✦ Cost of living
Bali
Bali, Indonesia
US = 100
In plain terms: Bali is about 54% cheaper than a typical US city. A one-bedroom in the centre runs around $600/month.
◆ Cost of living in Bali: what to know
Bali is less a city than a lifestyle destination, and its cost of living reflects what you choose rather than a fixed number. A local life is very cheap; the expat-and-nomad version — a villa with a pool in Canggu or Ubud, cafés, coworking and a scooter — costs more, though still well below any Western city. The island runs on a large remote-worker economy, so the infrastructure for it is well developed.
Housing is the swing: a long-term local rental is inexpensive, while a short-term furnished villa in a popular area is a different budget. Imported goods are pricey, anything serious medically means flying to Singapore or home, and visas are the real admin hurdle. For a nomad chasing lifestyle per dollar, Bali delivers; it is a base to enjoy, not a long-term career city.
▤ Category breakdown
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
- Housing40−60%
- Food & groceries45−55%
- Transport35−65%
- Utilities55−45%
- Healthcare45−55%
- Goods & services55−45%
Is Bali expensive?
No — Bali is one of the cheap ones, indexing at 46 against a US average of 100: roughly 54% below a typical US city. The trade-offs usually show up in local wages, healthcare or infrastructure rather than in prices.
Of the 87 cities we track, Bali ranks #82 by overall cost — 5 of them are cheaper.
What a month in Bali costs
One person
$1,200/mo
A one-bedroom outside the centre, modest everyday spending.
Couple
$1,840/mo
A one-bedroom in the centre, two adults sharing the bills.
Family of four
$3,280/mo
A three-bedroom in the centre, two adults and two children.
| Monthly line | One person | Couple | Family of four |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | $350 | $600 | $1,200 |
| Food & groceries | $210 | $300 | $500 |
| Transport | $210 | $310 | $520 |
| Utilities | $110 | $170 | $280 |
| Healthcare | $130 | $180 | $310 |
| Goods & services | $190 | $280 | $470 |
| Total per month | $1,200 | $1,840 | $3,280 |
Estimates, not quotes. Rent comes from this city's own figures; every other line is a US-average household basket (shaped by the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey) scaled by this city's category index. Your own total moves with the neighbourhood, your habits and whether you run a car. How we calculate these figures →
Good to know before you move to Bali
The world's default digital-nomad island — Canggu cafés, Ubud rice terraces and Bukit surf breaks. Very low costs and a huge remote-work community, tempered by scooter-only transport, patchy infrastructure and visa runs.
- Currency
- Indonesian rupiah (Rp IDR)
- Languages
- Indonesian
- Time zone
- UTC+8
- Internet
- 25 Mbps
- English
- Fairly common
- Safety
- 60/100
- Climate
- ❄ 27°C · ☀ 27°C · 240 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Bottled recommended
- Power
- C/F · 230V
- Driving
- Left-hand side
- Popular areas
- Canggu · Ubud · Seminyak · Sanur
About
“The Island of the Gods”
The world's default digital-nomad island — Canggu cafés, Ubud rice terraces and Bukit surf breaks. Very low costs and a huge remote-work community, tempered by scooter-only transport, patchy infrastructure and visa runs.
- Currency
- Indonesian rupiah · IDR
- Languages
- Indonesian
- Coordinates
- -8.65, 115.14
- Emergency
- 112
What things cost
Housing
Taxes
35%
Income tax
progressive
11%
VAT / sales
22%
Corporate
$300
Avg net salary
per month
Brackets 5/15/25/30/35%.
Visas & residency
The new E33G Remote Worker KITAS (2024), plus a Second Home visa for retirees and investors.
✈ Visa on arrival (30 days, extendable once) for many passports.
1-year; foreign income untaxed locally.
Max stay: 12 months
5–10 years; savings or property requirement.
Employer-sponsored.
Permanent residence after ~5 yrs.
Quality of life
Quality of life
48/100
Safety
60/100
Healthcare
55/100
Pollution
55/100
Internet
25 Mbps
Jan avg
+27 °C
Jul avg
+27 °C
Sunny days
240/yr
Walkability
35/100
Public transit
20/100
Family-friendly
60/100
Living there
- English spoken
- Moderate
- Expat community
- Large
- Coworking spaces
- 40
- Tap water
- Not recommended
Popular areas
Relocation & documents
Where to look
Updated: · Sources: Cost/quality survey (placeholder) · Economy: World Bank Open Data (GDP per capita, life expectancy, inflation) · Minimum wage (EU + Türkiye): Eurostat earn_mw_cur, 2026-S2 · Taxes: national tax authority / OECD (headline figures)
Can you live in Bali without a car?
29/100
Car-free score
35/100
Walkability
20/100
Public transport
Not easily — at 29/100, Bali is built around driving. Plan for a car and its running costs, or expect long trips and a narrow choice of neighbourhoods.
Transport in Bali indexes at 35 against a US average of 100 — about 65% cheaper than a typical US city. That line covers fares, fuel and running a vehicle, so it is the one that moves most when you drop the car.
Bali ranks #86 of 87 cities we track for walkability. See the most walkable cities →
The car-free score is our own composite: 60% walkability, 40% public transport, both on a 0–100 scale. Like the rest of our quality-of-life figures, they are calibrated estimates, not official statistics.
Cost of living in Bali — in your currency
- 1-bed rent, city centre$600
- 1-bed rent, outside centre$350
- Inexpensive meal$3
- Utilities (monthly)$70
Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).
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? Frequently asked questions
Is Bali, ID expensive to live in?
Bali, ID's cost-of-living index is 46 (US average = 100) — about 54% cheaper than a typical US city — and it ranks #82 of the 87 cities we track. On our estimates one person needs around $1,200 a month and a family of four around $3,280, rent included.
How much does it cost to live in Bali, ID?
Bali, ID's cost-of-living index is 46 (US average = 100) — about 54% cheaper than a typical US city. A one-bedroom apartment in the centre costs around $600 per month.
What are the average living costs in Bali, ID?
Living costs in Bali, ID are about 54% cheaper than the US average — its cost-of-living index is 46 (US = 100). Monthly living expenses scale with that, and housing is the biggest line: a one-bedroom in the centre runs around $600. See the category breakdown above for where the money goes.
What is the average rent in Bali, ID?
A one-bedroom in the city centre averages about $600 per month, and around $350 outside the centre.
What taxes would I pay in Indonesia?
Indonesia has a top income-tax rate of 35% and a VAT or sales tax of 11%. See the taxes section above for the full breakdown.
What is the weather like in Bali, ID?
Bali, ID averages around +27 °C in January and +27 °C in July, with roughly 240 sunny days a year.
Is Bali, ID safe?
Bali, ID scores 60 out of 100 on our safety index, where higher means safer.
Can you live in Bali, ID without a car?
Bali, ID scores 29/100 on our car-free score — 35/100 for walkability and 20/100 for public transport. The higher the score, the more of daily life you can cover on foot or by transit instead of paying to run a car.
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Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.