Cost of living in Bali

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.

Item	Price in rupiah	Price in foreign currency
Coke 300ml	5,169
Coke 1.5 litre	12,700
Mizone sports drink 500 ml	2,700
Cup of noodles	5,800
Cornflakes 150g	11,000
Pringles 160g	16,000
Heineken beer 330 ml	12,795
Bintang beer 330 ml	10,296
Penfolds Bin 2 wine 750 ml	422,500
Hatten Wines 2 litre red	219,226
California Red - Rivercrest	286,000
Jack Daniels 750ml	765,975
Kraft singles 12. 200 gm	24,480
Twinnings Darjeeling 50 gm.	41,646
Egg	857
Nescafe classic 200 gm.	47,441
Indo mie - instant noodles	1,224
Ketchup 340 gm	8,895
Aqua 600ml - mineral water	1,199
Oral B tooth brush	20,537
Listerine 250 ml.	15,939
Pespondent toothpaste 75g	3,698
Ultra milk long life 1 litre	12,714
Just juice orange 1 litre	21,593
Cussons baby soap 80gm	2,245
Baygon insect spray 330ml	18,478
Whiska's dry cat food 500gm	22,746
Pedigree beef dog food 1.15 kg	38,760
Sanur Independent School - 1 term		US$875
Internet cafe per hour	5,000
Water - 1 drum	10,500
Strawberry jam 430gm	13,313
Post office box rental - 1 year	60,000
Oyster sauce 255 gm	17,804