Waking up in a beach bungalow to a sunrise over the ocean, surfing powerful waves in dreamy locations or eating out from breakfast to dinner is the live version of living your best life, right?
Well, that’s an accurate definition of Bali and you don’t need to go break the bank to live the island life… Traveling Bali on a budget is 100% possible if you follow this 26 Bali budget tips.
You’re travelling to Bali for the first time and you don’t really know what to expect? Indonesia is one of the countries that offers the most diverse landscapes.
This country is an infinite playground for nature lovers with its numerous Bali waterfalls, volcanos, natural pools, white sand beaches, underwater life, incredible traditions such as the Kecak dance…
So, how much do you need to live comfortably in Bali? Honestly, you need very little money from the westerner point of view.
For instance, you can get a room in a nice resort or a one hour massage for as little as 5€ (80,000 IDR). So yes, the “Bali on any budget” motto is not a legend!
In 2019, I did an internship in Bali in a travel agency, even though I was a broke student. Living in Bali on a budget is something I’ve worked on a lot to make the most of my stay. I did not deprive myself of any exploratory road trips, and visited the hidden gems of the North of Bali for instance.
Bali budget travel : Quick Estimation
You want to have the most correct idea of what could be an accurate Bali budget for 2 weeks or a Bali for a month budget? You landed on the right page, here’s a long detailed Bali blogpost about every expense you should plan. But in a few words, you should spend around 25€ (430 000 IDR) a day for accommodation, food, transport or at two or three activities!
How to travel Bali on a budget?
How to get to Bali?
Cheap flights to Bali
Bali budget airline
First think first, you need to actually get to Bali! I can’t recommend only one specific airline because it obviously depends on if you come from the other side of the world a country nearby, such as the Philippines or Singapore…
I personally came from France and only booked my plane tickets to Bali a few weeks in advance, in high season. It costed me around 700€ and I was able to visit many countries during my round trip to Bali, but I’ll get on that later. Here’s the journey I did :
- Paris – Shanghaï (long stopover) – Manila : China Eastern Airlines
- Manila – Bali : Philippines AirAsia
- Bali – Singapore (long stopover) – Athens : Scoot Airlines
- Athens – Paris : Aegean Airlines
Indeed, that’s a lot of planes and you can obviously make it much faster if you’re in a hurry. There are lots of cheap flights to Bali to be found on plane search engines, like Skyscanner. Let me give you a life saving tip right here : divide your Bali itinerary into different flights.
Why? It will help you save loads of money because you can actually choose a flight to a country nearby or on the way to your destination that is much cheaper than flying straight to Bali. But it doesn’t stop here, you also get to spend as much time as you want in another country!
Long layover flights or planned stops on the way
Enjoy an extended layover in a city you’d like to visit! The plane tickets are usually much cheaper. From Paris to Bali, you can visit temples during your 12 hours Shanghaï layover or stroll through Gardens by the Bay, a huge avatar world, during your Singapore layover.
The second option is to book two different flights separately. By doing this, you can choose to visit a nearby country for as long as you want! For instance, I stayed four days in the Philippines on my way to Bali and lived the once-in-a-lifetime experience to get tattooed by Apo Whang-Od, the oldest tattoo artist in the world.
Bali from Jakarta or Java : by Bus or Car
If you started your trip from Java, where is located the indonesian capital Jakarta, you don’t necessarily need to book a flight to Bali. There are buses connecting Jakarta to Bali in 24 hours. Yes, it’s a long drive if you do the full journey but you’ll see lots of landscapes!
Bali from Indonesian Islands : by Boat
There are ferries connecting Bali to all the indonesian islands! It’s very easy to do a weekend trip to paradise islands nearby. You can see the breathtaking T-Rex cliff of Nusa Penida, the untouched wild nature of Lombok or the dragons of Komodo islands.
Bali budget hotels
So, where to stay in Bali on a budget? If you want to stay in one city during all your trip and go around from there, I would recommend the area of Seminyak, Canggu and Legian, Ubud or Uluwatu. The other best cities to stop at during a Bali road trip are Lovina, Amed and Munduk. In all cases, I would recommend booking online before going. All the cheap hostels in Bali are well referenced on the web and usually go from 2€ (35,000 IDR) to 20€ (350,000 IDR) !
Where to stay in Seminyak?
Seminyak is where Bali nightlife is at its best, there are tons of beaches and cute restaurants. It’s where I was based for my job so I didn’t try Bali budget accommodation there, but I heard about the Haven Bali Seminyak, for 19€ (330,000 IDR) per night, near the Seminyak Beach.
Where to stay in Uluwatu?
Uluwatu on the other side is more for surfers and cliff point of views addicts! Just like in any other places mentioned in this article, you can find hotels and hostels from 2€ (35,000 IDR) and 15€ (260,000 IDR) per night. You just gotta find the right one for you and that’s what I’m here for! If you want a private double room in a great homestay for 9€ per night, I recommend Willy Homestay.
Where to stay in Ubud?
You can find unreal Bali budget villas in Ubud as it’s the very heart of the island, both spiritually and geographically. The Pillow Inn Ubud offers beds in shared dorms from around 7€ (120,000 IDR) per night. It’s well located and offers a nice rooftop to make friends, and a swimming pool to chill in!
If you’re looking to treat yourself a bit, I recommend upgrading to my friend’s hotel, Bali Sawah Indah, near Ubud. You’ll be very well welcomed!
Where to stay in Lovina?
In the north of Bali, the biggest city is Lovina, and it’s perfect for a one night stop during your road trip. I also found the absolute Bali best budget hotel in Lovina : Apollo Hostel. Even though this hostel has a small swimming pool, it’s not necessarily about the place itself, but more about the atmosphere and the owners.
You can get a room with breakfast for as little as 2€ (35,000 IDR) and you’ll be welcomed like you’re part of the family. We ate dinner with them and the other backpackers, played guitar and got offered shots!
Where to stay in Munduk?
If you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, most of Bali budget resorts are located in the area of Munduk, in the north of the island. Munduk Moding Plantation is known for its infinite pool in the middle of the mountains, where you feel like the water of the pool and the sky meet! It’s not as cheap as the other Bali budget villas as it’s around 100€ (1,7M IDR) the night, but considering the luxury perks it offers, it’s a real bargain.
Where to stay in Amed?
Amed is the best spot for snorkeling in the east of Bali. You can discover an underwater temple with colorful pisces all around, and spot the Mount Agung right when you get your head out of the water. We had an awesome stay at a french owned Black Sand Hostel. Right nearby, you can eat at the family owned Warung Segara on the beach!
Price of food in Bali
Eating out is cheaper than groceries shopping in supermarkets, that’s how cheap Bali food is! When it comes to eating delicious dishes in stunning places, Bali is THE place to be. A full meal in a restaurant or takeaway is around 3 to 6€ (50,000 to 100,000 IDR)! Let’s dive into your options below.
Best Restaurants in Bali
No need to do research about this destination to know about the many Bali restaurants and delicious food… Yes, this is literally all over Instagram and for good reason! So, where to eat in Bali? I would say there are three types of restaurants in Bali : the street food scooters, the warungs and the tourist places.
Street Food Bali : made with love
The food scooters in Bali are very common, when it’s dinner or lunch time you can find one at every street. They’ll cook in front of you with the minimum equipment necessary, for as little as 1.5 to 3.5€ (20,000 to 50,000 IDR) !
Warung Indonesia : local food at its best
To eat delicious traditional indonesian food such as nasi goreng, mie goreng or chicken satay, you should stick to the local warungs! These are small family-owned restaurants or coffees and they represent a huge part of the Indonesian spirit.
You’ll be served delicious indonesian food as if you were at home for around 2 to 7€ (30,000 to 100,000 IDR). I highly recommend the Warung Taman Bambu in Seminyak.
Bali restaurants prices : the pricey ones
I would say a pricey meal in Bali is when it exceeds 9€ (150,000 IDR). You can find the well known smoothie bowls, as pleasing for the eyes than for the belly, but also fine dinner places with the best Asian chefs.
In the middle, you can also find expensive warungs in touristic places with insane views on rice terraces, points of views… For instance, you can have the most insane curry for 9€ at Bebek Tebasari Resto in a floating bungalow! The funny thing is, we stumbled upon this place by chance.
Gojek Food Delivery
Gojek is not only the best way to go around Bali when you don’t have your own scooter, it’s also a food delivery app! You can order from almost any balinese restaurant and it’s very popular with locals as well. It’s not a legend : eating out or having food delivered is usually cheaper than cooking with supermarket products. We didn’t cook at all for the two months we were there.
Food Markets Bali
Locals do their groceries shopping in the night food markets all around Bali because it’s much cheaper than supermarkets. And so should you if you want to buy some fresh food or fruits! The best fruit market in Seminyak is located at the intersection of Jalan Raya Kerobokan and Jalan Pettitenget.
Alcohol in Bali
Unlike food, alcohol is quite expensive in Bali as it needs to be imported to the island. You can pay around 7-10€ (120 to 150 000 IDR) for a cocktail or glass of wine, which is similar to European standards. And how much is a beer in Bali? But there again, Balinese people got creative and created their own local beer, the Bintang. You can find it literally anywhere for 1-3€ (25,000 to 50,000 IDR).
How to get around Bali?
You have three ways to get around Bali : renting a scooter, using the scooter platform Gojek or hiring a car with a private driver. The first two options are great when you stay in one city or if you want to go around in the area. The Bali car hire with driver option is awesome for road trips all around the island. Either way, Bali transportation cost is very low and convenient.
Renting a scooter in Bali
You can rent a scooter in Bali for 1-3€ (25,000 to 50,000 IDR) per day only. But you need to be careful about a few things. First, Bali driving style really is a thing… They drive on the left, the horns are almost part of the road rules and all scooter drivers switch from the road to the pavement! Locals don’t get hurt but tourists do, so take extra precaution and WEAR A HELMET at all costs.
Using Gojek Bali
Gojek is the indonesian Uber or Grab, which you might already be familiar with if you’ve already been to South East Asia. It’s basically a cheap moto taxi service, that you can book from anywhere in the deserved areas (where tourists are). I used gojek every day at any hour for two months when I was in Bali, it’s really a must have. Again, always ask the driver for a helmet and don’t go with him if he can’t offer you one. I mean it!
Hiring a driver in Bali
Yes, hiring a car with a private driver for one day or more in Bali is something even you, a broke backpacker or world traveler, can afford! The luxury of having a local driver showing you around is so appreciated.
I chose this option 5 or 6 times in two months and would do it all over again. It’s 30 to 40€ (500,000 to 700,000 IDR) per day and you can divide by the number of friends in the car! The more people, the better.
Bali budget tour : things to do in Bali on a budget
Looking for cheap things to do in Bali? Well, pretty much everything is cheap in Bali because the most wonderful things to see are… natural attractions, god’s design! You can visit local temples, go waterfall chasing all day, surf powerful waves in dreamy locations, admire unreal cliff views… Or even get a massage of one hour for 5€ (80,000 -100,000k). Here are some examples of all kinds of activities you could do :
- Banjar Hot Springs entrance fee : 0.29€ (5,000 IDR)
- Sekumpul Waterfall entrance fee : 1.16€ (20,000 IDR)
- Ulun Danu Beratan Temple entrance fee : 2.89€ (50,000 IDR)
- Tanah Lot Temple entrance fee : 1.16€ (20,000 IDR)
- Kecak Dance at Uluwatu Temple price : 8.67€ (150,000 IDR)
- Mount Batur Sunrise Trekking with a guide : 20€ (350,000 IDR)
- Snorkeling Bali price : 20€ (350,000 IDR)
Bali Indonesia budget trip : additional tips & tricks
How to carry money in Bali?
The official currency is the Indonesian rupiah, aka IDR. 100,000 IDR represents 5,78€, $7 or £4.97. Even if you have a fee-less credit card, you will need to withdraw some cash because everything happens with cash there. Even though I didn’t have any bad ATM issues, I recommend withdrawing money at ATM inside closed buildings, such as supermarkets. Keep it in your wallet in a closed bag and you’ll be fine!
Indonesian SIM card : stay connected!
Getting a SIM card in Bali is necessary in order to be able to navigate on your own or order a gojek at all times if you don’t have wifi! And you don’t need to break your wallet at all as you can get one for less than 5€ (100,000 IDR).
What’s the best season to visit Bali on a budget?
How to visit Bali on a budget? Choose the less touristic season! You can basically travel to Bali on a budget all year long, but if you’re looking for the cheapest time to visit Bali, you should avoid the touristic dry season from May to August. Every other month, you should find significant discounts on hotels and touristic activities.
Bali travel insurance
As Bali is a country of adventures, where you explore nature like nowhere else and drive scooters on all kinds of roads, you should take a travel insurance in case. I personally chose the Cap Student contract of Chapka Assurances and it costed me 112€ (2M IDR) for three months.
It’s always more reassuring, right ? Last tip : warn your insurance before starting any medical assistance procedure because they might not cover it otherwise.
Now that you know all the ways to travel to Bali on a budget, you’ve got no excuse! Clean up this backpack that has been under your bed for months and hit the road to this incredible island. Furthermore, when in Bali, you can also visit the world-known Nusa Penida and its stunning neighbors, Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan.
