Thread: Total Costs for 3 months is Bali

My husband and I are looking to do a 'working' holiday in Bali from about Jan next year for approx 3 months, however i've heard that getting a job over there is not really worth it. I've been reading about your costs of living and various other forums and I wanted to get it very clear the costs and everything involved with an extended holiday.

Going by Australian exchange rates 7000Rp/A$1 the average spending PER MONTH was like $180 - $360. I spend more than that a WEEK over here. When you say that are you talking just rent, or rent, food, travelling, power, etc.

We're not sure whether to try and get jobs for a few weeks or just save heaps. The only prob with that is if we don't have jobs we'd just run amuck shopping and being a big tourist and waste all our money in weeks and have to go home again. Having a job would give us something to do during the day thats all and probably help with our shopping addiction.

any thoughts would be appreciated. thanks guys

Tabsta...

Obviously you can afford to support yourself there for three months, it's not so easy to pickup a few weeks work there and illegal also. Why dont you and your husband think about doing some volunteer work there, then you can pass some time towards a good cause and enjoy the extended holiday.

Just food for thought :D

if you want to stay for a longer period of time you should maby do some planning on what kind of Visa to use and also how to get it and the fees involved... then take it from there. :idea:

I totally agree with "73."

If your point is to keep busy while on extended stay in Bali, charity work is the way to go. As long as you are not receiving any compensation, or reimbursement for your efforts, that kind of activity is perfectly legal within the Indonesian visa regulations.

There are a number of organizations here that would really appreciate your efforts. Just do a search on the internet. My personal favorites are the Helen Flavel Foundation, and the East Bali Poverty Project…but there are a lot more.

Another suggestion is that when in Bali you become associated with the local Rotary organization in the area you settle in. Bali has a number of very effective Rotary clubs which always welcome new members, even if only for a temporary period.

Hi all....totally new but also interested in spending substantial time in Bali. I'm all about living light tho...nasi for brekkie and lunch and who knows, maybe sup too. backpack and surfboard (hopefully)....Can anyone fill me in on the condition of hostels (if any) over there; and their general cost per night/or week? Much appreciated! :o

Candace! I can't believe it! I just met a really nice guy at Naughty Nuri's Warung (a local and rather infamous expat hangout in Ubud) last week from of all places...Saskatchewan!

Now, more than in the recent past, a brave and adventurous traveler can do very, very well on Bali. Forget hostels, as they really don’t exist here. In Bali, the cheapest, and often the most rewarding stays can be what are called homestays. These are somewhat “Spartan” accommodations within Balinese compounds. I say they can be most rewarding as literally you live with a Balinese family, and maybe one or two other foreign guests, and this cultural experience is certainly nothing that someone paying $500 a night in Nusa Dua has any idea about.

If you haven’t already, get a recent copy of the Lonely Planet guide to Bali/Lombok. This is still the best guide for budget minded travelers to Bali, although by the time even the most current issue gets to print, there are areas which will be outdated, and not reflective of the most recent changes. Nonetheless, this guide is inarguably the best, especially for the back packer.

The only other piece of valuable advice is that to the extent possible, learn the local language, bahasa Indonesia, BEFORE you arrive. Do a Google or Yahoo search on Bahasa Indonesia as there are a number of free and useful sites to help you in this regard. At the level you will be traveling, do not expect most Balinese and others you run into to speak English very well.

Can Bali “be done” at US $20 a day? Yes it can, and you might think about what some other experienced back packers have taught me about Bali. They call it the “reward system.” This is self imposed, and the idea is to live for five or so days at or below budget, and then splurge for a day...as with a modest bungalow, a nice hot shower, (instead of the usual cold mandi), and maybe a good steak or burger with French fries!

Unlike many other areas of the world which now seem to frown on “cheap” backpackers, Bali remains one of those very welcomed places where you are valued more for you character, and interest in Bali, than your wallet...although, there are exceptions to be sure.

I hope you have a great trip. It will be an adventure, that is for certain!

PS...one more thing. For a stay beyond one month, you will need a visa which you must obtain in Canada from the Indonesian Embassy closest to where you live. If you do a search on this forum, you will find the information you need regarding that.

tabsta, it is just not practical to turn up in Bali and get a job for 3 months. The working visa costs financially prohibit you from doing so. Even if you did pay the visa costs (approx USD 100/month) you could only expect to earn around AUD $100 a month as local wages.

You need to be able to support yourselves and get a social visa (6 months) or an extended tourist visa (2 months). As Roy and others suggest, keep yourself busy with volunteer work and leave the jobs for the locals who need them more than you do.