How Much Does It Cost to Send $500 to Vietnam from Korea? (2026 Fees)

You want to send $500 (about ₩650,000) to your family in Vietnam. How much will it actually cost?

Short answer: Using remittance apps, it costs $3-8 total (₩4,000-₩10,000). Using Korean banks, it costs $25-45 (₩32,000-₩58,000).

This guide shows you the exact cost breakdown for every service available in Korea.

🎯 Compare real-time costs: Use RemitBuddy to see exact fees and rates right now.

📊 Cost Breakdown: Sending $500 to Vietnam

Here's what each service charges for a $500 transfer (₩650,000 KRW) to Vietnam:

🏢 Service	💰 Transfer Fee	📊 Rate Loss*	💵 Total Cost	🇻🇳 Family Gets
Hanpass	₩3,000 ($2.30)	₩3,250 ($2.50)	$4.80	12,870,000 VND
E9Pay	₩4,000 ($3.08)	₩3,900 ($3.00)	$6.08	12,850,000 VND
Coinshot	₩4,500 ($3.46)	₩2,600 ($2.00)	$5.46	12,880,000 VND
GME Remit	₩5,000 ($3.85)	₩3,250 ($2.50)	$6.35	12,860,000 VND
Gmoneytrans	₩5,000 ($3.85)	₩5,200 ($4.00)	$7.85	12,820,000 VND
Moin	₩3,000 ($2.30)	₩6,500 ($5.00)	$7.30	12,800,000 VND
Korean Bank	₩25,000 ($19.23)	₩13,000 ($10.00)	$29.23	12,650,000 VND

*Rate Loss = difference between mid-market rate and service rate

💡 Key insight: The transfer fee is NOT the total cost. You also lose money on the exchange rate. Always check how much your family actually receives.

🔍 Understanding the Real Cost

What Makes Up the Total Cost?

When you send $500 to Vietnam, you pay for:

Total Cost = Transfer Fee + Exchange Rate Markup + (Hidden Fees)

1. Transfer Fee (visible)

What the app shows you upfront
Usually ₩3,000-₩5,000 for apps
₩20,000-₩30,000 for banks

2. Exchange Rate Markup (hidden)

The difference between the "real" rate and the rate you get
This is where services make most of their money
Can be 0.5% to 3% of your transfer

3. Hidden Fees (sometimes)

Receiving bank fees in Vietnam
Intermediary bank fees (for wire transfers)
Usually only with bank transfers

💰 Real Example: Sending ₩650,000 to Vietnam

Let's trace exactly where your money goes with Hanpass vs Korean Bank:

Hanpass (App)

Step	Amount	Notes
You send	₩650,000	Your money
Transfer fee	-₩3,000	Hanpass fee
Amount converted	₩647,000
Exchange rate	19.85 VND/KRW	Hanpass rate
Family receives	12,843,950 VND	About $497 value

Total cost: ₩6,250 ($4.80) = Fee + Rate loss

Korean Bank

Step	Amount	Notes
You send	₩650,000	Your money
Transfer fee	-₩25,000	Bank fee
Amount converted	₩625,000
Exchange rate	19.50 VND/KRW	Bank rate (worse)
Wire fee	-₩8,000	SWIFT fee
Family receives	12,037,500 VND	About $465 value

Total cost: ₩38,000 ($29.23) = Fee + Rate loss + Wire fee

⚠️ Warning: Your family receives 806,450 VND less (~$31) when using a bank instead of Hanpass. That's real money lost.

📈 Cost by Transfer Amount

How costs change based on how much you send:

Amount	Hanpass Cost	E9Pay Cost	Bank Cost	You Save with App
$200 (₩260K)	$3.50	$4.00	$26	$22+
$500 (₩650K)	$4.80	$6.08	$29	$23+
$1,000 (₩1.3M)	$6.50	$8.00	$35	$27+
$2,000 (₩2.6M)	$10.00	$12.00	$45	$33+

Pattern:

App costs stay low (flat fee + small rate markup)
Bank costs stay high (big fee + bad rate + wire fee)
You save more as you send more

🏆 Cheapest Option for $500 Transfers

Based on total cost (fee + rate loss):

Best Overall: Hanpass

Total cost: ~$4.80
Family receives: 12,870,000 VND
Speed: 10-30 minutes
Best for: Most transfers

Best Rate: Coinshot

Total cost: ~$5.46
Family receives: 12,880,000 VND (slightly more)
Speed: 10-30 minutes
Best for: When rate matters more than fee

Best for E-9 Workers: E9Pay

Total cost: ~$6.08
Family receives: 12,850,000 VND
Speed: 10-30 minutes
Best for: Vietnamese language support, easy registration

❌ Avoid These Costly Mistakes

Mistake 1: Only Looking at Transfer Fee

Wrong thinking: "Service A charges ₩3,000, Service B charges ₩5,000. A is cheaper."

Reality: Service A might have a worse exchange rate, making it more expensive overall.

Solution: Always check how much your family receives, not just the fee.

Mistake 2: Using Your Korean Bank

Wrong thinking: "My bank is safe and convenient."

Reality: Banks charge ₩25,000+ in fees AND give you a worse exchange rate.

For $500: You lose about $25 extra using a bank.

Mistake 3: Sending Small Amounts Often

Wrong thinking: "I'll send ₩200,000 every week."

Reality: You pay the transfer fee every time.

Better: Send ₩800,000 once a month. Save ₩9,000-₩15,000 in fees.

Mistake 4: Not Comparing Services

Wrong thinking: "I always use [X service], it's fine."

Reality: Exchange rates change daily. The cheapest service today might not be cheapest tomorrow.

Solution: Check RemitBuddy before every transfer.

💡 5 Ways to Lower Your Cost

1. Use Remittance Apps, Not Banks

Method	Cost for $500
Remittance App	$4-8
Korean Bank	$25-45
You Save	$17-40

2. Send Larger Amounts Less Often

Frequency	Monthly Total	Fees Paid	Yearly Fees
Weekly (₩162K × 4)	₩650,000	₩12,000-₩20,000	₩144,000-₩240,000
Monthly (₩650K × 1)	₩650,000	₩3,000-₩5,000	₩36,000-₩60,000
Savings	Same	-	₩108,000-₩180,000/year

3. Compare Before Every Transfer

Exchange rates fluctuate. A 0.5% difference on ₩650,000 = ₩3,250 saved.

4. Use MoMo Instead of Bank Transfer

Bank transfer: 10-30 minutes
MoMo: 5-10 minutes
Same cost, faster delivery

5. Avoid Peak Times

Best: Tuesday-Thursday
Avoid: Friday evening, weekends
Why: Better processing, sometimes better rates

⏱️ How Long Does It Take?

For a $500 transfer to Vietnam:

Service	To Bank Account	To MoMo Wallet
Hanpass	10-30 min	5-10 min
E9Pay	10-30 min	5-10 min
Coinshot	10-30 min	N/A
GME Remit	1-2 hours	10-30 min
Gmoneytrans	Same day	N/A
Moin	1-2 days	N/A
Korean Bank	2-3 days	N/A

💡 Tip: MoMo is fastest. If your family has MoMo, use it.

❓ FAQ: Vietnam Transfer Costs

How much does it cost to send $500 to Vietnam from Korea?

Using remittance apps (Hanpass, E9Pay, Coinshot): $4-8 total Using Korean banks: $25-45 total

The difference is in both the transfer fee AND the exchange rate.

What is the cheapest way to send $500 to Vietnam?

Hanpass or Coinshot typically offer the lowest total cost. Check RemitBuddy for current rates, as they change daily.

Why do banks charge so much more?

Banks charge:

Higher transfer fees (₩20,000-₩30,000)
SWIFT wire fees (₩8,000+)
Worse exchange rates (1-3% worse)

All three add up to $25-45 vs $4-8 for apps.

Is the transfer fee the only cost?

No. You also pay through the exchange rate markup. If the real rate is 20.00 VND/KRW but you get 19.80, you're paying 1% extra on your entire transfer.