How Much Does a Mail Order Bride Cost in 2024? — Average & Cheapest

Still, if you want to know more about the mail bride cost, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we’re going to explain what factors affect the cost, but that’s not all. We’ll also talk about the top 10 countries with foreign mail order brides and explain how much you’ll have to pay to get a wife from each of these countries. And, of course, we’ll also explain how to save money while using mail order bride services and visiting your bride in her country. 

But first, take a look at these 5 main things you need to know about the mail order brides prices.

Key takeaways about mail order bride pricing in 2024

• A lot of people ask things like “How much does it cost to buy a wife?” and we’d like to answer this question right away: you can’t buy a wife, and when we say things like “mail order wife price,” we don’t actually mean you can “order” a woman from another country and get her delivered to your city.
• The whole mail order brides price thing is about how much you’ll have to spend for online dating, offline dating, and a K-1 visa for your bride. But it’s not like you pay for some mail order bride websites and get a wife—no, that’s not how it works. It’s basically online dating with some additional features and extra services, but still.
• The “price” of the mail order bride depends on lots of factors, from the features you use on mail order bride sites to the month you will visit the country of your bride. For example, if you visit Thailand during the “off-peak” season (July-October), you’ll save up to 50% compared to what you could spend if you visit it during the “high” season!
• The countries with the “cheapest” mail order brides are Colombia and Mexico. When it comes to South America, these countries are the cheapest to visit if you’re from the United States—a round-trip flight to Mexico, for example, will cost you only $200-$300. So if you’re searching for a “cheap mail order bride,” pay attention to Latin countries.
• Getting an Asian mail order bride is not as affordable. Japan and South Korea, for example, are the most expensive mail brides countries. Mostly because of the airplane ticket prices and because these countries have pretty expensive hotels.

How much does an average mail order bride cost?

So… How much does a mail order bride cost? As you already know, it’s about dozens of factors (we’ll cover them later). But still, here’s a rough cost breakdown for getting a mail order spouse:

• Online dating: The best international dating sites cost around $100-$200 per month, but it depends on the features you’re going to use.
• Travel costs: $200-$1,500 for a round trip ticket and $500-$1,000 for a 1-week trip. Obviously, South American countries are the cheapest in this regard, while Asian countries such as Japan and Korea are more expensive to visit.
• Dates and gifts: $30-$100 for a date, depending on the level of luxury of a restaurant. As for the gifts, it depends on how much you’re going to spend: some ladies are ok with small bouquets, while others need more expensive things.
• K-1 visa: The visa itself costs $800, but you’ll have to pay $1,200 more for the Adjustment of Status of your bride, and after that, a foreign woman will become a US permanent resident.

What is included in the mail order bride price

As you see, the question “How much does it cost to get a mail order bride?” is complex. Let’s continue answering it—here, we’re going to talk about what is included in the “price” and what we mean when we’re talking about the mail order brides pricing.

Online dating expenses

First, you’ll have to sign up on an online dating site and create a profile—it’s 100% free, no matter which website you’re going to use. However, you should not expect all the features and tools on this site to be free because, according to our experience, all the best mail order brides sites are based on a subscription or credits.

Well, yes, there are some free dating websites, but the problem here is that they do not provide enough privacy, and you can’t be sure you’re chatting with real women there. If you’re using a paid platform, you can be sure you’re chatting with real Russian mail order brides or Asian brides, but free dating sites are typically full of bots and scammers, so we highly recommend avoiding them.

Dating sites are not the largest part of the final mail order bride price, to be fair. Let’s take a look at some legit and trusted websites like SofiaDate or UkraineBride4You—most users only spend around $100-$200 per month there. They have a credit system that is pretty convenient and very transparent (you decide what you’re paying for), and they are pretty reasonable money-wise.

For example, on SofiaDate, you can buy 1,000 credits for $200 and chat for 500 minutes—we’re talking about 8 hours of live chatting here! On UkraineBride4You or LatamDate, you’ll pay $399 for 100 credits, which, in turn, means you’ll be able to send 100 long messages with photos attached or chat for more than 16 hours for that money! Of course, these sites have extra features like gift delivery or video calls, which are more expensive. But you’re not going to use them every single day, right? And once again, these sites have a credit system, so it’s only you who decides how much to spend there.

Travel costs

Now, another important part of the mail order brides cost. Sooner or later, you’ll have to visit your partner and meet her in person because, well, that’s how a relationship works. And because it’s an important K-1 visa requirement, of course. 

So, this means you’ll have to pay for several things, from your airplane ticket to your hotel room somewhere in Poland, Colombia, or Thailand. A round trip to another country will cost you anything from $200 (Mexico, Colombia) to $1,500 (Japan, Korea), but that’s not all. Typically, men spend around 1-2 weeks in their brides’ countries in order to get everything done, from the first date to meeting their future in-laws. 

You can’t expect each mail order bride country to be equal in this regard, of course, but the good news here is that most of these “mail order bride countries” can be described as either developing countries or popular tourist destinations—and this means they are pretty affordable to visit. This does not apply to Korea and Japan, of course. They are quite expensive.

Dates & gifts

In most cases, the cost of a date correlates with the travel cost—if a country is affordable, you will pay around $30-$50 for a date in a restaurant, but a date in Korea, for example, will cost you around $100 in case we’re talking about mid-range restaurants. Of course, it also depends on your willingness to impress your mail order bride—you can find a fancy and expensive restaurant even in a poor country.

As for the gifts, they can be a small fraction of the total mail order brides cost. At the same time, they can be the largest ones. That’s basically the main reason there’s no “average cost of mail order bride”—you just can’t expect anything more precise than rough estimations because of the gifts. What’s more, it has nothing to do with the economic situation in a country: some men buy a Japanese girl a small seasonal floral bouquet ($80), and others give a girl from Mexico a $25k Tiffany necklace. This part of the mail order wife cost is totally up to you.

K-1 visa costs

And unlike the previous part, the K-1 visa cost is the most stable thing when it comes to the mail order bride prices. The K-1 visa fee is $800, and the fee for the application for lawful permanent resident status of your wife is $1,225. 

Upd.

Well, here’s some bad news. In April 2024, the USCIS will increase the fees: the fees for the I-129F form will increase to $675 (from $535), and the I-485 form will cost $1,440 instead of $1,225. What’s more, they add new fees: now, the K-1 visa applicants have to pay for I-765 (it was free, now it’s $260) and for I-131 ($630, formerly free, not everyone needs it). The I-130 form will also go up to $625 (for those who choose the CR-1 visa).

So, if you’re applying before 1 April 2024, you’ll pay $800 and $1,225. If a person is applying after that date, they’ll have to pay $940 (visa fees) and $1,440 (adjustment of status).

What else can affect mail order bride price?

So, finally—how much does a mail order wife cost? Here’s another list of the factors that can affect the final mail order bride cost.

• Her country. As you already know, some countries are more expensive to visit than others. We’re only talking about the so-called “mail order brides countries” here, and the difference is quite noticeable, but if your bride lives in Switzerland or Denmark, a trip will cost you much more than even a trip to Japan or South Korea. A trip to South America will most likely cost you less.
• Your budget and your desire to save money. It’s another important thing to take into account—some people can (and want) to spend tens of thousands on a gift or a wedding, while others want to save money or just can’t afford it. If you prefer top-level hotels and fancy gifts, you’ll obviously spend more than a guy who prefers a more modest style. 
• Various features on a mail order bride website. As you already know, for most dating sites, $100-$200 per month is enough. But again, it depends on your willingness to spend money: these mail order brides platforms have a gift delivery service and other features, and if you use them a lot, you’ll spend much more than $200.
• Your trip to her country. How much time are you going to spend there? How far in advance do you book a flight and a hotel room? What season will you choose? All these factors are very important regarding the mail order bride pricing: a short trip is cheaper than a long one, booking the flight in advance will help you save up to 30%, and “low” season trips are much cheaper than visiting a country during a high season. With all those things in mind, you can turn your $3,000 trip into a $1,500 trip.
• Your bride’s expectations. It’s about numerous things, from the restaurant you will visit to the gifts you will buy for her. Some girls are ok with modest bouquets; some want more and can be impressed only by something not cheaper than $5,000. However, the latter is not that common in mail order bride countries, to be fair.
• The wedding cost. How much does it cost for a mail order bride to have her dream wedding? There are no surveys, unfortunately, so we can’t show you numbers here. What we can say with confidence is that a fancy wedding party will be expensive no matter the country. Be it Japan, Colombia, or Ukraine, if you’re going to have a glamorous luxury wedding, be prepared to spend $20,000-$50,000 on it. On the other hand, a modest wedding will be modest no matter the country: if you don’t want to spend more than, say, $5,000 on your wedding, it’s totally possible.
• The lawyer. Around 13% of K-1 visa applications were denied in 2022, and we believe you don’t want to be in those 13%. Inconsistencies in documentation are a common reason for visa denial, and if you are not an expert on this, getting fiance visa attorney support might be a good idea—the lawyers can help you complete the application online for $500-$700 (2 hours). Hiring your own immigration lawyer is another option, albeit a much more expensive one.

Let us say it again: these are not all the factors that can affect the mail order bride cost. From additional travel costs (like if you’re going to visit Ukraine) to the mahr (money and gifts given to the bride in Muslim countries), it’s just impossible to list them all here.

Let’s continue—now, we’re going to talk about the cost of a foreign wife in the most popular “bride” countries such as Ukraine, Japan, Colombia, and others.

Average mail order bride cost by country

Ukraine 

• Flight: From $350 to $500 for a round trip flight (flights to Warsaw and Gdansk are cheaper than flights to Rzeszow and Krakow).
• Accommodation: $40-$80 per day in a hotel, but it’s possible to find a cheap hostel for $20-$30 per day.
• Public transportation:$10 per day max if you only need a bus ride; up to $50 if you’re going to have a lot of taxi rides.
• Daily expenses: $40-$80 per day.
• Dates: From $40 for a meal for 2 people in a mid-range restaurant.

Japan 

• Flight: Around $1,600 for a round trip (booking in advance may help you save money).
• Accommodation: From $100 per day in a hotel. There are lots of more expensive hotels in Japan, costing from $300/day.
• Public transportation: Around $20 for local transportation (but if you’re going to use a taxi, you’ll probably need to spend more).
• Daily expenses: $50-$100 per day.
• Dates: From $50-60 per day for a meal in a restaurant.

Colombia 

• Flight: $200-$400 (round trip)
• Accommodation: $40-$100 per day in a hotel, depending on its level
• Public transportation: around $10 per person, per day 
• Daily expenses: $20-$40 per day
• Dates: around $30-$60 per day, but this depends on how many dates you’re going to have and what gifts you’re going to purchase (it’s easy to spend $100 or $200 per day in Colombia if you want to) 

Philippines 

• Flight: $1,000-$2,000, depending on how far in advance you’re going to book a flight.
• Accommodation: From $25 to $50 per day (but it’s possible to find last-minute hotel deals from $10/day).
• Public transportation: $10-$20 per day.
• Daily expenses: $20-$30 per day.
• Dates: $40-$100 per day (such a spread is caused by the fact there are lots of different restaurants here—you can easily find a cheap but good cafe and there are many fine dining restaurants like La Piazza where you’ll pay at least $100 for a ribeye steak).

Mexico 

• Flight: $200-$300 (round trip).
• Accommodation: From $50 to $100 per day (but there are several hostels that cost $20-$30 per day).
• Public transportation: $10-$20 per day (taxis are relatively inexpensive in this country, and a 5-kilometer ride will cost around $5).
• Daily expenses: $20-$50 per day.
• Dates: $50-$100 (mid-range restaurants cost around $20-$30 per person, and when it comes to gifts, it’s up to you).

South Korea

• Flight: $1,000-$1,500 (the cheapest month is April, and the most expensive months are November, December, and January).
• Accommodation: The average price of a 3-star hotel is around $80 per night, but you can also find cheap hostels ($30-$40/night).
• Public transportation: $20 (taxis are extremely cheap in Seoul compared to other capitals, it’s like $5 for a 3-km ride).
• Daily expenses: $40-$60 per day.
• Dates: $100-$200 (you can expect to pay around $40 per person for a meal at a mid-range restaurant in Seoul).

Brazil 

• Flight: $500-$600 for a round trip.
• Accommodation: $40-$100 per night for a room in a mid-range hotel.
• Public transportation: $10 per day (a 10-km taxi ride costs around $6-$7 in Brazil, so it’s one of the cheapest countries in this regard).
• Daily expenses: $20-$40.
• Dates: $60-$100 per day (a meal in a mid-range restaurant will cost you $30-$50 per person, and you’ll probably spend around $20-$30 per day on various activities).

Thailand 

• Flight: $700-$1,300 for a round trip.
• Accommodation: $20-$50 per day (as an incredibly popular tourist destination, Thailand has an extremely wide range of accommodation options, so you can find both cheaper hotels and more expensive ones).
• Public transportation: $10-$20 (Thailand is perfectly affordable when it comes to transportation; even with the new taxi fares, you’ll pay less than $2 for a 5-km ride).
• Daily expenses: $20-$40.
• Dates: $50-$100 per day (mid-range restaurants and cafes cost around $20 per person for a meal).

Dominican Republic

• Flight: $300-$600 for a round trip.
• Accommodation: $40-$80 per night (there are lots of affordable hotels in this country, which is not surprising—it’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in the region).
• Public transportation: $20-$40 per day.
• Daily expenses: Up to $100/day (a budget traveler can expect to spend $50 per day in this country, but if you prefer mid-range hotels and restaurants, you should be ready to spend at least $80-$100 daily).
• Dates: $50-$100 (a meal for 2 people in a mid-range restaurant will cost you around $50).

Vietnam 

• Flight: $800-$1,300, and if you visit the country during the low season (May- September), you’ll be able to save up to 50%.
• Accommodation: $20-$40 per night (but there are budget hostels, which will cost you around $10 per night).
• Public transportation: $10-$50 (taxis are not that cheap, but a one-way subway ticket costs only $0.3).
• Daily expenses: $30-$50.
• Dates: $80-$100 (the cost may vary very widely depending on the level of luxury of the restaurant).

Conclusion

So, how much is a mail order bride once again? In short, it’s from $3,500 to $5,500, but due to all these factors we mentioned before, it’s very difficult to tell how much you’ll pay for your future mail order wife.

If you want to save money, you should focus on Colombia and Mexico because these countries are the cheapest to visit, and the cost of a trip is a large fraction of the total mail order bride price. The “most expensive” countries in this regard are Japan and South Korea, and countries like Ukraine and Thailand are the most average price options. Just remember that in the world of mail order brides, there are options for any budget.

Written byJohn Millerstone, Author

We decided to create this project because we’re tired of the situation in the industry. 10 years ago, there were like 40% good sites and 60% bad ones. Today, the ratio is more like 10% to 90%, and that’s not how I want it to be. I mean, it kills me that when an American man types “mail order brides” on Google, there is a 90% possibility that he won’t even find a good dating site, let alone find a bride. I want to change that.

Edited byMargarita Zhigalova, Contributing Editor

Two friends of mine wanted to find a husband abroad. They were scammed, lost money, and never got back to that idea. That’s just not right; the situation with these sites needs to change. I believe that we can change that together, and I’m sure that we can help more people find love abroad, exactly like I did!

Learn more about our Editorial Team