Bali: on the water and bring a phrasebook, mid-range on rent
More of Bali
Day viewTL;DRBali in one sentence
The ocean is right there — Bali is a proper coastal city, not a "45-minute drive to the beach" situation. On the ground: you'll need some Indonesian, rent runs ~$1082/mo, PR in ~5 years.
The ocean is right there — Bali is a proper coastal city, not a "45-minute drive to the beach" situation. On the ground: you'll need some Indonesian, rent runs ~$1082/mo, PR in ~5 years.
How much does it cost to live in Bali? Expect rent from $1,082/month, one of the safer cities in its region, Indonesian is essential for daily life. Below you'll find rent, groceries, transport, utilities, and a full monthly budget breakdown — with real Numbeo data, not vibes.
🗽From Fresh Start Cities — Where you can actually build a new life. Not just visit it.← back🇮🇩 Bali, Indonesia
Safety ranks higher because it ignores cost and climate. Livability penalizes expensive or less-connected cities. Compare both rankings
Mid SWE take-home in Bali
$962/mo
Median mid Software Engineer · after 12% tax
$2,210
expenses
-$1,248
shortfall
Just you against the world. And the rent.
Expenses = rent + food + transport + utilities · Rent alone: $1,082/mo
How the Livability Score is calculatedShow score breakdown ▸
Total: 76.9/120 raw pts → normalized to 64/100 · Full methodology
🌙 2:58 AM in Bali right now
Data: Numbeo · UNODC · EIU · EF EPI · Ookla · How is this calculated?
Is Bali a Good Place to Live?
Is bali a good place to live? Short answer: yes. Bali checks the boxes that matter for people who plan to actually stay — not just pass through. Here's what the numbers say about settling in Bali, Indonesia.
- ›Flawed democracy: Democracy index 6.4/10 — a flawed democracy, which is the polite way of saying 'it's complicated'.
- ›Cost of living: A 1-bedroom in the center runs ~$1082/mo — moderate — not cheap, not painful.
- ›Safety: Homicide rate 0.3 per 100k (Numbeo safety index: 49/100) — statistically safer than most places you've already lived.
- ›Indonesian + English: English proficiency: low — English won't get you far — learning the local language isn't optional, it's survival.
- ›Climate: Summers peak around 29°C, winters dip to 25°C.
Life in Bali
✦ Sections reordered for Fresh Start Cities
What It Actually Costs
Beer $2.3 · Cheap meal $3
What It Actually Costs
Beer $2.3 · Cheap meal $3
What It Actually Costs
One day in Bali
$12.38/day
Beer, coffee, two meals, a metro ride.
Monthly
Numbeo
What Paychecks Look Like
Junior $8k · Mid $13k · Senior $20k
What Paychecks Look Like
Junior $8k · Mid $13k · Senior $20k
What Paychecks Look Like
Annual gross in USD — with what Indonesia actually lets you keep
Levels.fyi · as of May 2026
Junior ~ $8k · Mid ~ $13k · Senior ~ $20k — see breakdown
Software Engineer by level
Net = employee rate, your settings
Punch in your actual salary for a personalized breakdown →Cost to Land
1-bed centre: $1082/mo
Cost to Land
1-bed centre: $1082/mo
Cost to Land
The price of showing up (before real life starts)
$3,044one-time
Then it's ~$2,210/mo to actually live here.
Can you afford it?
Enter your salary in the sidebar to see how far it stretches here.
Numbeo
Local tenancy law
IKEA estimate
Indonesian immigration
Based on local rental laws & Numbeo prices
How Hard to Find a Place?
1/5 · 1–7 days, walk-in or online
How Hard to Find a Place?
1/5 · 1–7 days, walk-in or online
How Hard Is It to Actually Find a Place?
The part Numbeo doesn't tell you
Walk in, sign, move in. Bring your passport and a deposit.
What stands between you and a lease
- •Passport sufficient (KITAS for long-term)
- •1–3 months' deposit depending on term
- •Abundant villas and apartments
- •Foreigners cannot own land — lease only
Numbeo, balivillarentals.com, expat forums · 2026-Q1
Tax on Savings
Capital gains 0.1% · Dividends 10% · No wealth tax
Tax on Savings
Capital gains 0.1% · Dividends 10% · No wealth tax
Tax on Savings
What Indonesia takes from your investments, not your paycheck
Source: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries · 2025 rates · tax-resident individuals
Freelancing in Bali
Freelancing in Bali
Living Here as a Freelancer
What it takes to invoice clients from Bali without an employer holding your hand
How the government sees you
BPJS for residents. Foreign freelancers largely outside the system
Getting paid
Limited payout infrastructure — you may need to route payments through Payoneer or a foreign bank account
Cost of doing business
Source: Direktorat Jenderal Pajak · rates as of 2025–2026
Is Bali a Good Place to Live in 2026?
4 pros · 4 cons
Is Bali a Good Place to Live in 2026?
4 pros · 4 cons
Is Bali a Good Place to Live in 2026?
Derived from cost, safety, weather, democracy, and internet data
For
- +Bali: 0.3/100k violence, but crime index 51. Guard your wallet.
- +Sea access in Bali at 29°C summers. Yes, really.
- +5.0% GDP growth in Indonesia. Jobs appearing in Bali.
- +5-year residency path from Bali. Worth the patience.
Against
- −Democracy 6.4/10 in Indonesia. Bali's rule of law is inconsistent.
- −No English shortcut in Bali. Indonesian or struggle.
- −Internet in Bali: 36 Mbps average. Download things offline.
- −Bali's grid: 60/100. Mostly fine, occasionally not.
Is Bali Safe?
Homicide rate: 0.3 per 100k
Is Bali Safe?
Homicide rate: 0.3 per 100k
Is Bali Safe?
Generally safe, but not carefree. Read the details below before picking a neighborhood.
Residents report moderate concern about everyday crime. Watch your phone and bag in crowded areas.
Heads up: The homicide rate shown is the Indonesia national average, not Bali-specific data. UNODC only publishes country-level figures. City-to-city comparisons within Indonesia won't reflect local differences.
Countries where we only have country-level data: AE, AR, AU, BR, CA, CH, CN, CO, CR, DK, EE, EG, GB, GE, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KZ, MA, MX, NL, PA, PT, RS, RU, SE, SG, TH, UZ, VN, ZA
Homicide: UNODC
data resolution: country-average
Safety perception: Numbeo
Peace index: IEP Global Peace Index
world avg ~5.8 per 100k
Neighborhood breakdown
We don't have an official neighborhood-level crime feed wired for Bali yet. The figures above are still citywide or regional.
Settling the family in Bali
PISA 369 · Daycare $498/mo · Partner cannot work on this visa
Settling the family in Bali
PISA 369 · Daycare $498/mo · Partner cannot work on this visa
Settling the family in Bali
Schools, daycare, healthcare, and spouse work rights on one page
Schools
PISA 369Public schools run in Indonesian and children on residence permits can enroll: Yes, but limited for foreigners.
If you need English from day one, plan around private international schools rather than assuming public EAL support.
International options: 15 schools · low $2k/yr · mid $7k/yr · high $14k/yr
Open admission; social/cultural visa or KITAS required
Kindergarten / Daycare
$498/moPrivate full-day preschool: $498/mo.
Public-availability rules and waitlist length are not tracked in the current city dataset yet, so treat this as the private-price floor, not the full childcare story.
Family Healthcare
Mandatory public insuranceBPJS national insurance available to permit holders; private hospitals preferred by expats
BPJS public system for residents with KITAS permit only. Pre-residency: private insurance essential (~$45/mo). Public hospitals are affordable out-of-pocket for minor issues. Serious care = private hospital or medical evacuation to Singapore.
Dependents on temporary status: public coverage exists.
Spouse / Dependent Rules
Partner cannot work on this visaPartner cannot work on this visa
Dependents may reside but are not permitted to work under the Second Home Visa.
Child benefits, family allowances, and parental-leave entitlements are not part of the structured city dataset yet, so check the country-level residency rules before assuming those offsets are in your budget.
Sources: isd_tuition, Numbeo, WHO, National health ministry websites, OECD Health at a Glance 2025, https://www.imigrasi.go.id
Crossing the Street
11.3 road deaths/100k
Crossing the Street
11.3 road deaths/100k
Crossing the Street
Road traffic deaths — country-level data; city-specific rates not available
Roads are noticeably more dangerous than in Western Europe. Look both ways. Then look again. You're 37× more likely to die crossing the street than being murdered here.
Who dies on the road
Data year: 2016
Will You Survive Getting Sick?
BPJS national insurance available to permit holders; private hospitals preferred by expats
Will You Survive Getting Sick?
BPJS national insurance available to permit holders; private hospitals preferred by expats
Will You Survive Getting Sick?
Healthcare quality, access, and what settlers actually face
Score = 50% outcomes + 30% access + 20% perception. Missing components are re-weighted.
BPJS public system for residents with KITAS permit only. Pre-residency: private insurance essential (~$45/mo). Public hospitals are affordable out-of-pocket for minor issues. Serious care = private hospital or medical evacuation to Singapore.
BPJS national insurance available to permit holders; private hospitals preferred by expats
Healthcare exists but takes patience. Locals know which hospitals to avoid and which doctors to bribe with chocolates. You should learn too.
Sources: WHO, Numbeo, National health ministry websites, OECD Health at a Glance 2025
For the Kids
15 international schools · PISA 369
For the Kids
15 international schools · PISA 369
For the Kids
Schools, childcare costs, and whether your children can actually enroll
15 international schools · $2k–$14k/yr · A handful. Start researching early.
Public education is rough. International schools aren't optional here — they're survival gear for expat families.
Sources: isd_tuition, oecd_pisa, wikipedia_intl_schools, Numbeo
What You're Breathing
PM2.5 20 μg/m³ · 4× WHO limit
What You're Breathing
PM2.5 20 μg/m³ · 4× WHO limit
What You're Breathing
Invisible particles in every breath
Sources: WHO Air Quality Database V6.1, OpenAQ
Weather in Bali
Summer 29°C · 11.6h daylight (Jun) · Winter 25°C · 12.6h daylight (Dec)
Weather in Bali
Summer 29°C · 11.6h daylight (Jun) · Winter 25°C · 12.6h daylight (Dec)
Weather in Bali
Spring
31°C
27% sunny
Summer
29°C
45% sunny
11.6h daylight
Fall
31°C
30% sunny
Winter
31°C
13% sunny
12.6h daylight
Year-round warm — temperatures don't swing by season the way they do in temperate climates. Winter looks similar.
Daylight contrast
Winter 12.6h (Dec) vs summer 11.6h (Jun)
+-1h
Best: Summer, Fall.
Source: WeatherSpark
Will You Have a Thursday Night?
Will You Have a Thursday Night?
Will You Have a Thursday Night?
Nightlife & social scene
as of Apr 2026
Scene tags
Source: Numbeo Quality of Life Index
Who Has Offices in Bali?
Emveep, Mitrais, Gringgo
Who Has Offices in Bali?
Emveep, Mitrais, Gringgo
Who Has Offices in Bali?
Notable employers with offices in the city. Not exhaustive.
How Fast Is the Wi-Fi, Really?
36↓ / 22↑ Mbps
How Fast Is the Wi-Fi, Really?
36↓ / 22↑ Mbps
How Fast Is the Wi-Fi, Really?
Median speeds across all connection types · Ookla Speedtest Global Index
Download is the city median across all connection types — DSL, cable, fiber, and mobile. Upload is the country-wide average. If you're on a modern fiber or 5G plan, expect 300–1,000 Mbps down.
Source: Ookla Speedtest Global Index
Can Your Mom Visit?
Can Your Mom Visit?
Indonesia, the Country
Can You Actually Live Here?
PR in ~5 yrs · Citizenship in 10 yrs · Partner cannot work on this visa
Can You Actually Live Here?
PR in ~5 yrs · Citizenship in 10 yrs · Partner cannot work on this visa
Can You Actually Live Here?
Visa difficulty, time to residency, and what it takes to stay
For a US citizen passport: Easy
What you need to earn
Remote Worker Visa (E33G) · or $2,000 savings
Requires Bahasa Indonesia proficiency and renouncing all other citizenships.
Spouse & dependents
Dependents may reside but are not permitted to work under the Second Home Visa.
Updated Mar 2026 · Source
What You Can Actually Do Here
Tech jobs thin · Sponsorship mixed · Nascent startup scene · tourism, hospitality, digital-nomad
What You Can Actually Do Here
Tech jobs thin · Sponsorship mixed · Nascent startup scene · tourism, hospitality, digital-nomad
What You Can Actually Do Here
Industries, employers, and how startup-friendly this place is
Employment
Tech job density Thin (48/100)ⓘ
Open tech roles ~1.9k(est.)
Non-EU sponsorship Mixed (74/100)ⓘ
Startup Scene
Ease of doing business: #73
Sources: StartupBlink · scraper-owned tech clusters · country visa sources
Who's Running the Show
Democracy index: 6.4/10
Who's Running the Show
Democracy index: 6.4/10
Who's Running the Show
Politics, freedom, and press independence
Source: EIU Democracy Index
Peace: IEP Global Peace Index
Also: Freedom House · RSF Press Freedom Index
How is this calculated?What Will Break 6 Months In
Indonesian is non-negotiable. Doctor's visits, landlord disputes, tax forms — all in Indonesian. Start lessons before you land.
Paperwork moves when it wants to. Follow up in person. Bring every document you own. Then bring copies.
Outages happen often enough to notice. A UPS for your router isn't paranoia — it's planning.
LGBTQ+ Rights & Reproductive Access
Rainbow 12/100 · No recognition
LGBTQ+ Rights & Reproductive Access
Rainbow 12/100 · No recognition
The Fine Print on Being Yourself
LGBTQ+ protections, reproductive rights, and who the law actually covers
!No explicit anti-LGBTQ+ law on the books, but authorities use other statutes to prosecute. The legal risk is real.
Hostile environment
Reproductive Health Access
Only for life-threatening emergencies or rape victims (up to 14 weeks). Highly restricted otherwise.
Source: ILGA-Europe / Equaldex
Reproductive: Center for Reproductive Rights
How Rainbow Index works: ILGA-Europe's Rainbow Europe index (0–100) weights recent legal changes heavily — countries that passed rights early but haven't added new protections since score lower than countries still actively legislating. This is why Amsterdam (59) scores below Madrid (76): the Netherlands did everything first but Rainbow Europe rewards momentum, not just outcomes.
Jewish Safety
Antisemitic attitudes, hate crimes, and community presence
Jewish Safety
Antisemitic attitudes, hate crimes, and community presence
Will You Feel Safe Wearing a Magen David Here?
Antisemitic attitudes, hate crime incidents, and Jewish community presence
High prevalence
ADL Global 100 (2024) — % agreeing with 6+ of 11 antisemitic stereotypes
No synagogues found on OpenStreetMap — Jewish community infrastructure is likely minimal or absent.
Attitudes: adl_global100
Synagogues: osm_overpass_synagogues
How to read this: These three metrics are shown separately because they measure different things. ADL measures attitudes (what people believe), OSCE counts reported incidents (what gets filed), and synagogues show community presence (not safety). A country can have high attitudes and low incidents (Saudi Arabia) or low attitudes and high incidents (UK). No single number captures "Jewish safety" — read all three together.
English in Bali
Low
English in Bali
Low
English in Bali
Primary language is Indonesian.
English helps in multinational bubbles; outside them, expect local-language friction.
For long-term settling, plan to function in the local language.
Office English follows EF EPI. Street English is stricter because landlords, clinics, and bureaucracy usually lag behind workplace English.
Language distance: Slavic: hard · Romance: hard · Germanic: hard
Source: EF English Proficiency Index
Will the Lights Stay On?
Grid 60/100 · 29% renewable · Outages: common
Will the Lights Stay On?
Grid 60/100 · 29% renewable · Outages: common
Will the Lights Stay On?
Grid stability, energy mix, and outage risk
Sources: IEA, World Bank (SAIDI), national grid operators
Bali — FAQ
10 questions answered
Bali — FAQ
10 questions answered
Bali — Things You'll Want to Know
How safe is Bali, really?▾
Homicide rate: 0.3 per 100,000 (UNODC). World average is 5.8, so Bali is one of the safest places you could pick. Numbeo Crime Index sits at 51.0/100 (lower = safer) — that's what residents actually say about walking home at night, not what the tourism board says. Learn the neighborhoods before signing a lease — every city has blocks you'll love and blocks you won't.
What's the real cost of living in Bali?▾
A 1-bed in the centre runs about $1082/month (Numbeo). Day-to-day: a cheap restaurant meal: $3.21, monthly transit pass: $8. All in — rent, food, getting around, keeping the lights on — budget $1482–$1882/month depending on whether you cook or eat out. That's the settler number, not the tourist number.
What's the weather actually like in Bali?▾
Bali: Summers reach around 29°C with about 11.6 hours of daylight in Jun, winters drop to around 25°C and 12.6 hours of daylight in Dec. Warm enough to regret not having AC, cool enough that some people try.
Can you get by in Bali without the local language?▾
Low English proficiency (EF EPI). But that one word hides two very different realities: office English 40/100 (can you work in English?) and street English 25/100 (can you argue with your landlord in English?). The office is usually easier. The landlord is the real test.
Is Bali actually worth settling in long-term?▾
Indonesia scores 6.4/10 on the EIU Democracy Index. Functional enough, but keep an eye on the political weather. Some expats find the bureaucracy more autocratic than the government. Rent from $1082/month.
What's the job market really like in Bali?▾
Unemployment: 3.2%. Translation: jobs exist and companies are actually hiring — a rarity worth noting. If you're planning to job-hunt locally, research your industry before booking a one-way ticket. If you work remotely, this number matters less — but your visa type might not let you.
Who's actually hiring in Bali?▾
Companies with real offices here (not just a registered address): Emveep, Mitrais, Gringgo. Check their career pages — a company on this list isn't a guarantee they're hiring right now, but it means the talent pipeline exists.
Is Bali any good for expats?▾
Depends what kind of expat you are. Key facts: rent from $1082/month; Indonesia Second Home Visa (complex process). The numbers above — livability score, safety, cost of living — tell you whether the city works on paper. Whether it works for you depends on what you're optimizing for. Take the quiz if you want a more honest answer than "it's great for expats."
How do you actually get a visa to live in Indonesia?▾
Indonesia has the Indonesia Second Home Visa program. Duration: 5 or 10 years. Requirements: Deposit of ~$130,000 USD in Indonesian bank. Not cheap, but it's Bali. Complex enough that an immigration lawyer earns their fee. Don't DIY this one. Always verify with the official government portal — immigration rules change faster than this page updates.
How long until you get permanent residency in Indonesia?▾
Permanent residency typically takes 5 years of legal residence; citizenship eligibility after 10 years total. The usual prerequisites: proof of income, a clean criminal record, and sometimes enough local language to prove you're serious. Rules change — check with an immigration lawyer before building your five-year plan around a Reddit thread.
Can you actually move abroad?
Check real visa paths based on your passport, profession, and savings. Not the tourist visa — the one that lets you stay.
Find visa paths that actually work for you →▸Show full data table
🇮🇩 Bali
$2,210/ mo
Rent: $1082 · Rest: $1129
🍷 That's 158 bottles of wine/mo
52/100
49th
5y
10y
🌞 29°C
🌞 25°C
35↓ / 22↑ Mbps
Median · Ookla
Indonesia
Economics · World Bank / IMF
GDP per capita (PPP)2024
$16,448
GDP Growth2024
+5.0%
Inflation2024
2.2%
Boringly steadyUnemployment2025
3.2%
Gini Index2025
34.4
Population2023
4,404,300
Politics · EIU / Freedom House
Democracy Index
6.4→47th
Regime
Flawed democracy
Freedom House
56/100
Press Freedom
127th
Safety · UNODC / Numbeo
Homicide per 100K
0.3
Safety Index
49.0/100
Residency Path · imigrasi.go.id
Visa Difficulty
Time to Permanent Residency
5 years
Path to Citizenship
10 years
Work Permit
moderate
Career
Industries
tourism, hospitality, digital-nomad
Startup Scene
nascent
Connectivity · Ookla Speedtest
Median downloadBali
35.8 Mbps
Avg uploadIndonesia
22.4 Mbps
Avg downloadIndonesia
40.3 Mbps
Median across all connection types (DSL, cable, fiber, mobile). Fiber and 5G plans in major cities typically deliver 300–1 000 Mbps.
Language · EF EPI
Languages
Indonesian (II)
English Proficiency
Low80th
Next up
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Data sources
Open-Meteo Air Qualityadl_global100osm_overpass_synagoguesCareer MetricscomputedNumbeoUNODCgovernmentDiaspora DataWikidataWorld BankEF English Proficiency IndexTownleap (Curated)Ookla SpeedtestJob Market DataWikipediaILGA-Europe / EqualdexEIU Democracy IndexIEP Global Peace IndexCenter for Reproductive RightsWHO Road SafetyLevels.fyiISD (Tuition Data)OECD PISAWikipedia (Intl. Schools)Travel AdvisoryTownleap (Computed)Numbeo Quality of Lifecompiledcuratedderived_daylightWeatherSpark