Estimate the true cost of your international money transfer including exchange rate margins.
The amount you wish to transfer (e.g., USD, GBP, EUR).
Enter the rate offered by Western Union (e.g., 1 USD = 19.50 MXN).
The upfront service fee charged for the transaction.
Amount Receiver Gets:–
Upfront Transfer Fee:–
Total Cost to You:–
Effective Exchange Rate (True Cost):–
Understanding Western Union Exchange Rates and Fees
Sending money internationally via services like Western Union involves two primary costs: the upfront transfer fee and the exchange rate margin. Many users focus solely on the transfer fee, but the exchange rate often hides a significant portion of the total cost.
Key Concept: The Exchange Rate Margin
Western Union, like many banks and money transfer operators, makes money by setting their own exchange rate. This rate is usually lower than the "mid-market" rate (the one you see on Google). The difference is known as the spread or margin.
How to Calculate Your True Cost
To understand exactly how much you are paying for a transfer, you must look beyond the service fee. This calculator helps you break down the transaction:
Send Amount: The money you want to convert.
Exchange Rate: The specific rate offered by the provider at the moment of transfer.
Transfer Fee: The variable fee based on payment method (credit card, bank transfer, or cash) and speed.
Factors Affecting Your Fees
The cost of your transfer can fluctuate based on several variables:
Payment Method: Paying with a credit card typically incurs the highest fees due to cash advance charges, while bank transfers are often cheaper but slower.
Delivery Method: Cash pickup usually costs more than depositing directly into a bank account.
Destination Country: Exchange rates and fees vary significantly depending on the popularity of the currency corridor (e.g., USD to MXN vs. USD to ZAR).
Why the "Effective Exchange Rate" Matters
The "Effective Exchange Rate" calculated above takes into account both the exchange rate offered and the upfront fee. It calculates exactly how much foreign currency the receiver gets for every unit of currency you spent in total. If this number is significantly lower than the market rate, you are paying a high premium for the service.
Tips for Lowering Costs
Compare rates between "Cash Pickup" and "Bank Deposit" options.
Avoid using credit cards to fund transfers to prevent additional issuer fees.
Check if sending a slightly higher amount qualifies you for a better exchange rate tier.
function calculateWesternUnionCost() {
// 1. Get Input Values using exact IDs
var sendAmountInput = document.getElementById("wuSendAmount");
var exchangeRateInput = document.getElementById("wuExchangeRate");
var feeInput = document.getElementById("wuTransferFee");
var sendAmount = parseFloat(sendAmountInput.value);
var rate = parseFloat(exchangeRateInput.value);
var fee = parseFloat(feeInput.value);
// 2. Validation: Check if inputs are numbers
if (isNaN(sendAmount) || isNaN(rate) || isNaN(fee)) {
alert("Please enter valid numbers for Amount, Exchange Rate, and Fee.");
return;
}
if (sendAmount <= 0 || rate <= 0) {
alert("Amount and Exchange Rate must be greater than zero.");
return;
}
// 3. Perform Calculations
// The receiver gets the send amount multiplied by the exchange rate
var receiverGets = sendAmount * rate;
// The sender pays the send amount plus the fee
var totalCost = sendAmount + fee;
// Effective Rate: How much receiver gets divided by TOTAL spent by sender
// This reveals the true value per dollar/euro spent
var effectiveRate = receiverGets / totalCost;
// 4. Update the HTML Results
document.getElementById("resReceiverAmount").innerText = receiverGets.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById("resFeeDisplay").innerText = fee.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById("resTotalCost").innerText = totalCost.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
// Show effective rate with 4 decimal places for precision
document.getElementById("resEffectiveRate").innerText = effectiveRate.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 4, maximumFractionDigits: 4});
// 5. Make result box visible
document.getElementById("results").style.display = "block";
}