How to Send Money to Nepal From Australia
Students in Sydney and Melbourne, nurses in Perth, farm workers in Queensland — Australia is now one of Nepal’s biggest remittance sources. Here is which app gives the most rupees per dollar.
- From Australia, apps win clearly: Wise, Remitly, Instarem and WorldRemit all beat the big-four banks on AUD→NPR by a wide margin.
- Fund with PayID or bank transfer (free and instant) rather than card.
- Compare the NPR received on your amount; the leader changes week to week.
- Bank deposit to a Nepali account is the cheapest payout and earns interest immediately.
Your options from Australia
Your realistic choices:
- Remittance apps — Wise, Remitly, Instarem, WorldRemit and Ria send AUD→NPR from an Australian bank account via PayID or bank transfer, usually landing the same day.
- Western Union and MoneyGram — useful for cash pickup when the recipient has no bank account, at a typically weaker rate.
- Big-four bank international transfer — A$15–30 in fees plus a rate 2–4% off mid-market; the most expensive route.
Live AUD to NPR quotes today
| Provider | AUD→NPR rate | Fee | Family receives on A$ 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instarem Most NPR | रू 109.12 | A$ 9.50 | रू 108,085 |
| Wise | रू 109.21 | A$ 12.78 | रू 107,814 |
| Western Union | रू 106.81 | A$ 0.99 | रू 106,707 |
Live quotes for a A$ 1,000 bank-to-bank transfer, collected 2026-09-21 via price comparison. Promotional first-transfer rates excluded. Availability and pricing change daily — the live corridor tool re-quotes every morning.
PayID vs card
PayID and direct bank transfer are free at the app end and settle within minutes; debit cards add a percentage fee at most apps and credit cards can be treated as cash advances. Use PayID for a regular monthly send.
How fast does it arrive?
Bank deposit to a Nepali account is usually same day and often within minutes during Nepal banking hours (note the 4h45m–5h45m time difference); wallet delivery is near-instant; cash pickup is instant once the control number is shared. First transfers take longer while the app verifies you.
What you need
- An Australian bank account with PayID, and your Australian driver’s licence or passport (a Nepali passport is also accepted by most apps).
- Recipient’s name exactly as on their Nepali ID, bank name and account number, or wallet number.
Taxes, limits and student visas
There is no Australian tax on sending money to family, and no restriction for student-visa holders on remitting their own earnings. Apps set their own limits, typically A$3,000–15,000 per transfer for verified users. In Nepal the money is tax-free for the recipient; deposited directly into a bank account it can go straight into a remittance-linked FD at a premium rate — see the live FD table.
On the Nepal side
Money from Australia arrives by direct bank deposit (best rate), wallet (eSewa, Khalti, IME Pay) or cash pickup at IME, Prabhu and bank counters. The full walkthrough is in our guide to receiving money in Nepal.
Sending for Dashain & Tihar 2026
Dashain tika is Wednesday, October 21 and Bhai Tika Wednesday, November 11. Nepali banks close around both, so send by ~October 14 and ~November 2 for bank-deposit payouts. Festival-week app promotions are the best of the year — compare the week you send. Details: sending money home for Dashain & Tihar.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to send money from Australia to Nepal?
A remittance app — Wise, Remitly, Instarem or WorldRemit — funded by PayID or bank transfer and paid out as a bank deposit in Nepal. Compare the NPR received for your exact amount on the day.
How long does it take to send money from Australia to Nepal?
Usually same day for bank deposit, often within minutes during Nepal banking hours; cash pickup is instant once the control number is shared.
Can international students in Australia send money to Nepal?
Yes. There is no restriction on student-visa holders remitting their own earnings; you only need an Australian bank account and photo ID for the app’s verification.
Which gives a better AUD to NPR rate, Wise or Remitly?
Both are usually within a few hundred rupees per A$1,000 of each other. Wise shows the mid-market rate with a visible fee; Remitly runs promotions. Our live corridor tool compares them every morning.
Is money received from Australia taxed in Nepal?
No — remittance received by family in Nepal is not taxed. Interest earned once deposited is subject to the normal 5% TDS.
Before you send: compare every option in the remittance apps guide, check the live corridor comparison and today's NRB exchange rates — and help the money earn at home with the best FD and savings rates.