Sydjapan
Hi everyone! I looked back in the archives and came across my OWN post which was made almost a year and a half ago! Wow.... I was asking for information on basic living costs (particularly the North - Singaraja area) for a variety of things. As I am still moving ahead with plans to move to Bali (spring - next Fall) I am revisiting the topic. I noticed that over 1100 views were made on my previous post so there seems to be interest - likely by people in my situation (?) With rising costs, I am thinking that a year and half ago and current prices may be somewhat different for various things. Please correct me if this assumption is wrong... Internet, for example...Is it better these days (quality/cost)?Of course cost of living is related to lifestyle...but....My situation:Single 45TeacherNo dependentsInterested in a house of 2 bedrooms (no pool necessary - beach area not necessary)Probably buy a used/new car?Insurance taken care of...Don't drink (much) nor smokeI have local friends and volunteer with an educational foundationThings to consider?HousingUtilities (elec/gas/water)Internet/TVPhonecar costsI was just about to add "food" and am thinking that maybe this post doesn't make so much sense??? The answers would likely be all over the map...again - TOTALLY dependent on lifestyle... :oops: A "survey" of how much people generally spend on a monthly basis might not make much more sense but at least it would give a ballpark idea...though this is also a "personal" topic, I realise.I will be in Bali for a short trip at Christmas/New Year....any suggestions on where to start looking for a place? I would like to be "between" Lovina and Singaraja but open to other possibilities....Thanks in advance for bearing with this somewhat convoluted post... :)
mimpimanis
Hi SydjapanI will start you off with some of our expenses. We live fairly simply.Housing - we have a 3 bedroom, 2 floor house which we pay 25 million per year. Car - A new Xenia 18 months ago was costing 100 million. Not sure what they are going for now.Gas - a cylinder of gas costs Rp65,000 lasts us about 6/8 weeks.Electricity - We pay about 300,000 per monthWater - we pay a bout 50,000 per monthCable TV - Indovision has packages at rp149,000 & 179,000 and you can add extra Sports and movie packages on top for Rp85,000. Internet - dial up can be reasonably cheap but we have broadband from Global Extreme at Rp1,100,000 per month.Car costs - I find the Xenia very economical on petrol. Less than Rp200,000 for a full tank.Services at Dihatsu cost between rp250,000 - 350,000 (so far)
Sydjapan
Hi Mimpimanis!Thanks so much! This is what I was hoping for! You have already given me a fair idea of a few things. I waxs thinking 18-24 million per year - and maybe better if I get a 2 year lease?Will take my time on the car situation. I read on another forum that the "used" car market in Indonesia isn't a great deal? Better off going for something new? Any thoughts on this? In Japan, it is the EXACT opposite where a used car can be a great deal...I was going to ask, but will Google to see what a "Xenia" is...I'm not even much of an AC person and if I live "up" hills a ways, I imagine my electric bill won't be so high. :) TV...actually, I don't watch much but I am a HUGE sports fan, so for NBA or NHL (hockey) I would definitely subscribe. Does anyone know if there is an NBA or NHL pack or if games can be watched on some channels? In Japan I have access to "NBA Leauge Pass".Internet...wow...I know from my friends that internet in the North is very "unreliable". Would they be talking about dial up? Anyone in the North have insight on Internet in Singaraja area?Thanks again....very helpful! :)
mimpimanis
Xenia is from Diahtsu and one of the cheapest cars aroundhttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bxHVZFm8XoY/Ri3ENQhZvzI/AAAAAAAAANM/A0HhqwU_BcI/s320/daihatsu-xenia.jpg[/img]I did look at some second hand cars at first but found them to be quite expensive, some more so than a new Xenia, so figured I would go with new. Also we could get credit on a new car :wink: We don't use Aircon - those are the costs of our electricity without it. Having said that, the house we are in at the moment has a prepay meter, you have to buy pulsa a bit like a hp. Since moving here I have found we are paying more. I dont know if it is because of the meter or because this house has so many lights - even though we use low energy bulbs. We do have two pumps going 24/7 one for the fish and one for a water feature.
Jimbo
A thousand pounds a month I find to be plenty and includes all of the above. Own my own place so rent not included and yet to buy a car which is a one off anyhow.
mimpimanis
one thousand pounds a month is about 16 million per month and gives a very good standard of living. Over and above our bills (and credit payments)at the moment we are probably spending another 3/4 million per month. So it is possible to do it a lot cheaper too.When we have more money we spend more but when we don't it is possible to do it a lot cheaper.
ronb
Internet...wow...I know from my friends that internet in the North is very "unreliable". Would they be talking about dial up? Anyone in the North have insight on Internet in Singaraja area?[/quote]Some people have Telkom Speedie and are happy - but for this you need a telephone line to the house which is not all that common, and you need your local telephone exchange to be modern enough to support ADSL (Singaraja and Lovina exchanges do - but Seririt maybe doesn't) and the length and quality of the phone line between the house and the exchange are critical. You don't want to be more than about 8 Km from the exchange, and you don't want a line that crackles for voice calls.Many people must seek other options and providers like Spicelink in Lovina will set you up with a line-of-sight radio link to one of their towers.You ask about how much things have changes in the last couple of years, and the reliability. The costs from local providers have decresed a bit - maybe 15% over 2 years. The reliability is getting better, although sometimes the service disappears, you ring to ask and get an answer that may be* our technicians are working on a server* our service provider (could be Telkom or XL) has problems* or occasionally it relates to undersea cables to Singapore or MalaysiaSometimes there are power cuts, and our local Internet service providers do not seem to have any protection to keep the service alive through power cuts.
spicyayam
I use Spicelink and it has frequent problems. I pay for their fastest package which is 1 million a month.
noodles
For internet, I use Bali Medianet service, RP500,000/monthly, they offer 24hrs customer services to my suprise, when the last time mine cable error interlinkage at 10pm that still have CS helped me to solve, it's amazed at Bali... Somehow most important expense is food for me at Bali :oops:
Markit
Somehow most important expense is food for me at Bali :oops:[/quote]Oh how correct Noodles, without food the rest just aint so much fun lolLets mention food - I love it! Not so keen on the Balinese stuff so will talk about the basics:Filet Mignon (local stock) - very good quality and if fresh very tasty, don't know why so many want the imported stuff? Costs between 65K and 85K/kiloPork filet (huge! more the size of calves filet) also excellent quality and since the locals seem to prefer the fat to the meat quite available. Cost 30K/kiloWatermelon- 10K eachEggs - 10K/kilo (about 14)Rice- 10k/5kilos (I actually find the rice here shitty and tasteless, tend to buy the brown rice but that isn't so much better, just browner :oops: )Potatoes- why doesn't anyone mention the Balinese potatoes - they are excellent, usually those little butter yellow ones that taste sooo good. About 10k/kiloBacon - pack of 250 grams from Hardys - 20kHam " " "Cheese - forget it! If you need to have rotten milk in your life, bring your own cow. I love it but can't rationalize importing it so I do without. Mostly, except for the occasional cheeseburger :oops: Tomatoes - 4k/kiloScotch! - have actually found an Indonesian scotch that isn't too bad at all (high praise) and costs about 35k/300ml - dirt cheap and not too damn bad, oh, said that already well I mean it.I'm sure there are many more but I'm hungry now so that's all
noodles
Oh Markit, you're really good "housewife" that I think :lol: you know the price of all the food/vegetable....Amazing :shock: Seems that you often go and buy things by urself like local housewife :D
