Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy you a bride… A mail-order bride, to be precise.

These women list themselves in companies’ catalogs and are selected by men for marriage. Most often, this service is used by women that live in developing countries and that seek men in more developed countries. As for men, some of them are willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars to marry a barely familiar woman from another country!

Let’s find out what’s the average cost of mail order brides worldwide, what factors influence the price, and what is included in it.

Mail order brides pricing

Factors that influence mail order bride price

Mail order brides pricing can vary greatly depending on what country the girl lives in, what her character and expectations are, what plans you both have for the future, and how much you are willing to spend on such a date.

In addition, companies have different prices for their services. These services may even be free or very cheap, but such websites may contain a lot of unverified profiles and potential scammers. 

On the other hand, agencies that charge high fees provide a higher level of security, a larger number of active verified members, no ads, modern search and matchmaking tools, Chat Rooms and emailing systems, CamShare, phone, and video calls, gifts, and flowers delivery, еtс.

Her country

Today, there are several popular regions for ordering mail brides on the market. This proves that mail order bride price highly depends on the country where the girl lives:

Asian brides (Japan, China, South Korea) are some of the most expensive. For example, an air ticket to Tokyo costs about $900, to Beijing it would cost $750, and the flight to Seoul will cost you $800. Also, you will pay $3,000 for 2 weeks accommodation in Tokyo, $2,000-2,500 in Beijing, and the same in Seoul. Lunch at a restaurant will cost you $500-1,000 for 2 weeks in Tokyo, and about $500 in Beijing and Seoul.

Slavic brides cost is somewhere in between: for example, an air ticket from New York to Moscow is about $500, accommodation for 2 weeks will cost you $2,000, meals and other expenses are relatively low. But you should remember that Russian and Ukrainian girls prefer their fiancé to pay all the bills!

Latina brides are one of the most affordable options, with the total cost of dating and visiting the price ranging from $3,000 to $5,000 including all expenses. A marriage in a Latin country can cost up to $10,000.

The agency itself

Different agencies may charge various fees for the same services, or they may offer completely different packages with completely different prices. Also, some companies may offer a specific set of additional services within a subscription plan, which you must order.

Typically, subscription prices start at $10 and end up to $50, and many agencies offer good discounts.

The tastes of a potential bride

The prices of mail order brides are influenced not only by the average budget of a date in the country (Oslo is the most expensive city for a date and Istanbul is the cheapest) but also by the girl's preferences.

The most demanding women live in Russia, Ukraine, and the Balkan countries (many girls here cannot imagine relationships without getting some expensive gifts and staying in luxury hotels); American, Chinese, and northern women are more restrained in this regard.

Your readiness to spend money

Indeed, a lot depends on your budget.

For example, the cost of chatting with a girl online directly depends on how long you want to communicate with her. Plus, most agencies that provide chats charge by the minute, and if you want to use video chat, it can be extremely expensive. Nevertheless, we recommend using video chat, since this is the only way you can make sure who you are talking to!

What does the average cost of mail-order brides include?

Most online dating services are paid, and ordering a bride is expensive. In fact, the cost of a mail order bride depends on many factors, but on average it ranges from $3,000 to $10,000.

At first, you pay for chatting with potential brides, or for the website membership. Then, the agencies help you to draw up documents for a visa and even arrange a trip to meet your bride in her country. Sometimes, these companies can even help to plan your wedding.  

Let's see what services are usually included in the price.

mail order bride price

Access to women gallery

On many sites, you can sign up to check the ladies’ profiles for free, but you still have to pay to start chatting with a girl. Some agencies offer membership, which already includes access to the database and various communication options.

Sending gifts

The amount of money you will spend depends on which girl you are dating. If she requires “special treatment,” be prepared to add up to $2,000 a month to your mailorder brides cost for ordering chic bouquets, buying jewelry, stuffed toys, and perfumes. However, you can also spend as little as $50 a month if you find a girl that values emotional connection more than material things.

However, remember that good gifts help win the girl's favor, wherever she comes from.

Fees for communication online

Chatting with brides is expensive, but it’s definitely worth it. Most often, the pricing policy of such companies is rather incomprehensible, and a large selection of discounts may confuse the new user even more.

Some companies offer a certain amount of credit for each service and the most expensive agencies charge 10 credits just to read the message. Also, some websites allow you to purchase credits in bulk and save some money.

Organized marriage tour

Visa expenses (do not forget to check the entrance policy of the destination country regarding citizens of your home country) — $100-250.

Flight tickets (depends on the distance between the two countries and the flight class) — from several hundred to several thousand dollars). Check the prices of low-cost flights on the Web, compare them with prices on Google Flights. Pay attention to the reviews to understand what level of service the airline provides.

Accommodation (price depends on the country and city in which you are going to stay) — several hundred dollars per week/month. For example, if you are going to visit Ukraine, it is especially affordable here (you can find hotel rooms for $7), and prices in Colombia, Thailand, Philippines, Costa Rica, and Peru are nothing compared to what you will pay in Western Europe, USA. States or Australia. Even Russia today offers much better accommodation conditions and prices than it was five or ten years ago.

Translators, guides, and drivers: meeting your sweetheart from another country can change your whole life. It's worth spending a little money and improving the quality of your dating! For example, most foreigners need translators’ services and these are inevitable expenses. They are quite expensive, but keep in mind that a good translator will help you make the most out of your impression on your first date!

Expenses on offline dates

Cafes and restaurants: you will be pleasantly surprised by the food prices in many countries where you travel. For example, if you want to order a "western dish" in Asia, you will pay half of what you would have given in the USA or Europe! As for Ukraine, this is just a gourmet paradise! The quality of elite restaurants in Kyiv, Odessa, and Lviv corresponds to that in the best restaurants in the world, and the prices are more than affordable: most often, it’s only 20% of what you would pay in New York, Sydney, or Los Angeles.

Clubs: trying to figure out how much are mail order brides in the particular country, remember to put some money aside for entertainment as it's a must-have for dates. Also, a fun night out at the club in a relaxed atmosphere will help you get to know each other better. As for the prices, Zurich is considered the most expensive party city (the average cost of a night out here is $93.79), and Mexico City is the cheapest one with a $20.35 price tag.

Gifts: the prices for gifts depend a lot on average prices in the country and the individual city. Even though each girl is unique, the expectations and habits of girls in different countries and even cities may greatly vary.

In-country travel: not a long time ago, traveling within developing countries was a pure nightmare, but today a lot has changed. However, if you want to save money, it is best to avoid dealing with local taxi drivers; today Uber, Lyft, or Grab (Asia) are available almost everywhere. This means that you will know exactly how much money you have to pay for the trip! For longer trips around the country, there always are some very good local airlines and railways.

Is it worth having a relationship with a mail order bride?

It depends on what you want and how far you are willing to go. Do you have enough money to cover all expenses? Are you flexible enough to build a long-lasting and happy relationship with a girl from a different culture?

Each step in a new relationship requires hard and painstaking work. You should get to know each other better, understand each other's strengths and weaknesses, and have some idea of the traditions of the country where she is from.

But most importantly, you must come to a common agreement about the nature of your relationship and plans for the future from the very beginning, so that you both have the same expectations!