Cheaper parts of Bali

Apollo

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Jun 14, 2017
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Hi everyone

I’m new here and looking for a bit of advice as I’m planning on moving to Bali for a year to write. During this time I will have no income, so I'm hoping to live on a budget of 5 million Rupiah a month or preferably less.
I don’t need any luxuries. The entire point of moving is to rid myself of distractions, so I won’t be needing a pool or even internet at home. I don’t need a blossoming night life or great restaurants. What I need is a steady diet of swimming in the ocean, napping in a hammock and plenty of time with nothing to do but sitting my ass down and getting some work done.
I’m looking for a small cabin near the beach. Away from the hustle and bustle of the more populated areas, but close enough to a town for groceries, ATM-service, and the weekly jaunt to a café for a sip of internet.
Does anyone here know which parts of Bali are most likely to accommodate this dream?
 

sakumabali

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Apr 2, 2010
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Hi Apollo welcome. Do you have ever been on Bali? You know that beaches on Bali aren't that pretty. The way you describe it sounds more like Thailand. There are still cheap places on bali but there's often no touristic infrastructure. I lived in Negara from 2005-2008 and yes it'd been cheap but there wasn't much. Take Bukit as an example. I'm very sure you find a room/kos somewhere cheap away from the famous surf spots. But it'll be dirty, run down, noisy (roosters & dogs) & smelly (they still burn plastic trash etc). You can get your bakso & nasi around everywhere. They won't rent a bule a Kos for the same price as locals but for 1 million monthly you should get something simple. Rent a bike.
You can live (survive) with 5 million monthly but I don't think it'll be "inspiring" these days on Bali.
The In-Crowd is in Canggu on the beaches (Batu Bolong etc). There are plenty of distraction & guesthouses. Some people like it, some don't.
If you go more west, there's Pererenan & Seseh. You'll find a cheap room somewhere (I heard that foreigners who rent a "villa" sublet rooms for 3-5 million monthly) but the beaches aren't pretty. If you surf or you have somehow a strong bond to Bali it might be ok but otherwise i would reconsider. In the south you can easily spend a million Rupiah a day and that's nothing fancy. 300.000 Rupiah for a room to stay. Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner 300.000, Rent of a motorbike, Some drinks...
 

davita

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Mar 13, 2012
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Hi Apollo and welcome to the forum.
Your introduction is exciting and maybe others can help but, imo... Bali isn't as cheap as you might realize.
There are many other Indonesian islands where your frugality may be better diversified.
 
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Apollo

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Jun 14, 2017
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Thanks for the answers. I was aware that southern Bali is expensive, but I thought the rest of the island might still be somewhat on the cheap side. Now I think I may have to give Thailand and the lesser known Indonesian islands a look over. Thanks for the heads up.
 

Markit

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Sep 3, 2007
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Karangasem, Bali
5 mil is pushing the envelope for a westerner, a lot.

You might be able to find a place at a simple loseman or kos for 2 or 3 million a month with cooking facilitiy (single ring gas cooker) which would allow you to stretch the budget a bit by cooking for yourself but you would need some form of transport (1.5 mil/month motor scooter) to go food shopping.

Nah! not do-able, no matter how I turn it, you'd die here. Your visas alone will cost you 10 mil/year not counting in the travel to get them.
 
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Mark

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Apr 19, 2004
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Living in Bali on 12 bucks a day (or preferably less) in 2017, housing, food, transportation and visas included! Wow mate, if you can do it, that's your book. Unfortunately, I agree with the other posters that your budget is unrealistic and I can't imagine you will be able to make that number work anywhere else in Indonesia. But good luck though and let us know how it works out.
 

DenpasarHouse

Active Member
Aug 13, 2013
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Unfortunately, I agree with everyone else. It's just not doable.10 million a month and you'd be able to do what you're talking about. In my opinion, the quality of life outside of the big cities and tourist areas is pretty crappy. @sakumabali was spot on. Also, just my opinion, but life without a motor scooter is almost intolerable. Walking around in the tropical heat gets very old, very fast.
 

justgary

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Feb 10, 2015
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Hi everyone

I’m new here and looking for a bit of advice as I’m planning on moving to Bali for a year to write. During this time I will have no income, so I'm hoping to live on a budget of 5 million Rupiah a month or preferably less.
I don’t need any luxuries. The entire point of moving is to rid myself of distractions, so I won’t be needing a pool or even internet at home. I don’t need a blossoming night life or great restaurants. What I need is a steady diet of swimming in the ocean, napping in a hammock and plenty of time with nothing to do but sitting my ass down and getting some work done.
I’m looking for a small cabin near the beach. Away from the hustle and bustle of the more populated areas, but close enough to a town for groceries, ATM-service, and the weekly jaunt to a café for a sip of internet.
Does anyone here know which parts of Bali are most likely to accommodate this dream?


If you look around you will find something. I'm paying 15 million rupiah for a whole year. 1 bedroom 2 bathrooms. Kitchen lounge and external sitting area. Oh and carport on a beautiful block.
 

sakumabali

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Apr 2, 2010
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You're paying 15 million UPFRONT. that's a big difference ;) you put that dosh on the table and that's it. If the rainy season starts and you find out that the roof is leaking the landlord will just shrug his shoulders. Not his problem but yours. I saw this all & more. The banjar suddenly thinking you should pay 500.000 Rupiah every month because they need the money and you are the only Bule? Oh you don't want to pay, you can move out and lose the yearly rent upfront. Good business for the landlord who's often in the very same banjar.

No chance to test the waters. All in.
 

justgary

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Feb 10, 2015
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It
You're paying 15 million UPFRONT. that's a big difference ;) you put that dosh on the table and that's it. If the rainy season starts and you find out that the roof is leaking the landlord will just shrug his shoulders. Not his problem but yours. I saw this all & more. The banjar suddenly thinking you should pay 500.000 Rupiah every month because they need the money and you are the only Bule? Oh you don't want to pay, you can move out and lose the yearly rent upfront. Good business for the landlord who's often in the very same banjar.

No chance to test the waters. All in.

It's rained and didn't leak. Infact they installed an air-conditioned into the bedroom. Gratis. No issues with us so far.
 

justgary

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Feb 10, 2015
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Lucky you ;) others weren't so lucky. In some cases even Balinese got cheated by Balinese

Yes I do not doubt it. But for us so far so good. I'm not niaive to think I have many rights in Bali but so far we have been treated extremely well.
 

harryopal

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May 5, 2016
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Am curious to know what area? And if it is not too impertinent, what street? I want to Google it and get an idea of the surrounds as location has much to do with price.
 

spicyayam

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Jan 12, 2009
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You can rent a kos in Lovina for about 500,000 rupiah per month. It is basically just 1 room with cold shower. There are some newer places available with small garden. You can set up a stove on your terrace to cook like many locals. If you don't count in the obvious flights/insurance/visas, I think it is possible. Shop at local markets etc and don't drink much. Or if you do drink, switch to Arak which I am told you can get bottles for 25,000.
 

justgary

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Feb 10, 2015
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It depends on what you want. I don't want Seminyak or canguu. Each to their own. We love it. Besides nothing is far in Bali.
 

sakumabali

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Apr 2, 2010
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It'd be true if there would be better & more streets or / and less traffic. It's frustrating if your gym on the sunset road is just 5 km away and you need 45 minutes
From Balian you can go either with motorbike (and then dealing with lunatic truck drivers on speed (and I mean here every interpretation possible)) or car (you'll stuck behind overloaded broken trucks til you reach "civilization" and join the rank of gazillion of other cars in Jalan Canggu). I'd ask myself where is the next hospital? Negara is a joke and I watched a man dying in Pekutatan because there wasn't even the basic equipment and the nurse was heavily pregnant. Tabanan is a joke too. How you want to get out of there if you have a surfing accident? Scary. Where's the next proper supermarket? Hardy's in Negara? Kawan in Tabanan? Not really right.
 
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justgary

Member
Feb 10, 2015
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A
It'd be true if there would be better & more streets or / and less traffic. It's frustrating if your gym is just 5 km away and you need 45 minutes
From Balian you can go either with motorbike (and then dealing with lunatic truck drivers on speed (and I mean here every interpretation possible)) or car (you'll stuck behind overloaded broken trucks til you reach "civilization" and join the rank of gazillion of other cars in Jalan Canggu). I'd ask myself where is the next hospital? Negara is a joke and I watched a man dying in Pekutatan because there wasn't even the basic equipment and the nurse was heavily pregnant. Tabanan is a joke too. How you want to get out of there if you have a surfing accident? Scary. Where's the next proper supermarket? Hardy's in Negara? Kawan in Tabanan? Not really right.

All well noted and yes the traffic is a shocker. We plan really on staying where we are predominantly so not to much driving.Luckily I don't surf so no sharks for me. As for western supermarkets I'm sure we will be ok. When retired time is of little consequence so a few hours drive will be ok. In time all this could change but for now it's ok.
 

JackStraw

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2017
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5 mil is pushing the envelope for a westerner, a lot.

You might be able to find a place at a simple loseman or kos for 2 or 3 million a month with cooking facilitiy (single ring gas cooker) which would allow you to stretch the budget a bit by cooking for yourself but you would need some form of transport (1.5 mil/month motor scooter) to go food shopping.

Nah! not do-able, no matter how I turn it, you'd die here. Your visas alone will cost you 10 mil/year not counting in the travel to get them.
Where the heck do you get your motorbike from? I never pay more that 600k a month to rent one...