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Send money to Malawi

Compare options based on speed, cost and availability for recipients without bank accounts.

Andrew Munro

Updated Apr 27, 2020

Fact checked

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Specialized money transfer companies tend to offer the most competitive rates for international transfers. But you’ll want to choose one that offers delivery methods that work for you and your recipient.

How much does it cost to send money to Malawi? Compare your options

The table below shows how much it costs to send money to Malawi with different providers. Enter your transfer details into the table below to get an estimate.

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Min. Transfer Amount	Transfer Speed	Online Transfer Fee	Rate	Amount Received	Description	CTA	Details
GBP 1,000	1 - 2 days	N/A	N/A	N/A	Exclusive: Minimum transfer of $1,000 for Finder readers (normally $5,000). For larger transfers, get no transaction fees and no maximum send limits.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 1,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Chat Available currencies AED, AUD, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HUF, ILS, JPY, MXN, NOK, NZD, PLN, RON, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
$1	Same day	USD 0.00	752.598	MWK 3,762,990	XE offers fast transfers with no fees and a range of foreign currency tools.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount 1.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, AFN, ALL, AMD, ANG, AOA, ARS, AUD, AWG, AZN, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BIF, BMD, BND, BOB, BRL, BSD, BTN, BWP, BZD, CAD, CDF, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CUC, CVE, CZK, DJF, DKK, DOP, DZD, EGP, ERN, ETB, EUR, FJD, FKP, GBP, GEL, GGP, GHS, GIP, GMD, GNF, GTQ, GYD, HKD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, IMP, INR, IQD, IRR, ISK, JEP, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KPW, KRW, KWD, KYD, KZT, LAK, LBP, LKR, LRD, LSL, LYD, MAD, MDL, MGA, MKD, MMK, MNT, MOP, MUR, MVR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PAB, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SBD, SCR, SDG, SEK, SGD, SHP, SLL, SOS, SPL, SRD, SVC, SYP, SZL, THB, TJS, TMT, TND, TOP, TRY, TTD, TVD, TWD, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, UZS, VEF, VND, VUV, WST, XAF, XCD, XDR, XOF, XPF, YER, ZAR, ZMW, ZWD, BYN Go to site Read the full review
$0	1 - 2 days	USD 1.99	740.88	MWK 3,702,926	Special offers like free transfers and better exchange rates available for new customers. Quick, affordable transfers around the world with both express and economy options.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount 0.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account, Cash Transfer Transfer options N/A Customer service Phone, Chat, Email Available currencies ALL, AMD, ARS, AZN, BAM, BDT, BGN, BIF, BOB, BRL, BSD, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CZK, DOP, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GEL, GHS, GMD, GNF, GTQ, GYD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KZT, LKR, LRD, MAD, MDL, MGA, MKD, MMK, MWK, MXN, MYR, NGN, NIO, NPR, PAB, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SLL, SRD, SVC, THB, TJS, TND, TRY, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, UZS, VND, XAF, XOF, ZAR, ZMW, BYN Go to site Read the full review
$1	1 - 2 days	N/A	N/A	N/A	Enjoy high maximum transfers into more than 20 currencies while saving up to 90% over local banks.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount 1.00 Transfer methods Online Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments Customer service Phone, Chat, Email Available currencies AED, ARS, AUD, BDT, BGN, BRL, BWP, CAD, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CZK, DKK, EGP, EUR, GBP, GEL, GHS, HKD, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JPY, KES, KRW, LKR, MAD, MXN, MYR, NGN, NOK, NPR, NZD, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, RON, RUB, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, VND, XOF, ZAR, ZMW Go to site Read the full review
$1	Within an hour	USD 3.99	752.825	MWK 3,761,120	Use promo code 3FREE to send your first 3 transfers with no fee. Send to 110+ countries for bank-to-bank deposit, cash pickup or mobile top-up.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount 1.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account, Cash Transfer Transfer options One off payments Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, ALL, AMD, AOA, ARS, AUD, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BIF, BOB, BRL, BWP, CAD, CDF, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CVE, CZK, DKK, DOP, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GHS, GMD, GNF, GTQ, HKD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, ISK, JMD, JOD, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KWD, KYD, KZT, LAK, LKR, LRD, LSL, MAD, MDL, MGA, MRO, MUR, MVR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PAB, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, RON, RUB, RWF, SCR, SEK, SGD, SLL, SOS, SRD, THB, TJS, TND, TOP, TRY, TZS, UGX, USD, UYU, VND, WST, XAF, XCD, XOF, ZAR, ZMW, BYN Go to site Read the full review

Compare up to 4 providers

Disclaimer: Exchange rates change often. Confirm the total cost with the provider before transferring money.

What's in this guide?

How much does it cost to send money to Malawi? Compare your options
Step by step: How to send money to Malawi
What's the best way to send money to Malawi?
How long will it take to send money to Malawi?
What to watch out for
Documentation you'll need to send money to Malawi
What to compare to get the best deal
Cash pickup locations in Malawi
Bottom line

Step by step: How to send money to Malawi

To send money to Malawi, complete the following steps:

Compare transfer services and pick the one that’s best for you.
Go to its website, create an account and wait to be verified.
Fill out the transfer form with details such as the recipient and the amount.
Confirm the information and make your payment.

What’s the best way to send money to Malawi?

Money transfer services

Specialist money transfer services will often offer a range of payment and delivery options. These tend to be the cheapest options available.

Cash transfers

Cash transfer services are a popular option, but although they’re convenient and fast, they can also be expensive.

Banks

Many banks will let you send money to Malawi, but this will often be slower and more expensive than other options.

Let’s crunch the numbers: Sending $1,000 to Malawi

The table below shows how much it costs to send $1,000 to Malawi with two different services. The first is a company that lets you send cash from an agent location in the US for pickup in Malawi. The second lets you pay online using a bank account or credit card, but still lets your recipient pick it up as cash.

	Cash transfer	Money transfer service
Fee	$7	$12.99
Exchange rate	1 USD = 664.6540 MWK	1 USD = 725.2035
Transfer speed	Within minutes	Within minutes
Amount received	MWK660,001.42	MWK715,783.11
Overall	MWK55,781.69 less	MWK55,781.69 more

In this case, using the online provider lets you send an extra MWK55,782, or about US$75, to your recipient. It’ll get there just as fast, but you’ll need a credit card, debit card or bank account to be able to use the service.

How long will it take to send money to Malawi?

How long it takes to send money to Malawi will depend primarily on your payment method and the recipient’s collection method.

Making your payment with card or cash instead of a bank transfer can speed things up. Similarly, if your recipient elects to get the money as a cash pick-up or mobile money payment rather than a bank transfer, it can also be faster.

Emergency cash transfer

If you need to send money to Malawi ASAP, a cash transfer may be the most suitable option.

You can pay with card or cash at a cash transfer agent in your location, and the money can be available for pickup at various spots in Malawi within minutes.

What services send emergency transfers?

How to send money to Malawi without a bank account

Cash transfer services can also be helpful if you don’t have a bank account but need to send money. Similarly, your recipient may also find them to be a convenient choice if they don’t have a bank account.

What to watch out for

Malawi is an underbanked country, and the majority of people in Malawi don’t have a bank account. This means that cash is going to be one of the best delivery options.

But more residents have mobile money accounts than bank accounts, so if your recipient is among them, you might be able to save money by sending funds to their phone number directly.

Documentation you’ll need to send money to Malawi

Transfers will typically involve providing the following information and documentation:

Identification. You will need to provide personal identification such as a driver’s license, as well as some details about yourself.
Transfer amount. You need to say how much you want to send before paying that amount plus the fees.
Recipient’s details. You also need to say who you’re sending the money to and provide some details so the recipient can pick up their money.
Reason for sending the money. You may be asked to provide a reason for sending the money.

What to compare to get the best deal

Fees. How much are you paying in upfront costs?
Exchange rates. How much money will your recipient get?
Transfer speed. How long will the transfer take?
Payment options. How do you want to pay for your transfer?
Delivery methods. How does the recipient want to collect their money?
Customer service. Who do you contact in case something goes wrong?

Foreign exchange rates explained

Exchange rates are how much of one currency you get for another. The mid-market rate (shown below) is the official exchange rate at any given time, but the actual exchange rates offered by transfer services will vary.

Generally, the best exchange rates will be the ones as close to the mid-market rate as possible.
Today’s exchange rate USD to MWK

Cash pickup locations in Malawi

Western Union
CAPITAL CITY MONEY BUREAU
Address: Kangombe House City Centre Road, P O Box 30432 Capital City Lilongwe 3, Lilongwe
Phone: +265-770102
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am to 5pm; Sat 8.30am to 2pm
LILONGWE GELU MONEY BUREAU
Address: Gelu House Chilambula Road, P O Box 30432 Capital City Lilongwe 3, Lilongwe
Phone: +265-775725
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am to 5pm; Sat 8.30am to 2pm
CITY CENTRE FOODWORTHS MFB AGENCY
Address: Bisnowaty Filling Station, Area32 City Centre, Lilongwe, 1
Phone: +265-992555797
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8.30am to 4pm; Sat 8.30am to 12pm
MoneyGram
FDH BANK – GELU
Address: Gelu House, Lilongwe
Phone: 2651755725
Hours: Mon-Sat, 8am to 5.30pm
VICTORIA FOREX BUREAU LTD – #16 – CAPITA
Address: Centre House Arcade Off Mugabe Crescent, Lilongwe
Phone: 1821026
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am to 5pm; Sat, 8am to 4pm
FDH BANK – LILONGWE
Address: Central Arcade House, Capital City, Lilongwe
Phone: 1772239
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am to 3pm
WorldRemit
Malawi Post – Capital City
Address: P.O. Capital City
Hours: 7:30am to 4:30pm
Victoria Forex – City Center
Address: Centre House Arcade, Capital City, Lilongwe
Hours: 8am to 5pm
Victoria Forex – Lilongwe
Address: Shoprite Centre, Kenyata Drive, Lilongwe
Phone: +265 1 757 100
Hours: 8am to 5pm
Western Union
UNIT HOUSE MONEY BUREAU MAIN 1
Address: Unit House Victoria Avenue, P O Box 512 Blantyre, Malawi
Phone: +265-823470
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am to 5pm; Sat, 8.30am to 2pm
CHILEKA
Address: Victoria Forex Bureau, Arrivals Meeting Point Chileka Airport, Chileka, Malawi 256
Phone: +265-1692221
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am to 4pm; Sat, 8am to 12pm
FATIMA ARCADE
Address: Haileselassie Road, P Bag 61 Blantyre 265
Phone: +265-1833199
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am to 5pm; Sat, 8am to 2pm
MoneyGram
POST DOT NET – BLANTYRE – FATIMA
Address: Oasis Plaza Haile Sellassie Rd, Blantyre
Phone: 2833199
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am to 5pm; Sat, 8am to 1pm
FIRST MERCHANT BANK LTD
Address: First House, P Bag 122, Blantyre
Phone: 26516202169
Hours: Mon-Sat, 8am to 3pm
VICTORIA FOREX BUREAU LTD – #13 – LIMBE
Address: Opposite Market, Eastern Side, Blantyre
Phone: 212555879
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am to 5pm; Sat, 8am to 4pm
WorldRemit
Malawi Post – Bangwe
Address: P.O. Bangwe
Hours: 7:30am to 4:30pm
Malawi Post – Blantyre
Address: P.O. Blantyre
Hours: 7:30am to 4:30pm
Malawi Post – Chilomoni
Address: P.O. Chilomoni
Hours: 7:30am to 4:30pm
Western Union
MZUZU X MSB BRANCH
Address: Mzuzu Fdh House Bodman Road, Private Bag 130 Mzuzu
Phone: +265-311737
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am to 5pm; Sat, 8.30am to 2pm
MZIMBA
Address: P.O. Box 301 Mzuzu, Northern 265
Phone: +265-01-342166
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am to 5pm; Sat, 8am to 4pm
NKHATA BAY AGENCY
Address: Nkhatabay Boma Lakeshore Road, P O Box 30432 Capital City Lilongwe 3, Nkhata Bay
Phone: +265-352313
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am to 5pm; Sat, 8.30am to 2pm
MoneyGram
FIRST MERCHANT BANK LTD
Address: P BAG 85 Mzuzu
Phone: 2651334214
Hours: Mon-Sat, 8am to 3pm
STANDARD BANK MALAWI
Address: Mzuzu Branch Kamuzu Avenue, Mzuzu
Phone: 1332366
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am to 3.30pm; Sat, 9am to 12pm
FDH BANK – MZUZU
Address: X-MSB House, Mzuzu
Phone: 2651312630
Hours: Mon-Sat, 8am to 5.30pm
WorldRemit
Victoria Forex – Mzuzu
Address: Shoprite Centre, M1 Road, Near Katoto Secondary School, Mzuzu.
Phone: +265 1 312 801
Hours: 8am to 5pm

Bottom line

Using an online transfer provider is generally the cheapest way to send money to Malawi. If you’re in a hurry, look for a provider that offers cash pickup so that your recipient can get the money almost instantly. And to get the best deal, compare money transfer providers before getting started.

WorldRemit Deals

Zero fees on your first THREE money transfers

Send money with WorldRemit using the code '3FREE' and pay no fees on your first three money transfers

Last verified 17 Sep 2020

Show code

Coupon code ends 30 Nov 2020

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Andrew Munro

Andrew Munro is the cryptocurrency editor at Finder. He was initially writing about insurance, when he accidentally fell in love with digital currency and distributed ledger technology (aka “the blockchain”). Andrew has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New South Wales, and has written guides about everything from industrial pigments to cosmetic surgery.

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Send money to Malawi

Compare options based on speed, cost and availability for recipients without bank accounts.

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