Sending Money Home — EUR to BRL Exchange Rates

Making Your Euros Go Further When Sending Money to Brazil

Whether you're sending leftover euros home at the end of your exchange, receiving an allowance from your family in Brazil, or splitting costs with a friend back home, understanding how EUR/BRL transfers work will save you real money. The difference between using your bank and using the right service can easily be €20–40 on a single transfer.

Why the Exchange Rate Matters More Than the Fee

Most people focus on the transfer fee — the visible number. But the bigger cost is usually the hidden margin in the exchange rate. Banks quote you a rate that is 3–5% worse than the real mid-market rate (the one you see on Google). On a €500 transfer, a 4% margin costs €20 before any fees. The fee is visible; the exchange rate margin is where services quietly take the most money.

Always compare what your family actually receives in reais — not just what the fee line says.

The Best Option: Wise (Formerly TransferWise)

Wise is the gold standard for international money transfers and is widely used by the Brazilian student community in Ireland. Here's why it works so well:

• Mid-market rate: Wise uses the real exchange rate — the same one you see on Google — with no hidden margin. The fee is transparent and shown upfront: typically 0.5–1.5% of the transfer amount.
• Speed: Most EUR to BRL transfers arrive within 1–2 business days. Some arrive within hours.
• Delivery: Your family in Brazil receives the money directly to their bank account (TED). You can also use a CPF, phone number, or email linked to a PIX key as the destination — the money lands in their account automatically.
• How to get started: Create a free Wise account online or via the app. Verify your identity with your passport. Link your Irish bank account or Revolut. Then send.

Other Solid Options

• Remitly: A strong alternative to Wise. Often runs promotional offers with zero fees and competitive rates for first-time transfers. Delivers to Brazilian bank accounts or, in some cases, cash pick-up.
• Western Union (online): More expensive than Wise overall, but useful if your recipient is in a smaller Brazilian city without easy bank access and prefers to collect cash at an agent location.
• Revolut: Good for currency exchange within the app and sending to other Revolut users. Transfers to Brazilian bank accounts are possible — check the current fees and rate, as they vary.

The Worst Option: Your Bank

Traditional Irish banks (AIB, Bank of Ireland) and their Brazilian counterparts (Itaú, Bradesco, Banco do Brasil) combine a fixed transfer fee of €10–25 with an exchange rate margin of 3–5%. They are by far the most expensive way to move money between Ireland and Brazil. Avoid using your bank for international transfers unless you have no other option.

Receiving Money from Brazil in Ireland

If your family wants to send you money from Brazil to Ireland, the same logic applies — but in reverse. Advise your family to use Wise from the Brazilian side (available as Wise Transferências Internacionais) or Remitly. The euros will arrive directly in your Irish bank account — Revolut, N26, AIB, or Bank of Ireland.

One important thing: PIX only works within Brazil. Your family cannot PIX money directly to your Irish account. They need to use an international transfer service like Wise or Remitly instead.

Timing and Practical Tips

• Don't try to time the market perfectly. The EUR/BRL rate fluctuates daily, but predicting movements is very difficult. Send when you need to.
• Set a rate alert: Wise and Revolut both allow you to set alerts for a target rate. Useful if you're not in a hurry and waiting for a better moment to send a larger sum.
• Send larger amounts less frequently. Any fixed fees are proportionally cheaper on bigger transfers. Sending €400 once is usually better than €100 four times.
• Save your transfer confirmations. These serve as proof of funds or income if needed for immigration renewals or bank account purposes.

A Quick Example

At a EUR/BRL rate of around 5.80 (always check the current rate on Google), €200 delivers approximately R$1,160 before fees. Wise would charge around €1.60 in fees (roughly 0.8%), so your family receives close to the full amount. The same transfer via an Irish bank — with a €15 fixed fee and a rate of around 5.55 — would deliver approximately R$1,027. The difference on a single €200 transfer: around R$133. On six transfers over a six-month exchange, that adds up to roughly R$800.