The World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide (RPW) database is a quarterly publication tracking the average cost of sending $200 across 365 major remittance corridors globally. It measures total transfer costs — fees plus exchange rate margins — to benchmark progress toward the UN's Sustainable Development Goal of reducing remittance costs to under 3% by 2030. It is the most widely cited reference for remittance cost data.
Each quarter, the World Bank collects transfer cost data from commercial banks, money transfer operators (MTOs), mobile operators, and post offices across 365 corridors. The benchmark transaction is $200 USD equivalent — chosen because it reflects a typical amount sent by low-income migrants. Costs are reported as a percentage of the send amount, combining explicit fees and the FX margin above the mid-market rate. The resulting figure — the 'total cost of sending $200' — allows direct comparison across providers and corridors without needing to track currency fluctuations separately.
UN Sustainable Development Goal 10.c calls for reducing remittance transaction costs to below 3% of the transfer amount by 2030, and eliminating corridors that cost more than 5%. As of late 2024, the global average sits at roughly 6.4% — more than double the 3% target. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most expensive region to receive remittances, averaging above 8%. The RPW index is the official measurement tool tracking progress toward this target, and its quarterly releases drive policy discussions at central banks, development banks, and financial regulators worldwide.
For migrants and diaspora communities, the RPW index provides an objective cost benchmark to compare their provider against market averages. If your corridor's average cost is 6% but you are paying 9%, the index confirms you are overpaying. If your bank quotes a rate and you want to know whether it is competitive, checking the RPW figures for your corridor gives an independent reference point. The index also highlights which corridors are dominated by high-cost providers with little competition — a signal that alternatives like digital asset rails or fintech providers may offer meaningful savings.
The RPW index has important constraints to understand. It measures only $200 transfers, which may not reflect fee structures on larger or smaller amounts where fixed fees matter more. Data collection is quarterly, so it lags real-time pricing changes. The index covers traditional channels well but historically undercounts crypto and digital asset rails, which have grown significantly since 2020. It also does not capture the full end-to-end cost for recipients, such as cash pickup fees or mobile wallet withdrawal charges. Tools like RemitRoutes provide live, amount-specific comparisons that complement the broader benchmarks in the RPW index.
It is a quarterly database published by the World Bank that tracks the total cost — fees plus FX margin — of sending $200 across 365 major remittance corridors globally. It is the primary data source used by researchers, policymakers, and international organizations to benchmark remittance costs.
As of late 2024, the global average cost of sending $200 is approximately 6.4% according to the World Bank RPW index. Sub-Saharan Africa is the most expensive region at over 8%, while South Asia is typically the cheapest at around 4-5%.
UN Sustainable Development Goal 10.c calls for reducing the average cost of remittances to below 3% of the transfer amount by 2030, and eliminating corridors where costs exceed 5%. At the current pace of reduction, the global average is unlikely to reach 3% by that deadline.
The $200 benchmark was chosen because it approximates the typical transfer amount sent by low-income migrant workers to their families. Using a fixed amount allows consistent comparison across corridors and providers over time, even as exchange rates fluctuate.
Coverage of crypto and digital asset rails in the RPW index has historically been limited, as data collection focuses on licensed banks, MTOs, and post offices. Actual costs for stablecoin-based transfers via Stellar or Tron are often 70-90% lower than the RPW averages for the same corridors.
The World Bank index gives useful corridor averages, but it is quarterly and fixed at $200. RemitRoutes provides live comparisons for your exact amount across traditional providers and crypto rails, so you can see the actual cheapest option available right now.
Compare live rates across 370+ corridors on RemitRoutes · methodology. Last updated 2026-02-26.