfer options.
How do I use this to choose a transfer provider?
Get a quote from each provider — the rate they will give you and any fee — and run each through the calculator with the same mid-market rate. The provider with the lowest total cost (fee plus margin) and the highest NPR received is the cheaper option, regardless of which one advertises 'no fees'.
Should I still use formal channels even if hundi looks cheaper?
Yes. Informal hundi transfers leave no legal record and no recourse if the money is lost or misused, which is a serious risk when funding a house from abroad. Use banks or remittance operators licensed by Nepal Rastra Bank so you have receipts and a traceable trail, and use this calculator to keep their pricing honest.