Cost of living in Bali

by Mike on August 6, 2009
in Featured articles

The most common question I get on this site is “How can I get a job in Bali?”. The second most common question is “How much does it cost to live in Bali?” It is a very difficult question to answer, as everyone has different needs and expenses.

I hope this information can at least serve as a general guide for people wanting to live in Bali.

Some factors which influence the cost of living in Bali:

Location

The closer you are to tourist areas, the more you can expect to pay. The south of Bali is also generally more expensive than the north.

Language ability

The greater your language ability, the better ability you will have to negotiate prices. Bahasa Indonesia is good but Balinese is even better. Another option is to have a Balinese friend purchase things on your behalf to get local prices.

Local markets

If you have some language skills, you can pick up some great bargains by shopping at the local markets (pasar).

Imported goods

Imported goods, particularly alcohol carries high import duties.

Housing

Houses are usually rented in Indonesia on a 12 month basis, with the full 12 months paid in advance. The longer you rent the property for, the bigger reduction in rent you can get.

ItemPrice in rupiahPrice in foreign currency
Coke 300ml 5,169
Coke 1.5 litre12,700
Mizone sports drink 500 ml2,700
Cup of noodles5,800
Cornflakes 150g11,000
Pringles 160g16,000
Heineken beer 330 ml 12,795
Bintang beer 330 ml10,296
Penfolds Bin 2 wine 750 ml422,500
Hatten Wines 2 litre red219,226
California Red - Rivercrest286,000
Jack Daniels 750ml765,975
Kraft singles 12. 200 gm24,480
Twinnings Darjeeling 50 gm.41,646
Egg857
Nescafe classic 200 gm.47,441
Indo mie - instant noodles1,224
Ketchup 340 gm8,895
Aqua 600ml - mineral water1,199
Oral B tooth brush20,537
Listerine 250 ml.15,939
Pespondent toothpaste 75g3,698
Ultra milk long life 1 litre12,714
Just juice orange 1 litre21,593
Cussons baby soap 80gm2,245
Baygon insect spray 330ml18,478
Whiska's dry cat food 500gm22,746
Pedigree beef dog food 1.15 kg38,760
Sanur Independent School - 1 termUS$875
Internet cafe per hour5,000
Water - 1 drum10,500
Strawberry jam 430gm13,313
Post office box rental - 1 year60,000
Oyster sauce 255 gm17,804

Comments

5 Responses to “Cost of living in Bali”
  1. $875 for one term at an independent school is the stand out value for money on that list. That’s incredible!

  2. Mike says:

    Yeah, incredible isn’t it. I suppose they have to pay for the expat teacher salaries.

  3. Paul says:

    Very interesting. Bali always seems relatively expensive to me, if you look at ‘western’ requirements, e.g. while doing grocery shopping, western products, alcohol etc.

    Any more concrete indications of rental in the main expat areas, for instance in Seminyak?

  4. Mike says:

    I have seen villas advertised in Seminyak for 150 million a year in the Bali Advertiser. You might find something cheaper if you are prepared to look.

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