Put the two budgets in one table. Beside the qualifying amount, list administrative charges, escrow release conditions, legal and accounting fees, transfer costs and, for a direct enterprise, working capital the plan assumes you will supply. A lower qualifying amount does not automatically mean a lower total commitment.
Compare the whole cost of each route, item by item
Request written fee estimates or quotes identifying the work covered and possible additional charges. Ask when each amount becomes payable; not everything is paid at once. If the reduced amount depends on a targeted employment area or infrastructure designation that is later questioned, ask what other qualifying basis might still apply before assuming the standard figure governs your case.
Government filing fees per the published USCIS schedule, plus project administrative fees where a regional centre is used, professional fees for source-of-funds work, and translation. EB-5 preparation should identify what the applicant actually invests and the qualifying treatment of that contribution instead of equating project value with personal invested capital. Financial diligence on the project, an independent review of the offering documents and cross-border tax advice are separate and should be obtained before the wire, since the immigration approval offers no protection for the capital itself.