Cost of Living in Bali updated for 2023

So you’ve been thinking about relocating to Bali? People often ask me what are the true costs of living in Bali. As somebody who lives here (like a local) but knows many of the prices and options out there, I will give you a comprehensive and detailed overview in this article about the cost of living in Bali. We’ll cover everything and even take into account if you have a family, or children.

note that post-pandemic the prices have been surging due to owners who would wish to recover from their financial loss. Scroll to the bottom immediately to find the summarised overview of the cost of living in Bali.

The financial breakdown

Largest part of your expense is how want your accommodation. Food and necessities aren’t very costly, but accommodation can range from the low $200 a month to easily up to $1200. let’s see what you can get for what.

Accommodation

Bali offers a variety of accommodations and locations for them. It’s a hassle looking for the right one, especially when looking for an accommodation long term rental. You better have the right one, instead of regretting waking up next to a construction site expelling so much dust in your place.

Do you want a three-bedroom villa with a pool only steps from the beach? While this may seem to be a high-end pleasure. If you go into the center of Canggu, Seminyak or Ubud, you’ll find monthly rentals ranging from IDR 20,000,000 ($1200 USD). In the same street of villa’s some would ask even 3x that price just because they can and try to. Places like Canggu are just silly when it comes to luxury accommodation prices.

Bali isn’t only for the wealthy; it’s a refuge for all types of travelers. Guest houses and shared spaces are ideal for people on a smaller budget or looking for a more community-centric ambiance. They provide all of the necessities, assuring comfort without the expensive price tag. These range between IDR 3,000,000 ($200 USD) for shared guest houses to IDR 8,000,000 ($520 USD) for sharing a Villa (with at least 3 others)

TIP: there are also furnished houses for long-term rent and these cost around IDR 40,000,000. Most cost efficient when you are staying a year or longer.

Furthermore, their strategic placements often ensure that you’re never far from colorful markets, tempting local restaurants, and the island’s busy transportation networks.

Recommended read: Bali on a Budget to save money while on vacation.

Food and Dining: Bali is a foodie paradise, having a mix of local and foreign foods.

Eating Out: Local warungs or restaurants serve wonderful Indonesian food at just a few dollars. However, if you have a taste for foreign foods, expect to pay a bit more. On average expect to spend IDR 50,000 ($3,50 USD) per meal per person.

Groceries

The most cost-effective way to shop is at local daily markets, where fresh food from nearby farms is available. While foreign goods at international food shops can be pricier, they stock items that expats might miss from back home.

Transportation: Getting around Bali is pretty easy and cheap.

Scooters

The chosen method of travel for many, scooters allow you to navigate Bali’s roads effectively, especially during high-traffic times. A used and decent bike can cost around IDR 11,000,000 ($700), while a new one might set you back about IDR 20,000,000 ($1300). Daily rates depend on the type of scooter you are renting: IDR 50,000 – IDR 100,00 ($3.50 to $7).

Taxi’s are more expensive than bikes, they offer ease and efficiency, especially for longer trips or when moving with a lot of stuff.

Utilities and Services:

Living in Bali comes with its set of regular utility bills, though they’re often cheaper than in Western countries.

Electricity: Depending on your usage and the size of your housing, expect to pay around IDR 1,000,000 ($65) per month.

Water: A basic utility, water bills, ranging around IDR 100,000 ($15) per month.

Internet & Mobile:

With the growing demand for connection, Bali gives effective internet and mobile services. Monthly prices for a bit stable fiber 20MBIT internet can be around IDR 350,000 ($25) while a cell phone plan might cost $10 for about 10GB on 4G network.

Housekeeping & upkeep

Many people choose to have help. It is very affordable. A daily minimum wage is around IDR 150,000. But if you need specialized work that requires equipment, or your help has to come from further away, expect to spend more than this.

Insurance

The local health care (BPJS) costs IDR 150,000 per person. You can also take privatised and starts from IDR 600,000 and up.

Do you have children that go to an International School?

International schools are on the higher end of costs. When you would enroll your child(ren) to an international school you would be overwhelmed with the costs involved. They will mention building fee, administration, first year of school, uniform if there is any, registration fee and the list goes on and on.

To make a long story short, private schools give a discount when you’re enrolling early and is only for those who intent to stay long term. You can count on IDR 50,000,000 ($3250) per year till IDR 200,000,000 ($ 13,000 the most expensive private school in Sanur). I don’t want to go into the reasons just the prices for now.

Cost of Nanny

If you have kids and want help with them it’s very understandable. Bali offers a whole market for this and you could go onto most Bali Facebook groups to find them. A nanny in Bali would cost around IDR 3,000,000 ( $200). This would be from Monday – Friday 8 hours per day. It’s a minimum wage and your nanny might not be able to speak a word of English.

For those who say this is too much for a nanny, are not ok. It’s a minimum wage in Bali. I’ve seen people offering as high as 1,500,000 this is not OK!

Unexpected expenses

There are of course some unexpected expenses often not taken into account. This can be a few hundred thousand Rupiah to millions. It can vary from fixing a mobile to needing a new laptop, or worse. If you don’t have medical travel insurance, these cost pale in comparison with requiring a new mobile. Just be warned and save a bit on the side for unexpected expenses. I haven’t included any activities for the children in Bali, so you would need to add a bit of budget for that.

Summary of cost of living in Bali 2023

The summary for the cost of living in Bali, have 2 different summaries. Luxury and Kind of Basic and renting a house. The food dining and groceries is the bare minimum, you can easily add more to that. Note that this is calculated for 1 person!

Cost of Living in Bali (Per Person) – Villa Accommodation and luxury life style

Cost of Living in Bali (Per Person) – Basic and with Shared Accommodation (Guest House)

Cost of Living in Bali – Renting a House for 1 Year

For those saying with 1000$ you can do a lot in Bali is nowadays a thing of the past. We did not include any tours or activities so they could fall under unexpected expenses. Balinese locals live with a lot less income but make due. It’s the standard and dream of living in Bali (set by social media influencers) that set the bar high.

Optional in the table are housekeeping and nanny so you could easily deduct 6,000,000 depending on your situation.

Ranging from $625 – $1475 and $2500 sounds about right though for Basic – Mid and Luxurious stay per month in Bali. Note that you can of course make it even cheaper depending on the options you are taking or not taking.

Recommended Read:

Reasons to Visit Bali

TaleTravels

Hi I am Dwi. I am a blogger, travel agent and a mom of a lovely daughter and wife to a supportive husband. I customize and plan tours in Bali and islands nearby for a living and have been doing this for more than 14 years. Get in touch via contact [at] taletravels.com