Would you like to leave everything and go to live in Bali? This is the dream of many people and is that the quality of life in the island of the gods is incredible. I have returned for the third time to live in Bali in 2022 and I have to say that things are changing a lot. Especially in terms of the cost of living. So if you are looking for an article updating with all the information about where to live in Bali, the cost of living and the important things that you will need both before coming and being here, don't miss this article 😉
What you need to travel to Bali - 2022
I landed in the airport of Denpasar on August 3, 2022 so I am going to tell you first hand everything that they asked me BEFORE taking the plane to Bali and also once I arrived at the airport:
Requirements before traveling Bali
It is important to have beforehand the following documents that I am going to indicate to you since they are going to ask it to you when you are doing the check-in in the airport from where you take your to Bali:
Insurance of trips where it is specified that you are covered by Covid.
Departure flight. This caught me by surprise when I went for the second time in 2019 and it won't happen again. If you are a free soul or digital nomad like me and you don't know when you are going to leave Bali because you plan to stay for a high season, there are pages like Onward Ticket where you can buy tickets that will be valid for 48 hours for only 14 €.
Once in the airport
If you have these two things they will let you board your plane without any problem. Once you land in Bali they are going to ask you the following things:
Certificate of vaccination. There is a counter with a girl who simply looks at the certificate and your passport. They do not scan it and it is preferable that it puts that you come with one that puts that you have 3 vaccines in case you are going to travel within Indonesia. I have read that the people that once they arrive to Bali want to travel to other islands and they only have the certificate with two doses they also ask for PCR.
Visa. I have come with a Business Visa or eVisa which is valid for 6 months and is requested in advance before coming. The cost is $300 and you have to renew it every two months at a cost of about $80 per renewal. I advise xxx agency (do not go to Visa 4 Bali, I had a terrible experience with them and I do not advise it). If you do not want to be so much time you can request to your arrival a visa on arrival which costs 35 $, it is valid for 30 days and you can renew it later being here for other 30 days. Then if you want to stay longer you can leave the country and do it again on arrival. I did that in 2019-2020.
Custom declaration.This is something that is usually requested in all countries and it is basically a form where you indicate what you do, that you do not carry more than x amount of money, or prohibited materials in the country, etc.
Once you present this already you can go out calmly of the airport (really, every time they are making more and more complicated the thing to travel in airplane...) and enjoy Bali!
(sunrise in Bali, picture taken by me)
Cost of living in Bali - 2022
This is what is most interesting, how much is it going to cost me to live in Bali? The first time I came was in 2016 and I saw it as a very cheap destination. Already in 2019-2020 I did not find it so cheap and now in 2022 after the pandemic I can say that do not expect that living here will be cheaper than in Spain.
Obviously the costs depend on many factors like your lifestyle and the area where you want to live. I am usually in Canggu where there is beach, digital nomads (so the internet connection is good, which is not the case in the whole island) and yoga. Later I will specify depending on your profile which zone can interest you more but for now let's talk about the cost of living in Canggu, Bali:
Cost of the rent in Bali
Here there are several options:
1. Homestay.
They are Balinese houses without swimming pool where you can rent a room with own bathroom from 3 thousand (3 million) Indonesian rupiahs (IDR) that in euros are 200 € approximately to the month.
2. Guesthouse or shared villas.
In this case what you rent is also a room with own bathroom and you share the swimming pool and the kitchen. The price varies between 4 thousand. IDR (270 € approx) to 9 thousand (600 € approx). For me this option is the best if your budget is tight and you still want to enjoy some quality of life.
3. Villa.
(Collage made in Canva by me with the pictures of the villa I would like to purchase one day. You are very welcome to send me some tips for it 😉 and it exchange I will host you)
This is the favorite option but whose prices have risen incredibly. In the area of Canggu a villa with one bedroom, bathroom, swimming pool and kitchen starts at 13 thousand. IDR (860 € approx). Even at this price they are being hard to find. The average of what I am finding now for 1 to 3 bedroom villas is 20 thousand. IDR (1325 €) to 55 thousand. IDR (3.700 € approx). In other areas of Bali renting a villa is cheaper, but here this is how the situation is now.
IMPORTANT.
Do not rent anything without seeing it before in person. Here they are given super well to make incredible photos to places that later when you see them they are horrifying. Of all the places we have seen, only one is true to the photos. Most of them hang photos of when they built it and when you go to see them, you find dirty walls, disgusting bathrooms and half the furniture.
That is why it is better to look for a temporary accommodation and from there go looking. In Southeast Asia, Agoda is the most popular way to book accommodation. You are going to find better prices than in Booking (I also have not had good experience with Booking reason why I do not recommend it).
How much it costs to eat in Bali
Foto de Mufid Majnun en Unsplash
Here the cost depends on where you go:
Local sites: also called Warung. It is the cheapest option, although I see less and less. The cost of a good meal can be worth between 10 K (0.66 €) and 30 K (2 €).
International restaurants. Here there is a wide variety of Italian, vegetarian, Japanese, Vietnamese, ... The cost of eating here is usually 300 K (10 €).
Supermarkets. They are very expensive. The other day I bought 2 liters of almond milk, cereals, cheese and a dwarf jar of olive oil and it cost me 22 €. If you are going to buy fruits and vegetables it is better to go to a local market of those that you find in the street.
Other costs of living in Bali
The food and the lodging are the basic things. Then other costs to consider are:
Class of yoga: it usually costs between 100 K (6 €) and 150 k (10 €) the class.
Barista coffee: here there is a lot of Australian influence so there are many places to have a good cappuccino. The cost is usually 30 K which is 2 €.
Massage: I love massages here although unfortunately it is something that is also going up in price. Normally an hour is 120 K (8 €) and an hour and a half 170 K (11 €). The cost can vary a lot. If you go to a local place it will be cheaper and if you go to a spa it will be more expensive. What I have indicated is an average.
Renting a surfboard: 50 K (3,3 €). I don't know the time and what the lessons are worth since I don't surf. It is what I have heard from other people.
Is living in Bali cheap?
It is possible to say that if you look for the cheapest lodging and you only eat in Warung you can live from 500 € a month. Now if you want an average quality of life and live a place with pool, do yoga, surf and drink good coffee I would say you need 1.000 € per month. If you already want to live of top form with your own villa and not watching the prices of where you eat neither of the activities that you do, from 2.000 € you can live in Bali like a queen/king.
Areas to live in Bali
Bali is a big island and there are several zones where you can live well. Next I am going to mention the 4 most popular and interesting for expats:
1. Canggu - the best area to live in Bali
This is the most popular area to live at the moment together with its surroundings (Umalas, Pererenan, Kerobokan, Seseh, Berawa). Here what there are mainly are many digital nomads, surfers and yogis. For me it is the best area because it has everything and has the best Internet connection. Although also it is necessary to consider that it is the most expensive zone to live in Bali.
The lodging that I recommend is Serenity. It has a main building near the beach with swimming pool where you can practice yoga and give yourself massages, besides eating delicious vegan food. I do not recommend to lodge in the other branches that it has like Serenity 2, Kris Kos or Serene Room.
2. Uluwatu
This is the preferred zone of the surfers. It is in the south of the island and is much calmer than Canggu. The rents are cheaper than in Canggu, but apart from surfing there is not much more to do there.
3. Ubud
This is the most tourist and spiritual zone of Bali. There are many yogis, spiritual events like ecstatic dance, kirtan, etc..... Also it has a very popular local market, reason why if you want to make purchases it is the best place. It is in the jungle, so you will find more wild nature and monkeys than in other areas.
4. Amed
This is an area that is in the east of the island to which the people who look for tranquility are going. The second time that I came I met a girl who has lived in Bali many years and said that Amed is like Canggu before it was filled with tourists.
My opinion of living in Bali
I believe that nowadays by the social networks we tend to idealize the places. Many people want to live in Bali, but is this a destination for everybody?
Each person is different and we have different tastes. For me Bali is one of my favorite destinations to live because it has everything I like: massages, yoga, beach, good food, coffees, tropical fruits, good weather all year round, ... Still here there are many things I miss from Spain. All places have their advantages and disadvantages and for me the ideal is a balance between the two :)
