Bali Expat Forum - Bali Travel Forum

Hi all! I had a job offer to work in Bali. But I need to work out my finances before making my decision. So, I hope I can get some tips from this forum. 1) How much to rent a furnished studio apartment in Seminyak? Cause I will be living by myself and am particular to cleanliness. 2) Any recommendations where to stay? 3) Monthly international phone calls to Australia and internet bill? 3) Monthly electricity bill based on a single use.

Appreciate all your useful tips!

Welcome to the forum Ivy. You should check out the internet sites for The Bali Times and The Bali Advertiser. Both are on-line and both include their classified sections so you can look at current rentals in the Yak and get an idea about that.

You'll probably want a cell phone once here and you can get hooked up with some really cheap international rates. Look into that once here.

Unless you run your air con all the time, your monthly bill shouldn't run more than around $20 or so per month.

"and am particular to cleanliness"

I hope that doesn't include an aversion to little critters like geckos and very large roaches because there is no avoiding them, even if you bleach your walls, floors and ceilings every day. No worries though, as they don't eat much and you'll get used to them. Cheers and good luck with your move.

Thanks Roy! I went through the websites and realized that it's not exactly cheap rentals in Seminyak... Does the rents gets higher on advert? Would it be a lot cheaper to look around when there?

Ivy, it is always preferable to look around while here. Aside from the obvious advantage of being able to view the apartment “in the flesh” you will also be able to check out the surroundings. Even more advantageous to this approach is you will be in a stronger bargaining position with cash in hand. While it can be stressful looking for a “nest” it can also be a lot of fun. Cheers and good luck.

Roy wrote:You'll probably want a cell phone once here and you can get hooked up with some really cheap international rates. Look into that once here.

Or it could be double that. We have a two room guest house metered separately but charged using rates introduced in 2006. Use the aircon a bit and get about $40 a month.

One Aircon on for about 60% of the time and mine is about 400,000 Rp so concurs with your estimate. Having said that without the aircon its about 100,000 per month and half of that is the standing charge.

It also depends on what your place is rated at. 900 watt, 1,300 watt, 2,200 watt, 3,500 watt are upto 100,000 per month above that it gets even more expensive

Hello Ivy,
I have found that any housing advertisement written in english is going to be at least double what you should be paying. They are aimed at westerners, and charge accordingly. If you have an understanding of Bahasa, or even a friend who understands the lingo' you'd be better off checking the Bahasa based websites, and classifieds (iklan-iklan)
As for phone calls, Simpati recharge cards cost 50,000rupiah (+3000 for setup) and will get you around half an hours talk time to Western Australia, mobile to mobile. SMS saves plenty...
Seminyak is an expensive area these days, because of it's increasing popularity with the tourists. The further inland you go, the cheaper it gets.

I'm jealous, by the way. I'd love a job in bali.....

Ronb, Jimbo and Mileage, Thank you all soooooooo much for the useful answers. I'm really thankful! Would have been sooooooooo blardee lost, really... Mileage, don't be jealous. I'm sure you can do it too!

Yes, eventually I'll be looking to enjoy some serious time in Bali. At the moment I'm obligated to be here in Perth, but that will change in about ten years or so, (I hope). I'm curious Ivy, what sort of work have you found in Seminyak? Hospitality?

Yes Mileage, you are right! Hospitality. Public Relations. Guest Relations.
I wish you all the best in finding your perfect job!

Another option Rent a room in a house. I agree best bet is to get there then see for yourself, the rates go down with someone that speaks the tongue,go with a native that understand the area. I have seen rooms in homes go as low as $7- per day with breakfast.I walked on foot up and down the neighborhood. Long distance searching specially enticing websites in english will cost you! Forget the Airco,use a ceiling fan open the window,All the times I have stayed in bali NO airco,Its Fine! you get used to it.Do bring your own mozzienet in case they dont have one in the room.(or you can buy them there)
Eat from the local foodstands,not the european sit down cafes,local food is cheaper better for you!Have a large 5gal water bottle delivered to your room from the grocery store,saves on money drinking all that bottled water. Enjoy your time!

You comment on wanting cleanliness: Funny.........................compared to what? When your in bali you are just going to have to get used to other ways to live.A animal entering in the room here and there,bugs,mozzies,ants,lizards,in cities. Monkeys -bats-dogs with ticks/fleas in the country villages. All these are NORMAL. When the electricity and water shuts off for days-no shower-no bath.

I think Gina makes some good points, but I can’t imagine anyone suffering through a wet season with the often oppressive heat and humidity in the southern part of Bali without air conditioning...especially so in an apartment.

“Eat from the local foodstands,not the european sit down cafes,local food is cheaper better for you!”

Cheaper for sure, but necessarily better? MSG and formalin have both been known to be used by local food vendors, even here in Bali. I think to jump into the local food right after your arrival would be a mistake. Personally, I would be very cautious about what local food vendors I trust, and I would get into the local cuisine slowly, giving your digestive system a little time to get acclimated.

http://www.bimcbali.com/news.asp?n=58&t=Formalin-in-Food.html

“When the electricity and water shuts off for days-no shower-no bath.”

Luckily, extended periods of such kind of shut offs are much rarer these days than in times past. Additionally, most places have gravity tank water back up systems.

"“When the electricity and water shuts off for days-no shower-no bath.”.....said gina.

Luckily, extended periods of such kind of shut offs are much rarer these days than in times past. Additionally, most places have gravity tank water back up systems............roy posted reply

Dear Roy Just last oct.(2008) the electricity and water went off for over 5 days while i stayed in my aunts house.

Regards the food and getting sick, I have only suffered stomach problem when buying chicken from the local outside food market with a bali friend. Not my choice,but when staying with friends you eat what they prepair so kindly for you knowing you will get sick later. You see that chicken sitting in the heat/sun all day from 430AM till late in the afternoon,no refrigeration,raw meat. Then the typical transport back to the house,via the mountain backroads -that can take a few hours,stopping for earands here and there by the time its in your mouth (even after cooking it) you get sick! The local foodstands are all Ok,have never got sick from that,perhaps because I am Indonesian? I cannot eat dairy,you know the typical lactose intolerance for milk based products many Indo's have.But I dont like dairy anyway.

Hi Gina,
After many bad bouts, I have come to the conclusion that dairy doesn't work for me in the tropics either. I warn all my friends about this. Yet while I'm there I see many advertisements promoting milk for kids as a source of calcium.

That is an oldwife's tale to get people to drink milk.The marketing behind drinking milk is ridiculous.
There is MORE calcium in brocolli than milk. Plus in most store bought milk you get antibiotics,pesticides,hormones.Unless your milking your own cow on your own property. Goats milk is a bit better.
I cannot drink milk anywhere on this planet,not just in the tropics,not even one spoonfull of dairy.I hate the taste of it. I drink milk made from almonds,does not harm my stomach,no side effects.
http://www.notmilk.com
http://www.nomilk.com

Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) in milk threathens our health
When rBGH gets injected into dairy cows, milk production increases by as ... to produce a lot more milk - but it also makes them ... cows to increase their milk production by about 10
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/bgh.htm