Indonesia delivers one of the best value-for-money equations in Asia for Western travellers. The benchmark of around €40 (roughly USD 45) per person per day covers a comfortable mid-range trip: a clean air-conditioned double room in a small hotel or guesthouse, three varied meals and a couple of activities. Budget travellers can comfortably dial that down to USD 20-30 per day in dorms or basic ventilated rooms, eating in warungs and renting scooters for around USD 5-7 per day. Mid-range travellers sit comfortably at USD 50-90 a day in private rooms with pool access and the occasional restaurant splurge. At the high end — private-pool villas in Ubud, Seminyak or Uluwatu, daily spa treatments, fine dining — daily costs climb past USD 150-300 per person.
By spending category, here are realistic numbers. Accommodation: dorm bed 80,000-150,000 IDR (USD 5-10), standard double 200,000-500,000 IDR (USD 13-33), private-pool villa 800,000-2,500,000 IDR (USD 53-165). Food: warung meal 15,000-35,000 IDR (USD 1-2.50), mid-range restaurant 80,000-200,000 IDR (USD 5-13), fine dining in Seminyak or Ubud 300,000-600,000 IDR (USD 20-40) per person. Transport: scooter hire 80,000-120,000 IDR per day (USD 5-8), private driver with car 600,000-900,000 IDR per day (USD 40-60). Activities: two-hour surf lesson 200,000-300,000 IDR (USD 13-20), guided dive 350,000-600,000 IDR (USD 23-40), hour-long Balinese massage 150,000-400,000 IDR (USD 10-27).
A few practical pointers will make daily life easier. Withdraw cash from ATMs at major banks rather than the independent currency-exchange counters in Kuta and Seminyak, where rates are markedly worse. Scooter hire is the default form of transport for most visitors — an international driving permit is legally required and rarely checked, but the road accident rate in Bali is real, so always wear a helmet and drive defensively. Local SIM cards (Telkomsel, XL) are sold at the airport on arrival for around 100,000-150,000 IDR with generous data allowances. Tap water is not drinkable anywhere in Indonesia; refill from sealed bottles or, better still, use the filtered refill stations that have become standard in eco-conscious guesthouses.
Read also
- Bali, the Island of the Gods — Ubud rice fields, Canggu surf, temples and wellness culture: the complete guide to Bali.
- Lombok and the Gili Islands — Mount Rinjani, the wild beaches of the south coast and the crystal-clear shallows of the Gilis.
- Ubud, the cultural heart of Bali — Terraced rice fields, the Monkey Forest and Balinese craft villages in the hills of Bali.
- Canggu, Bali's surf village — World-class waves, third-wave cafés and Indian Ocean sunsets on Bali's west coast.
- Gili Trawangan, the jewel of the Gilis — Snorkel with green turtles, white-sand beaches and a car-free island vibe.