How much does a house in Bali costs?
So, the cost of building a house in Bali nowadays varies from about: 6 Million IDR per m² for a single villa. 6.5 – 7 Million IDR per m² for a multi-storey villa. 7 – 8 Million IDR per m² if you want to use luxury materials for the finishing of your villa (such as wood, marble …)
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Below is a sample of regular monthly budget for a couple living in Bali:
Expense | U.S. $ |
---|---|
Gas | $2 |
Internet | $15 |
TV | $25 |
Eating out | $120 to $250 |
As a rough guide, the cost of construction, including materials, should be between $500 and $1,000 per square meter. That's based on the size of your villa's floorplan, not the land, so assuming your villa has an area of 200 sqm gives an average cost of $150,000 for labor and materials.
It is possible to turn your short lived paradise adventure to Bali into a permanent lifestyle by choosing the right Visa options, sorting your finances and finding a property. There are several visa options available including the Free Visa, Visa on Arrival, Social/Tourist or Cultural Visa.
To get the retirement visa will cost you less than $800/year, you need to be more than 55 years old and to show proof of an income of at least US$1,500 a month. For Bali, your accommodation will cost between $500 to $5000/month (all the offers HERE).
The winner: Thailand works out to be cheaper overall, has a wider range of cuisines and activities for families and has cleaner beaches.
Restaurants | Edit |
---|---|
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 44,612.47Rp |
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 57,500.00Rp |
Cappuccino (regular) | 32,000.00Rp |
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 21,826.56Rp |
Expect to spend $720 to $2,600 per month for a single person living in Bali—families and couples sharing rental costs will save quite a bit. And it's possible to spend significantly more on a higher-end lifestyle.
The single entry visa is one of the favorite options for medium to long term stays in Bali. The visa allows for stays of up to 6 months in Indonesia. After this 6-month period, foreigners can apply for a new single entry visa again for another period of 6 months. This process can be repeated several times.
The cost: Bronson says Bali is fairly inexpensive, noting that you can “live simply on $1,000 a month” and “live very, very comfortably on $3,000 a month,” which, she adds, means you go out to dinner with wine multiple times a week.
How long can you stay in Bali for?
Bali, Indonesia, is free to enter without a visa, you will only get a date stamp in your passport on your arrival day. Stay up to a maximum of 30 days but note that you will not be able to extend your stay with this free tourist visa.
On average, Guinel says a villa should cost around US$450,000 (AU$595,188), and in Canggu you're looking at anything between $400,000 and $700,000 for three bedrooms, depending on location, land size and amenities.

In a tourist area the average price of 1 are per year is $300 in Kerobokan and $1000 in Seminyak. The math is simple: you own 400 sqm (4 ares) you have a piece of land in say Canggu (sought after area) which is about $600/1year so the price for 25 years would be 25*600*4 = $60,000.
The only way foreigners can safely invest in property or buy land in Bali is by owning an Indonesian legal entity- a PT PMA. Property owned by a foreigner may not be freehold ownership, but the Right to Build and Right to Use titles give you clear legal grounding.
In general, Bali can be considered as a safe destination, since very few visitors come across any real problems. Travelers need to avoid carrying handbags, taking into account that petty scams are common. What is this? They can usually be avoided with a modicum of common sense.
English on Bali
English is the common “third” language and the most popular foreign language by far (after Indonesian and Balinese). Due to tourism requirements, a lot of Balinese speak a level of English that allows them to communicate with tourists on a fundamental level.
Bali and Lombok are generally safe and single travelers face no real threat or dangers. That said, don't throw common sense out of the window. Women on their own, in particular, should still be careful especially when out alone in the evening.
How expensive is rent in Bali? Housing costs can vary from $200 USD to $2000 USD a month. It all depends on your lifestyle and how much you want to spend.
Most expats live in Canggu, Ubud and Uluwatu. Canggu is famous for digital nomads, surfers, and backpackers and it's not the quietest spot around Bali.
While meal prices in Bali can vary, the average cost of food in Bali is Rp258,405 per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Bali should cost around Rp103,362 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner.
Is Bali cheaper than Mexico?
Bali is 22.9% more expensive than Mexico.
Bali is a much cheaper option as compared to the Maldives. The accommodation is cheap as compared to the Maldives resorts.
Bali offers more hotel choices than Phuket does. If you're a surfer, Bali is your choice for its collection of world-class breaks. On the other hand, Phuket's beaches are more scenic and laidback, great for those preferring island beach escapades with a mix of water sports and just lazing on the sand.
The only way foreigners can safely invest in property or buy land in Bali is by owning an Indonesian legal entity- a PT PMA. Property owned by a foreigner may not be freehold ownership, but the Right to Build and Right to Use titles give you clear legal grounding.
On average, Guinel says a villa should cost around US$450,000 (AU$595,188), and in Canggu you're looking at anything between $400,000 and $700,000 for three bedrooms, depending on location, land size and amenities.
Many international clients choose to invest in Bali due to the high return on investment. On average, our clients experience a yearly return on investment (ROI) of 20-30%, with some clients receiving even higher figures.
Bali is in many ways an incredibly wonderful place to live and work, and there are many expatriates from all over the world living in Bali, who have opened businesses and made a living.