Guide
Sending money home: how to actually compare your options
The advertised rate is not the real rate. A framework for comparing banks, remittance apps, and transfer services — and why hundi is never worth it.
This is general information, not financial advice. Rates change by the hour; check today's NRB reference rate on our homepage before you send. Last reviewed: June 2026.
The one rule
Compare the rupees that arrive, not the fee. A service advertising "zero fees" often takes its cut in a worse exchange rate. The only number that matters:
NPR received = (amount you send − fees) × exchange rate offered
Run that calculation across two or three services for your actual amount. The winner changes depending on how much you send and where from.
Your options, roughly
- Licensed remittance companies (IME, Prabhu, City Express, Samsara, and the services built into apps your family already uses). Strong networks inside Nepal — cash pickup in most bazaars, or direct bank/wallet deposit.
- Banks (international wire to a Nepali bank account). Often the worst rate + highest fee for small amounts, but fine for large one-time transfers; ask both banks about intermediary charges.
- International transfer apps (Wise, Remitly, Western Union, etc., where available in your country). Rates vary a lot between them — compare on the day.
- Wallet deposits (eSewa, Khalti) — several remitters can deposit straight to a wallet, which is handy for family without a convenient bank branch.
Why not hundi
Informal hundi networks sometimes quote a better rate. They are illegal in Nepal, with zero recourse if your money disappears, and the system undermines the remittance flows the country runs on. The few rupees saved are not worth carrying that risk — and the gap with licensed services has narrowed anyway.
Practical tips
- The NRB reference rate (our daily strip shows it) tells you how far a quoted rate is from "fair." A spread of more than 1–2 rupees per dollar deserves a comparison shop.
- Send larger, less often if fees are flat — four small monthly transfers usually cost more than one quarterly one. (Balance against your family's cash-flow needs.)
- Check the receive side. Cash pickup hours, the nearest branch to your family, ID required for collection — friction there matters more than 50 paisa of rate.
- Keep receipts. You may need transfer records for visa applications or Nepal-side paperwork later.
Official sources
- Nepal Rastra Bank (reference rates + licensed remitter list): nrb.org.np