Bali on a Budget

Bali on a Budget – How much do 13 Days on Bali cost?

Bali is a dream destination. This guide will show you how to explore Bali on a Budget.

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Visiting Bali is a must if you want to see all that Asia has to offer. And while the island is not the cheapest destination, it is possible to explore Bali on a budget. Observe amazing sunsets at the beach, chase waterfalls and explore temples.

Just like my budget guides about Vietnam and Sri Lanka, this one gives a general estimate of the costs based on my own spendings as well as some tips and recommendations. I wrote down every rupiah I spend because I might be a little freaky as I love knowing how much I spend while traveling.

This post contains affiliate links. If you use them to book a service, I will receive a small amount of money that helps me run this website. The price you pay for the service remains unchanged.

The prices in this spending diary are in Indonesian Rupiah and in Euro. The exchange rate as of January is as follows: 100.000 IDR is 6,67 EUR, 7,36 USD, 5,62 GBR or 10,75 AUD.

Bali on a Budget

Explore Bali on a Budget

Accommodation: 1.005K IDR / 64,68€

Just like in Bangkok, I decided to stay in hostels that allowed me to have my own personal space. Both hostels I stayed in were amazing with their capsule style rooms and amenities, so I can only recommend them to you.

The hostel I stayed in Canggu is Kultur Umalas und the one in Ubud Gypsy Lust Hostel. They are my favorite accommodations and I would stay there again if I want to explore Bali on a Budget.

Explore Gili T

Hostel Room

Canggu: 73,5K IDR – 85K IDR

Ubud: 110 IDR

The night on Gili T as not listed as the accommodation was part of the trip costs.

Food & Drinks: 1.624K IDR / 104,52€

While exploring Bali I ate both local food and at those trendy instragramable places.

Cheapest Meal: 65K IDR

Most Expensive Meal: 175K IDR

Average Cost per Day: 125K IDR

Bali on a Budget - Drinks

Bali Buda 128K

Kynd Community 175K

The local food is amazing and you will want to eat a lot of it. It is cheaper and perfect if you travel Bali on a budget. But if you also want to see the expat side of Bali, you should check out other restaurants. There are several amazing international restaurants in Canggu and Ubud.

Transport: 525K IDR / 33,79€

Airport Transport: 230K IDR

Upon arrival I did not get a sim card right away and therefore I had to rely on the airport wifi to order my transport to Canggu. But the drivers kept canceling the trips as I never got their messages and was therefore unable to answer in any way. Eventually I just thought ‘damn it’ and took a way to expensive taxi. The way back to the airport was the exact same route and it only cost my 53% of the price I paid upon my arrival on Bali.

So if you want to save money, I can only recommend getting a sim card at the airport. Just ensure that you get a tariff plan that works everywhere in Indonesia and that you can easily recharge.

Grab 525K IDR

Getting around in Canggu: 65K IDR

Canggu – Ubud Return Trip (0.5x): 460K IDR

Try to find someone that is willing to share a Grab with you if you decide to take one between Canggu and Ubud.

Scooter: 400K IDR / 25,74€

During my two weeks on Bali, I rented a scooter 5 different days. Hereby the price for a good and reliable scooter is usually between 60K and 70K a day. I saw offers for less, but from what I saw, those scooters did not look as safe. If you rent a scooter for less, you should check if the scooter is in a good condition and take pictures from all angles to avoid any potential issues and scams.

Scooter Rental: 340K IDR

Fuel: 50K IDR

Parking: 10K IDR

Traveling Bali on a Budget

If you know how to ride a scooter and do not mind driving on the left side of the road, a scooter is the best way to explore Bali. On some days I drove more than a 100km and it was perfect . Using a scooter allowed me whenever I wanted to enjoy the view and to explore the picturesque rice fields.

Just keep in mind that no insurance will cover you, if you do not have the correct motorbike license. A simple 45CC one will no suffice in Bali as all scooters have more power.

You can pay ‘a fine’ if the police stops you, but the moment you crash, you are screwed. Whether you decide to do so is up to you, but I wanted to give you all important facts. Please be careful and have fun exploring Bali!

Entrance Fees: 250K IDR / 16,09€

Bali has many temples and waterfalls and visiting most of them costs a small fee.

Monkey Forest: 80K IDR

Tirta Empul Temple: 50K IDR

Banyulala Waterfalls: 30K IDR

Ulun Danu Beratan Temple: 50K IDR

Tirta Gangga Temple: 40K IDR

Activities: 1.000.000 IDR / 64,36€

Gili T Trip

I booked a trip to Gili T and spend two days there. As it was a special photographer trip, I cannot recommend a specific companies in case you want to book the trip as a package. However the price of the transport to the ferry port, the ferry rides and accommodation on Gili T should cost approximately the same. You can book the ferry ride to the Gili Islands on 12GoAsia. Alternatively you can book it at the departure location, but ferry can be full so it is best to buy your ride in advance.

Gili T

My Tip:

If you do not mind splurging for a night and want a bit of luxury, the Gili Islands are perfect. There are many private villas with pools and everything for fair prices. The experience is worth it. The Gili Islands are a paradise.

Sim Card: 180K / 11,58€

I ended up getting a rather large amount of data that is valid in all of Indonesia. Tell the salesperson what your plans are and get on according data plan.

Additional Costs

Washing: 59K IDR / 11,58€

Souvenirs & Shopping: 405K IDR / 26,06€

Bali offers many amazing souvenirs and handmade things, so just add a certain amount of money to your budget when you plan your expenses for Bali.

For the amount of money states I got three bracelets, two magnets, five sarongs, a bowl made of a coconut and fish food at Tirta Gangga.

Spending that are not a Part of the Calculation

Pharmacy Costs

I decided no to add these costs to the budget as I hope that you will not be as dumb as me. I managed to get a ‘Bali Kiss’ when I burned myself on a motorbikes exhaust. And let me tell you that getting what I needed at the pharmacy was not cheap when compared to other prices in Indonesia. However the service I received at two different pharmacies was amazing.

Pharmacy #1: Gaze and tape – 161K IDR

Pharmacy #2: Gaze, disinfectant and two waterproof bandaids – 102,3K IDR

Do yourself a favor and be careful when you get off a motorbike.

My Spendings

Daily Budget on Bali: 419K IDR / 26,97€

Total Cost of 13 Days on Bali: 5.448.000 IDR / 350,62€

Further Readings: Bali and beyond

Overview: Indonesia Travel Guide

Bali – 10 Days Itinerary

Things to do in Canggu

Things to do in Ubud

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13 Days on Bali - how much does it cost? Bali Budget
How much does it cost to travel on Bali - Bali Budget Guide
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🌺 Do you have any tips for sustainability traveling? Do you agree with the caption? I care deeply for the environment and therefore I’m trying to live in sustainable life. But obviously people could argue that me traveling as much as I do doesn’t really help our planet and that I have an extreme carbon footprint. And if I’m being honest I have to admit that they are right about that. I try not to use single-use plastic items, pick up trash in nature, don’t buy clothes that I’ll only wear as long as they are a part of a recent collection, I limit how much meat I eat, where it comes from and how much resources were necessary to produce it. I do what I can to protect our planet and yet I travel excessively. Do you want to know why? 🌿 I have discovered that people are more likely to care about something if they’ve seen it themselves or in pictures - be it nature, culture or other human beings. And as a photographer and politics student that strives to see that world with open eyes and without prejudices, I want to show others things from around the world in hope that it’ll make them strive to protect our planet and all life on it. Furthermore traveling alone has been something that men have done for centuries while women around the world are held back from doing so to this day. I believe that being an example can help empower other to start exploring the world if they wish to do so, and hopefully I can only tell you explore the world and to visit places off the beaten track. Share the good and bad stories of your adventures while stressing how important it is to travel as sustainable as possible. Promote a global society without limitations based on gender, belief or other things that should never be the reason why people cannot do something. Make others care for our planet by sharing pictures of its wonders so those at home will follow our example. Educate other by telling them how to be a better and environmentally aware travel without betitling them. Do what you can and live the life of your dreams. All of you deserve it!
🌿 What do you do when traveling starts to stress you? I know that most people portray longer trips as this amazing time full of nothing but fun and amazing experiences, but let’s be honest... that’s not what it’s like! I’m currently 2 weeks into a longer trip and right now I’m so done with it. I honestly love traveling and exploring new places, but today I’m just not feeling it. Today’s been such a shitty day and if I’m being honest I have to admit that I’m kinda disappointed by central Vietnam. Keeping my finngers crossed that I’ll learn to love it. But in the end I might not. And that’s okay. Sometimes we end up exploring places we don’t love as mich as we thought. We have bad days. It’s all part of traveling. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. 😊
🌺 Let’s share our biggest travel mishaps A few years ago during my first solo trip outside of the European Union, I ended up missing my flight because I fell sleep at the hotel. I packed my suitcase a day before my flight because I want to do ensure that nothing could go wrong. I still remember beimg awake at 5 AM and decided to lie on the bed one last time as it was so nice before going down to the lobby to catch the airport shuttle. New thing I know it was waking up a few hours later and there was no way to get to the airport on time. 🌿 (I’ll let you know how I managed to get home in the next caption) 🙈
🔺 Have you ever lived abroad? Tag your friends that you met abroad and share some memories. :) Back in 2017 I had the amazing chance to move to Sydney for a semester. It was an eye-opening experience and I learned more than I thought possible. I grew as a person and dared to do things I had only dream of doing. I drove thousands of kilometers to explore the country, learned to surf and to dive. Living abroad changed my life. It was incredibly rewarding and I can only recommend you to venture out as well if you haven’t done so already.
🔺How has traveling changed you? When I first set out to explore I felt lost and didn’t know how important it was to take a step back and to enjoy a moment. My life felt incredible rushed and I wasn’t content with my life. It was only during one of those moments while on vacation where I was sitting at a beach and looking at the sunset that I realized that this was something I actually needed- a few minutes every single day where I could just let my mind wander and allow myself to live in the now, without worrying about tomorrow. It’s something I try to do every day as this small moment of peace and quite helps me stay positive. I can only recommend that you try to do the same. ———————————————— This beautiful sunset I saw at Cable Beach, Broome (@westernaustralia ) in the amazing @thekimberleyaustralia region is one of the sunsets I look back on when I want to relax during a stressful day. It’s a definite happy place and a wonderful memory.
🔻What do you love the most about traveling? For me it is getting out there, meeting new people and learning something about different cultures. Strangers become friends and we realize that the things that divide us don’t matter. In the end of the day we are the same. All of us are trying to live the best life we can. All of us are looking for happiness. And all of us live on this amazing planet. So don’t just pay attention to what makes those you have yet to meet different but on what can be the basis of an amazing friendship once you meet them. - #natgeo100contest
🔻 What has travelling taught you? For me it was that you should mever let the odds stop you from doing what you dream of doing. It‘s so crucial to never give up on your dream. Use them as a motivation to go on when the sky is full of clouds and a thunderstorm is forming ahead of you.
🔺 What was the most challenging thing you’ve done while traveling? My biggest challenge in recent months was to start hiking again after I messed up my knee. The biggest challenge was convincing myself that I could do it. And when I saw the view over the the Lysjefjorden I was more than glad that I dared to tackle Preikestolen as my first hike of 2018. It was amazing to be back in nature and to explore this amazing country and I am more than looking forward to returning there. #OspreyWomen
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