What It Costs to Send Money to Costa Rica from the US
According to the World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide quarterly survey for 2024 Q3, sending USD 200 from the United States to Costa Rica carried a median total cost of 6.42% and an average total cost of 5.85% of the amount sent. Total cost, as defined by the survey, combines the upfront transfer fee and the exchange-rate margin — the difference between the mid-market rate and the rate applied to the transaction — expressed together as a percentage of the USD 200 send amount.
Across the 28 providers surveyed in that 2024 Q3 snapshot, quoted total costs ranged from a low of −0.93% to a high of 18.74%, reflecting substantial variation among available options. The provider recorded as cheapest surveyed in the 2024 Q3 data was Go Vianex. Because this reflects a dated quarterly survey rather than live pricing, the relative position of any provider, including Go Vianex, may have changed since that survey was conducted.
Costs within this corridor can also differ depending on the payment method used (such as bank account or debit card), the payout method available to the recipient, and the amount being transferred. The World Bank updates this survey each quarter. The per-provider table below displays the individual figures drawn from the 2024 Q3 survey data.
Surveyed providers (2024 Q3)
| Provider | Type | Pay-out | Speed (surveyed) | Total cost, $200 | Total cost, $500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Go Vianex | MTO | Internet | 2 days | -0.93% | -1.82% |
| Go Vianex | MTO | Internet | 2 days | -0.93% | -1.82% |
| Go Vianex | MTO | Internet | 2 days | 0.58% | 0.68% |
| Go Vianex | MTO | Internet | 2 days | 0.58% | 0.68% |
| Go Vianex | MTO | Internet | 2 days | 0.58% | 0.68% |
| Go Vianex | MTO | Internet | 2 days | 0.58% | 0.68% |
| Ulink | MTO | Internet | 2 days | 3.00% | 1.20% |
| MoneyGram | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 3.00% | 1.80% |
| Xoom | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 4.46% | 2.13% |
| Ulink | MTO | Agent | 2 days | 4.50% | 1.80% |
| Remitly | MTO | Internet | 3-5 days | 5.10% | 3.90% |
| Wise | MTO | Internet | 3-5 days | 5.82% | 4.04% |
| MoneyGram | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 6.00% | 4.50% |
| Remitly | MTO | Internet | Less than one hour | 6.08% | 4.88% |
Total cost = transfer fee + exchange-rate margin, as a percent of the amount sent, at the two surveyed send amounts ($200 / $500). Surveyed prices, not live quotes.
Estimate your transfer cost →Source: The World Bank, Remittance Prices Worldwide, available at http://remittanceprices.worldbank.org (CC BY 4.0). Figures are from the 2024 Q3 survey — surveyed prices, not live quotes.