Cost of Living in Bali: Rent, Housing & Income

Bali is an Indonesian island with very different areas on it. A beach town with many foreign residents, an inland rice-terrace village and the busy southern coast near the airport all price housing differently. Any single average hides that, so read the ranges below as much as the typical values.

All numbers are crowd-sourced estimates from Numbeo and Livingcost, converted to US dollars from Indonesian rupiah. Both the exchange rate and the island's tourist season affect what people report.

Numbeo lists $580.80/mo for one person excluding rent. Livingcost's equivalent figure is lower at $392/mo, and its estimate including rent is $1,115/mo.

The two sources disagree for reasons that are easy to guess. Numbeo's contributors may skew toward expatriates who eat out more and shop in imported-goods stores, while Livingcost may draw on a broader mix of local prices. Neither is wrong, and which one fits you depends on your lifestyle.

The rent table has some of the widest spreads of any page in this series. A one bedroom apartment in a central area is listed at $558.01 – $1,530/mo. Outside the centre the range is $446.40 – $1,000/mo, with a typical value of $592.45/mo.

Three bedroom homes in central areas reach $1,953.02 – $4,080/mo, while outside the centre they are $1,395.02 – $1,773.51/mo. Villas with pools are common listings for longer stays, and the top of the range likely reflects them.

Renting on the island

Many foreign residents rent through local agents or community groups and sign yearly or multi-month agreements, sometimes paid in advance. Ask for a viewing before any payment, confirm what the rent includes, and have the contract checked by a local lawyer. Rules about foreigners renting or owning property are specific to Indonesia, so use official government sources and a licensed advisor rather than a blog.

Bali is where the budget can fall sharply. An inexpensive restaurant meal is listed at $1.67 – $6 each, which is the kind of price local warungs charge. Tourist-oriented restaurants cost more. Public transport passes are not a major factor, but the listed figure of $8.09/mo shows how little formal transit there is; many residents rent a scooter instead.

Utilities for an 85 square meter apartment show $47.43 – $111.60/mo. Air conditioning is the usual reason for a high bill. Internet is listed at $18.60/mo, though reliability differs a lot by area, and remote workers often test a connection before renting.

A liter of milk is listed at $1.47 each and a dozen large eggs at $2.01 each. Local markets are usually cheaper than supermarkets that stock imports.

Start with housing, because it decides everything else. A long-term rental in a quiet inland area, a room in a guesthouse and a private villa on the coast belong to different budgets. Add a scooter or driver, since most places are not walkable, then electricity, internet and a phone plan. Food is the flexible line: eating mostly at local warungs and markets keeps it low, while a restaurant habit raises it quickly.

Plan for seasonal swings. Rents in popular areas tend to rise in the busy tourist months and ease when visitors thin out, so a negotiated multi-month rental in the shoulder season can look noticeably different from a short booking in high season. Ask owners what changes during the rainy months as well, since damp and power cuts affect how comfortable a place is.

• Visa and permit fees
• Health insurance, which is a significant decision on its own
• Flights, vehicle purchases or scooter rentals
• School fees for children
• Travel to other islands

Visa types for long stays differ from tourist entry. Read the Indonesian immigration authority's official site and talk to a licensed advisor.

It can be either. A modest room, local food and a rented scooter keep spending low. A private villa, imported groceries and frequent restaurant meals move you toward the high ends of the ranges above. Compare your own lifestyle with the rows, not the headline average.

The World Bank's price level ratio for Indonesia was 28.7 in 2025, with the U.S. at 100. At market exchange rates, the same basket of goods and services cost about 29% of its U.S. price.

GDP per capita, adjusted for purchasing power, was 17,660 international dollars in 2025 (U.S.: 90,027 international dollars in 2025). Consumer prices rose 1.9% in 2025 (U.S.: 2.9% in 2024).

These are country-level figures for Indonesia, not for Bali alone.