Bali is undoubtedly one of the most popular places in Indonesia. This is true both for tourists聽and expatriates. The island does not lack charm, with its welcoming inhabitants, its rich culture,聽its relaxed atmosphere, its many activities, its gourmet addresses, and its international schools.聽For several years now, the Island of the Gods has been witnessing exponential development,聽especially in terms of real estate. There are now many options for those who wish to settle in聽Bali, from villas to apartments, houses with gardens, duplexes, and more.
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Bali is the ideal land for expats. This goes for single candidates as well as those who move in聽with their family since nannies and babysitters' fees are very affordable.
Regarding healthcare, the number of hospitals and medical facilities has increased on the聽island. Be aware, however, that the public healthcare standards in Indonesia are far from being聽up to Western standards and that medical services in private clinics are quite expensive.
Therefore, make sure that all members of your family are covered by a solid health insurance.
How to choose accommodation in Bali?
Air-conditioning is available in most of the accommodations in Bali. This is an essential feature,聽namely for expatriates who find it difficult to adapt to the heat and humidity of the country.
Keep in mind, however, that electric power distribution in Bali tends to be somewhat erratic聽sometimes. For this reason, it might be wise to check whether your future home is equipped聽with a generator and an inverter. The same goes for the telephone: check for an existing聽connection, as it can be quite difficult to get a new landline installed in some Balinese areas,聽namely those far from the major urban centers.
Renting accommodation in Bali
One can easily find accommodation for all budgets in Bali, even for the tightest ones, without聽necessarily sacrificing comfort or location. The island has many luxury, Western-style聽apartment complexes, which will allow you to rent a property, for example, before buying on聽lease. As a matter of fact, according to local laws, foreigners are not entitled to full ownership聽in Indonesia.
Most apartments are rented with hotel-like services and offer all the necessary modern聽amenities. For instance, you could already be equipped with cable TV, a shared swimming pool聽in some cases, along with cleaning services, an Internet connection, and sometimes even聽cutlery!
If you are on a tight budget, you can always rent a kost. This is a small apartment with one or聽two rooms arranged around a central courtyard and is often very modest in size, usually more聽or less than 9 or 10m 2 . In that case, don't be too picky about the location or the amenities and聽be prepared to borrow or buy furniture, as most of these units are not rented furnished.
Most kost rentals are to be paid on a weekly basis. Otherwise, you will have to pay the full聽rental fee for one or two years from the moment you sign the rental agreement, just as is the聽case for other rental contracts in Bali. But you might also be able to negotiate to make monthly聽payments. Bear in mind that kost rentals start at around IDR 300,000 per week, but most of the聽time at such price, these accommodations are very poorly maintained.
For basic monthly rental fees, you should expect to spend at least IDR 500,000. Also, be aware聽that there are luxury kosts that have sprung up all around Bali in recent years. They are more spacious, more comfortable and fully equipped, and are ideal for single expats. They come with聽air-conditioning, WIFI, TV, bathroom and water heater, as well as common facilities such as a聽balcony, kitchen and laundry room. The rent revolves around 2 million IDR per month, and in聽some cases, even more. Meanwhile, the apartments, which are becoming more and more聽common in Bali, are usually western style. Most are fully equipped and rented with maid聽service, Wi-Fi and a small pantry included are available as from IDR 6 million (USD 420) and up聽per month.
As for the high-end villas and estates that Bali is famous for, they usually offer spectacular聽ocean views and are leased with pools and staff. These units are, in most cases, one to two-story homes and feature an aesthetically pleasing traditional Balinese design. Rental contracts can vary from one night to three years. For a two-bedroom villa with a pool located near the聽beach in the Canggu area, expect to pay a minimum of IDR 250 million (about US$17,187) per聽year. For the most luxurious villas, expect to pay over IDR 500,000 million annually. You should聽also know that not all villas in Bali are available for long-term rentals. Many are reserved for聽tourists, and rental is payable per night. However, because of the Covid-19 epidemic in聽Indonesia, which has reduced the number of tourists in Bali as well as elsewhere in the country,聽some of the tourist-only villas are now available for long-term rentals at more modest prices.
Keep in mind that in Indonesia, in most cases, you will be required to pay for your rental in聽advance, or at least part of it (usually half), as per the lease duration. For example, for a two-year contract in Canggu, expect to pay at least US$20,000 before you move in.
Since villa prices are quite high, you can opt for villa sharing. This system consists of renting a聽room within a shared villa. For this option, expect to pay around IDR 6 to 8 million (USD 400 to聽550) per month, depending on the size and facilities offered.
Within the last few years, due to the growing popularity of the startup culture and digital聽nomads in Indonesia, many coworking spaces have sprung up in Bali. Some of them offer聽accommodation to their members, based on a mode of living space sharing known as coliving.
For example, the Dojo Bali coworking space in Canggu offers accommodation that includes a聽private room with an en-suite bathroom, daily cleaning service, clean linens, and unlimited聽work time for USD 1050 to 1350 per month. As for Hub Bali, a coworking space located in the聽heart of Legian City, it offers 2-bedroom apartments for rent for unlimited time for USD 1,200聽per month. This option is perfect for digital nomads who want to be able to live and work聽quickly once in Bali.
Choosing your neighborhood in Bali
Kuta
Although Kuta is the tourist center of Bali, very few expatriates have chosen to settle there. As a聽matter of fact, the area is full of souvenir stores and western restaurants that do not聽particularly reflect the Balinese lifestyle. Due to its touristy nature, Kuta is very crowded and聽offers little peace and quiet to its few residents. However, if you enjoy the hustle and bustle聽and the crowds, this could be your little piece of paradise in Bali!
Seminyak and Canggu
In the vicinity of Seminyak, it is possible to find good restaurants, large houses and protected聽villas. In Canggu, there are mainly villas, high-end聽apartments, five-star hotels and some of the聽finest restaurants on the island. This is probably the most popular residential area for expats in聽Bali. Inland, you'll find modern facilities and less expensive accommodations.
Sanur south of Denpasar
You will find many places to rent in the Sanur area south of Denpasar. The area has a tranquil聽environment and is very close to beaches and international schools. Because of its relaxing聽surroundings and affordable prices, it is a popular area for retirees.
Ubud
Here is another place where you can enjoy life. Ubud is very popular with its residents who聽cherish its positive energy, artistic atmosphere and proximity to nature. Life in Ubud is much聽more relaxed, with excellent cafes and yoga studios at every corner.
Uluwatu
Uluwatu is the capital of Indonesian surfing. It is a place of unparalleled natural beauty with聽impressive cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean and a huge variety of waves for all surf levels.聽Many warungs (Balinese family businesses) are perched on the cliffs, sometimes in a rather聽improbable way. The beaches at the foot of these imposing rock walls are beautiful, especially聽on the side of Padang-Padang. At the top of the cliffs, you will not only find excellent聽bars/restaurants such as the famous Single Fin but also other beautiful villas and more聽affordable accommodation.
If none of these places appeal to you, head north or east of Bali, where there are far fewer聽expats and where you can enjoy a much more traditional Balinese lifestyle.
Finding accommodation in Bali
If you're still looking for accommodation in Bali, it is strongly recommended that you hire a real聽estate agent. They will be able to advise you based on your needs and desires, and prepare a聽list of accommodations to rent that fit your budget. Specialists such as Bali Treasure Property,聽Bali Villa Management or Ray White (an Australian agency with a branch in Bali) will assist you聽in finding a long-term villa if you so wish. However, be careful to clearly state your budget so聽that the agency can provide you with a suitable property. Do not hesitate to visit the offices of聽the property management companies in person if you are particularly interested in a property.
Otherwise, you can always join Facebook groups and communities, such as Canggu Community,聽where expats often share information about rooms for rent in their villas. As for The Bali聽Advertiser, which is published every two weeks and is available for free, it is considered a聽valuable guide for expats as it contains classifieds and advertisements for properties available聽for rent or purchase in Bali.
Ask around if you like the concept of homestay. You could then benefit from a night or week's聽accommodation at a low price.
If you prefer to live away from the city, the beach and areas with a high concentration of聽expatriates, head to Denpasar, which has an increasing number of modern and affordable kost.
On the other hand, the most luxurious and expensive accommodations in Bali are often found聽in gated communities. Some of the most beautiful and exclusive gated communities include the聽beautiful Perum Nusa Dua Hill, Ketut Lunas, Guru Pindekan, Westcome Community, Kwrobokna聽Townhouse, and Twenty Nine House, to name a few. Most of these controlled access聽neighborhoods are located around Denpasar, but there are others all over the island.
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