Is Bali actually cheap? And how big do you need your one month in Bali budget to be in 2024? The answer is, it depends. 

While the most tourist-friendly areas and offers in Bali have significantly increased in price after Covid, there continue to be many budget-friendly options. 

Depending on your budget, you can do Bali for $1 per meal and a cheap night spent in a hostel, or for hundreds of dollars spent in luxurious villas with private pools. 

Overall, Bali is no longer the budget-friendly destination in paradise it once was. Many budget guidelines you might find out there, that promise a $ 20-a-day budget to be enough, are a bit outdated. 

I’ve lived in Bali for months at a time, most recently in the spring of 2024. As part of my digital nomad money management system, I tend to track my daily expenses down to the penny; expenses I’ll share with you below. 

If you’re spending one month in Bali as a digital nomad, your budget will mostly depend on your choice of accommodation and meals. The below offers an overview of four budget options, mostly focused on Ubud: backpackers’ budget, solo traveler, digital nomad couple, and a luxury option. 

The North of Bali tends to be cheaper, as are the neighboring islands, Lembongan and Penida. Canggu and Ubud require similar budgets, however, Uluwatu is generally up to 20% more expensive. 

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Visa and Pre-Flight Preparations and Costs

Indonesia requires tourists to apply for an electronic Visa on Arrival which typically costs $35 per person and is good for 30 days. Should you wish to stay longer, you can apply for 2 months upfront and then extend your visa for up to two times, for a total of 6 months. Depending on the agency you go through, this shouldn’t cost you more than $200 per extension. 

Bali is a gorgeous and safe island. However, it’s one with many health risks, such as earthquakes, dengue fever, and stomach upset. The driving etiquette is poor which can lead to frequent accidents. Therefore, I strongly encourage you to sign up for health insurance before touching the ground in Bali and make that part of your one month in Bali budget. 

I am signed up with PassportCard, a comprehensive international health insurance that focuses both on emergency and preventative care. If you only need insurance for emergencies, SafetyWing is the clear winner. One way or another, make sure you’re covered. 

Your airfare budget will vary depending on where you come from. I’ve found that Singapore Airlines, Scoot, and Qatar offer the best connections to Bali’s only airport, Denpasar. 

Overall, your pre-fight costs for one month in Bali entail: 

• $35 to $200 for visas
• $45 to $300 for health insurance 
• Your cost for flights 

Best Time of Year to Visit Bali

Bali and most of Indonesia have two distinct seasons: the dry (May-October) and the rainy season (November-April). Generally speaking, you’ll find lower prices during the rainy season. That said, locals have managed to look me dead in the eye in November, telling me it’s high-season…

The rainy season typically lasts from November to April, however, you’ll begin to get regular downpours of rain starting in early October. During the rainy season, the humidity levels are at their highest and you’ll likely have two to three hours of rain every afternoon. 

During the dry season, you can expect slightly lower levels of humidity and more tourists, though tourism is high throughout the year. 

The best time to visit Bali is between May/June or October. During these months, it’s shoulder season. While tourists will be fewer due to work and school schedules, the weather will be fantastic and you’ll have the best chance at catching Mama Bali at her best.

Your One Month in Bali Budget

I’m going to outline four distinct budgets: for backpackers, for solo travelers, for a digital nomad couple, and a luxury budget for nomads. This should give you a good overview and idea as to what your personal one month in Bali budget should look like.

Backpackers’ On Month in Bali Budget ($600-$800)

Accommodation:

Backpackers have a variety of hostels and homestays to choose from. When staying in Ubud, you can expect to get a room for under $10 without AC. A Room with AC will cost between $10-15. Dorm rooms are available wildly.

Food and drink:

For those traveling on a shoestring budget, Bali has plenty of Warungs, which are local restaurants, to offer. There, local dishes such as Cap Cay or Nasi Goreng won’t cost more than 10k Rupia (62 cents).

Note that, these days, many restaurants that cater to tourists with higher pricing now also call themselves ‘Warung’. Check if locals eat inside, if so, you’ll get local pricing, too.

Tap water is not potable in Bali, so make sure you budget for water. Typically, a 10 gallon container runs for 15000 rupiah ($1) when bought from a store (not from your host).

Transportation:

The most convenient way to get around Bali is by Grab car and bike. I’ve found Grab’s prices to be competitive with private drivers, and often far cheaper.

However, it’s cheaper to negotiate for a fair price for a bike rental. After some back and forth, you can usually get a Scoopy for $50 per month.

Activities:

Whether it’s a day trip to a waterfall from Ubud or a day by the beach in Canggu, there are plenty of free activities one can engage in when in Bali.

If you get to know some locals, they will likely invite you to a ceremony, a wedding, or just for dinner- it’s great fun. Most temples ask for donations, only a few require an entrance fee, which is typically no more than $3.

Daily budget example for backpackers in Bali:

Aside from health insurance, flights, and visas, a backpacker could look at this daily budget if spending one month in Bali:

• $10 for a solo bedroom without AC
• $5-10 for meals eating at Warungs
• $4 per week for Water
• $2-3 for a bike, if rented by the month
• $5 for activities
• $10 buffer for emergencies and miscellaneous things

A one month in Bali budget for backpackers is between $600-800, depending on activities and accommodation.

Solo Travelers’ One Month in Bali Budget ($1,100-$2,000)

Solo travelers, solo digital nomads, or expats, who have a bit of a more flexible budget, can get great value in Bali. 

When I first lived in Ubud as a solo digital nomad, I spent about $1000 a month on food, accommodation, and transportation. It could have been less, if I didn’t like my protein shakes and fancy cappuccinos. 

Since then, prices have gone up some. Here’s a current overview of a one-month in Bali budget for solo travelers: 

Accommodation:

Solo travelers will have a wide variety of private hotel rooms and villas to choose from. They typically start at $600 for a one bedroom villa without pool. These days, you can get a villa with pool for $900 upwards. Note that villas inside of resorts are significantly more expensive.

Food and drink:

Especially Ubud and Canggu have tons of cute cafes and restaurants where you can get lunch and a coffee for $7 to $10 a person. One of my favorite cafes in Ubud is Elephant Cafe.

I’d recommend finding a local produce shop instead of buying produce at a fancy supermarket. It’s fine to get some of your Western favorites from there, but the produce has much higher quality from the locals around the corner.

If you pair the occasional outing to cute restaurants with Warungs and cooking at home, you’ll likely spend no more than $250 to $300 per month per person.

Transportation:

It remains that renting your own scooter in Bali is the best-value option. If your budget allows, you can upgrade from a Scoopy to a better bike and pay around $80 for it.

Hiring a private driver over and over again will eventually provide you with a friends-and-family discount for longer trips to the harbor, North, or the airport.

Activities:

Budget allowing, I highly recommend a tour to the Uluwatu temple, and a sunrise trekking tour to Mount Batur. A trip to Lembongan or Penida will also provide you with unforgettable experiences.

This article will provide you insights into what to do in Bali. Generally, the Mt Batur trip shouldn’t cost more than $40, a boat transfer to Lembongan typically costs 500k Rupia a person round trip, and a tour to Uluwatu costs $35.

Daily budget example for solo travelers in Bali:

Aside from health insurance, flights, and visas, a solo traveler could look at this daily budget if spending one month in Bali:

• $20-30 for a solo villa or hotel room with AC
• $10-20 for meals eating at Warungs, home, and restaurants.
• $4 per week for Water
• $3-5 for a bike, if rented by the month
• $20-40 for activities
• $100 buffer for emergencies and miscellaneous things

A one month in Bali budget for solo travelers is between $1,100 and $2000, depending on activities and accommodation.

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Digital Nomad Couple’s Budget

When my boyfriend and I first moved in together, we were in Bali and quite surprised with the type of accommodations we found. 

We’d both lived in hostels and private villas before. We figured upgrading from two separate one-bedroom villas to one two-bedroom villa would save us money…we thought wrong. 

If you can manage with your loved one inside a one-bedroom villa, you’ll save money and can rent what’s shown above, however, if you need more space, budget for up to double. 

Not feeling Ubud? Check out how Bali compares to Chiang Mai

Accommodation:

As mentioned above, if you can manage in a one-bedroom villa, your budget can pretty much stay at $900 total.

However, if you’re looking for more space, you may need to spend slightly more, between $1200 and $1800 for a good quality villa that protects from nature, has AC, a pool, and isn’t too far in the suburbs.

Villas typically come with water, electricity, and weekly room cleaning.

Food and drink:

Doing a mix of cooking at home, buying produce locally, and eating both at nice restaurants and local warnings, we spent only $400 on groceries and $360 on eating out per month, for the both of us.

You can always go lower or higher, based on lifestyle, but let me tell you, I love a good healthy, balanced diet. In other words, this is by far not the cheapest way to eat in Bali as a digital nomad couple.

Transportation:

If you needed to, you could likely both get a bike from the same dealer at a great discounted price. If one bike costs $80 a month, two will likely go for $140 or so. Never tried it.

We just get a big(ish) bike that can carry us both through the mountains of Bali, pay $80 for it, and call it a day. 

This usually results in the occasional Grab ride and a total monthly expense of transportation of approximately $220. This also includes taxi rides to the harbor and airport. 

Activities:

If you’re working remotely in Bali, you can spend as much on Coworking spaces as you spend on your villa. Fret not, it’s so easy to find a nice cafe, pay for the cappuccino, and spend hours working on high-speed Wifi.

Aside from this, your activities budget will vary significantly based on the type of traveler you are.

We usually spend most of our budget on wellness: massages (130k Rupiah for 75 minutes), gym memberships (50k Rupiah a day), and my manicures (300K Rupiah on a quality, organic gel manicure).

Daily budget example for a digital nomad couple:

Aside from health insurance, flights, and visas, a digital nomad couple could look at this daily budget when spending one month in Bali:

• $30-60 for a solo villa or hotel room with AC
• $20-30 for meals eating at Warungs, home, and restaurants.
• $10 per week for Water
• $4-8 for a bike, if rented by the month
• $20-50 for activities
• $100 buffer for emergencies and miscellaneous things

A one month in Bali budget for a digital nomad couple is between $1,900 and $3,000, depending on activities and accommodation.

High-End Digital Nomad Budget

As easy as it is to find dinner for $1 in Bali, it’s even easier to jump to Booking.com and hand over $10,000 per month for a luxury villa.

This is why the below budget is a very rough approximate of what you can spend if you’ve already managed to grow your online coaching business to a place where your budget supports this level of spending.

Accommodation:

Many high-end resorts and hotels in Bali, especially Ubud, offer the option of booking a private villa with private pool and kitchen.

The amenities and services provided at that price level are impeccable. You can pick and choose your dreamy home via this deep dive. Typically, you can find a luxurious villa for $150 a night, or for $900.

Food and drink:

Much like anywhere, Bali, too boasts plenty of fine dining options. You can book a table at Michelin star restaurants, wine and dine at home with a private chef, or go on a private food tour.

Still, in the grant scheme of things, you can get an excellent meal for under $50 a person.

Transportation:

Honestly, I see a lot of pimped-up van limousines in Bali, hired by tourists looking to frivolously spend their money.

If you’re looking for a special experience, by all means…but aside from that, why not be your own master and rent a bike?

A new bike truly shouldn’t cost more than $120 rent per month, and private drivers all offer excellent service. No need to pay extra.

Activities:

Bali offers some pretty stunning retreats, such as this Silent Retreat Bali. Why not use this opportunity to go on a retreat (~ $300 for 4 days), take a Pranic Healing Class (~ $200), or train to become a meditation teacher (~ $1,000) at Alchemy Yoga and Meditation Center? The opportunities are endless.

Daily budget example:

If you’re looking for luxury in Bali, you can find it. A $5,000 a month budget will get you quite a bit of luxury in Bali. So will $4,000, and so can $10,000. So, take the below as a very general guide. Your daily budget could be…:

• $150-900 for a solo villa or hotel room with AC
• $50-100 for meals eating at high-end restaurants
• $10 per week for Water
• $4-8 for a bike, if rented by the month
• $50-200 for activities
• $1000 buffer for emergencies and miscellaneous things

A one month in Bali budget for a high-end experience can cost as little as $4000, and the sky is the limit.

My encouragement here would be to spend your money consciously: water, transportation, and groceries are generally going to cost the same at all budget levels.

Use your money to experience that private pool and get that in-depth spiritual education.

Frequently Asked Questions about a One Month in Bali Budget

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Bali offers magical experiences to those that choose to spend more than a few days in Bali – what are you most excited about a longer-term stay in Bali? Tell me in the comments.