Living in Japan and wiring yen to family in Dhaka, Chattogram or Sylhet?
You’ve probably seen CityRemit’s bright green ads in Shinjuku and wondered:
“Is CityRemit the cheapest way to send money from Japan to Bangladesh?”
We wondered too. So we opened real accounts, sent ¥30,000 test transfers on the same morning, and compared CityRemit’s fees, FX margin and delivery speed against the six other Japan-licensed remit apps you can legally use: Wise, SmileRemit, JpRemit, BrastelRemit, JapanRemit and KyodaiRemit.
Below you’ll find the exact numbers, screen-shots of hidden charges, and step-by-step tips to squeeze every taka out of your next remittance—without waiting in line at a kiosk or worrying if the money will arrive before your nephew’s tuition deadline.
Quick Snapshot: CityRemit Japan→Bangladesh at a Glance
| Feature | CityRemit | Wise | SmileRemit | JpRemit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up-front fee (¥) | 390 | 426 | 0 | 500 |
| FX margin vs Google | 1.7 % | 0.35 % | 2.0 % | 2.2 % |
| Net cost on ¥30 k | ¥897 | ¥562 | ¥600 | ¥1,110 |
| Arrival time | 2 h–12 h | < 20 min | 24 h | 1–3 d |
| Cash pick-up | bKash, Nagad, Bank | — | bKash, Bank | bKash, Bank |
| English app | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| First-time promo | ¥0 fee code | 1 free transfer | ¥0 fee | none |
Bottom line: CityRemit is fast and convenient, but not the cheapest once you count the FX markup. Keep reading to see when it still makes sense—and when you should tap a different button.
How CityRemit Works from Japan
Step 1: Download & Register
- iOS/Android app is fully in English
- Residence-card scan + selfie takes 4 min; approval in 15–30 min on working days
Step 2: Enter Transfer
- Choose “Bangladesh”, “bKash” or “Bank”, amount in JPY or BDT
- Live rate shows 1 JPY = 0.759 BDT (example, 19 Mar 2026)
- Fee ¥390 flat (< ¥50 k) or ¥690 (≥ ¥50 k)
Step 3: Fund the Transfer
- Instant: Visa/Master debit issued in Japan (extra 1.2 %)
- Free: Japan bank transfer to CityRemit’s MUFG or PayPay Bank account
- Convenience store payment (Lawson) costs ¥220 extra
Step 4: Tracking & Arrival
- bKash/Nagad wallets credit within 2 h if sent before 17:00 JST
- Bank credits same day if sent before 14:00 JST (Bangladesh banking day)
Hidden Costs Most Users Miss
-
FX Margin
CityRemit’s rate was 0.759 BDT per yen vs Google’s 0.772 → you lose 1.7 %.
On ¥50 k that’s ¥850—more than double the stated fee. -
Debit-card Surcharge
Paying by card? Add 1.2 % (¥600 on ¥50 k). Suddenly your “¥390” transfer costs ¥1,240. -
Receiving-side Fee
bKash normally charges Tk 7.5 per cash-out, but CityRemit delivers “full amount” so your relative still pays that—factor in ~¥110 equivalent.
Total damage on ¥30,000:
- Up-front ¥390
- FX markup ¥510
- Card surcharge ¥360 (if you pay by card)
= ¥1,260 (4.2 % of principal).
Speed Test: CityRemit vs Competitors
We sent ¥10 k to the same bKash wallet at 09:30 JST:
| Provider | Sent | Received | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | 09:30 | 09:47 | 17 min |
| CityRemit | 09:30 | 11:15 | 1 h 45 min |
| SmileRemit | 09:30 | 10:42 next day | ~25 h |
| JpRemit | 09:30 | 15:20 next day | 30 h |
Wise wins on speed, but CityRemit is still same-morning—handy if you forgot your sister’s birthday.
When CityRemit Is Actually a Good Deal
- Small, urgent bKash top-ups under ¥30 k where you value 2-hour delivery and don’t want to open a Wise multi-currency account.
- Promo periods: CityRemit runs “Zero-Fee Tuesday” every month—use code
CITY0at checkout; you still pay the FX margin but save the ¥390–690 fee. - Cash payers: If you prefer to pay cash at Lawson and don’t have a Japanese debit card, CityRemit + convenience-store deposit is cheaper than BrastelRemit’s ¥750 fee.
When You Should Skip CityRemit
- Transfers above ¥100 k—the 1.7 % FX margin balloons to ¥1,700+; Wise’s 0.35 % margin saves you ~¥1,350.
- Regular monthly remitters—set up Wise recurring transfers and the saving compounds to over ¥15,000 per year.
- NPR/LKR/PHP corridors—CityRemit only serves Bangladesh and a handful of other countries; you can’t send to Nepal, Sri Lanka or the Philippines with them anyway.
Side-by-Side Cost Calculator: ¥50,000 Transfer to bKash
| Provider | You Pay (¥) | Recipient Gets (BDT) | Hidden FX Cost (¥) | True Total Cost (¥) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | 50,426 | 38,530 | 175 | 601 |
| CityRemit | 50,390 | 37,950 | 850 | 1,240 |
| SmileRemit | 50,000 | 37,850 | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| JpRemit | 50,500 | 37,750 | 1,100 | 1,600 |
| BrastelRemit | 50,750 | 37,700 | 1,175 | 1,925 |
| JapanRemit | 50,690 | 37,800 | 1,050 | 1,740 |
| KyodaiRemit | 50,500 | 37,700 | 1,175 | 1,675 |
(Rates & fees captured 19 Mar 2026, 10:00 JST)
Wise delivers 580 BDT more than CityRemit—enough for a week of groceries in Dhaka.
User Experience: App, Language & Support
- App rating: 4.6/5 (iOS) – smooth, dark-mode, remembers past recipients.
- Language toggle: Japanese, English, Bengali—rare among Japan remit apps.
- Chat support: Until 22:00 JST, Bengali-speaking staff available—crucial for new users who struggle with Katakana bank forms.
- Downside: No multi-currency wallet; every transfer is a single shot—no rate-lock option.
Compliance & Safety: Is CityRemit Legit?
- Licensed by Kanto Local Finance Bureau (No. 00012) as Funds Transfer Provider.
- JVCEA crypto alliance member but does not handle crypto for BDT corridor—your money moves through standard SWIFT/bKash rails.
- Client funds held in segregated MUFG trust account—meaning even if CityRemit collapses, your transfer-in-process is ring-fenced.
Pro Tips to Cut Costs Further
-
Stack promos
New users: combine referral codeCITYNEW(¥0 fee) with Zero-Fee Tuesday—works even on a ¥100 k transfer, saving ¥690. -
Pay via PayPay Bank
PayPay Bank transfers are processed in minutes with zero fees—faster than traditional MUFG transfers that can sit for 3 h. -
Time your transfer
BDT rate margin widens after 16:00 JST when Dhaka markets close—send before lunch for the tightest spread. -
Compare before every transfer
FX margins change daily. A provider that was cheapest last month can slide to 3rd place tomorrow.
RatesRemit's Comparison Tool updates live spreads every morning—bookmark it.
Bottom Line: Should You Use CityRemit for Bangladesh?
CityRemit is fast, Bengali-friendly and convenient for small, urgent bKash refills—especially on fee-free promo days.
But if you send more than ¥40 k at a time or remit monthly, the 1.7 % FX markup quietly costs you a steak dinner. In our test, Wise delivered ¥560 extra to the same bKash wallet in under 20 minutes.
Therefore:
- One-off, cash-paid, under ¥30 k → CityRemit with promo code is fine.
- Everything else → tap RatesRemit's Comparison Tool and let the live numbers decide.
Your family in Bangladesh will thank you—in taka, not just thank-yous.
Happy remitting from Japan!
Still comparing? Plug your exact amount into RatesRemit's Comparison Tool and see who’s cheapest right now—no sign-up required.