Bali offers a unique blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and a relaxed lifestyle. Warm tropical weather, stunning beaches, amazing cuisines, spiritual practices, affordable cost of living, diverse school options, strong expat communities, investment and business opportunities and so much more.

Challenges can include:

• Navigating visa requirements and immigration rules
• Adapting to a different pace of life, bureaucracy, and infrastructure
• Adjusting to occasional power cuts, traffic, and varying internet quality
• Understanding local customs and cultural sensitivities
• Managing expectations around healthcare, schooling, and daily logistics

If you’re flexible, open-minded, and willing to embrace a different rhythm, Bali can be incredibly rewarding. But it’s definitely not just a permanent holiday.

Book a FREE Discovery Call to help you weigh the pros and cons and decide if Bali is the right fit for you and visit our client stories to read why people around the world make Bali their home. 

Visiting Bali can help you get a feel for the island, its culture, and lifestyle. But there’s a lot you won’t uncover on your own, and that’s where we help. Our packages give you everything you need to feel like you’ve already been living here for years.

If you can visit, we’ll plan school tours, property viewings, and more. If not, our packages still provide full insight into expat life on the island.

Learn more on how we can help you.

For those planning to stay in Indonesia for more than 60 days, the C1 (formerly B211) single-entry tourist visa is an excellent choice, permitting stays of up to 180 days.

For longer stays (12 months or more), various multiple-entry visas are available, serving as temporary residency permits.

Examples are the Remote Worker KITAS, Investment KITAS, Student KITAS, Dependent KITAS and Retirement KITAS. Another option is to start a business, which allows you to obtain an Investment KITAS or Working KITAS.

We offer a 15-minute free visa consultation to explain the current visa regulations and best option for your needs.

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Living in Bali can be more affordable than many Western countries, but costs vary widely depending on your lifestyle, location, and family size.

Bali’s unique appeal lies in its diverse lifestyle budgets, offering an affordable living experience despite being among the pricier Southeast Asian destinations. Factors influencing costs include housing style and location, lease duration, insurance, visa choices, recreational activities, grocery preferences, transportation mode, schooling options, and more. To accurately budget for living in Bali, it’s crucial to consider these factors, recognizing that short-term stays differ significantly from longer-term commitments.

The biggest expenses are usually housing and schooling, especially if you’re choosing popular expat areas or international schools.

Other key costs include:

• Visas and extensions

• Health and travel insurance

• Transport (scooter, car, or driver)

• Household staff salaries (nannies, cleaners, gardeners)

• Utilities and internet

• Initial setup costs like purchasing extra furniture, vehicle rental, SIM cards, gym memberships, etc.

It’s also important to understand how Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) compares to your home currency, as many transactions in Bali are done in cash or by transfer in local currency. Keeping an eye on exchange rates and planning ahead can make a big difference in your overall budget.

Visit our Cost of Living page for a helpful breakdown of typical expenses to help you plan with realistic expectations.

To help you plan better, we provide an up-to-date Cost of Living Excel spreadsheet in our Bronze Package, ensuring you don’t miss small costs, hidden expenses, or salary expectations for Balinese staff (including required bonuses). It’s a great tool for budgeting and gaining deeper insight into what to expect.

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Bali’s size requires hours for coast-to-coast travel. Diverse regions cater to various preferences, with a strong expat community. South Bali is the main area that expats enjoy living in, including the regions of Badung, Gianyar, and Denpasar.

While Bali may seem small on a map, its traffic, terrain, and infrastructure can make travel times longer than expected. Most expats choose South Bali, from Ubud to the Bukit Peninsula, where schools, healthcare, and community services are most accessible.

Each area has its own lifestyle: laid-back beach life in Canggu, family-friendly Sanur, cultural Ubud, or world-class surf on the Bukit. In a free discovery call, we can help you find the best area for your lifestyle.

We cover each location in detail in our Bronze Package. Explore our full Overview of the Best Areas to Live in Bali to find the right fit for your family.

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You can find various types of accommodation, including local houses, guesthouses, homestays, and villas, using methods like Facebook groups, WhatsApp groups, and local websites.

When searching for villas or apartments, it’s best to work with a trusted real estate agent. Many agencies and property websites specialise in specific areas, property types (such as leasehold or freehold), or rental durations. Some focus solely on one region—like Canggu—while others operate across the island. Since there isn’t a single platform that lists all options, you’ll find hundreds of real estate agents to choose from in Bali.

With our Silver Package, we provide access to a network of housing agents who can assist with finding the best home, due diligence, negotiations, contracts, and much more. We work with them due to trust, service and a great portfolio

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Bali has a growing number of international schools offering globally recognised programs such as Cambridge, IB, and Australian curriculums. Families appreciate the nurturing environments, cultural diversity, and strong sense of community. Most schools focus on small class sizes, outdoor learning, and strong parent communities. Whether you’re after academic excellence, cultural immersion or flexible learning styles, there’s something here for every family.

We have documented 80 schools on the island for foreigners to enjoy! Learn more in our Bali School & Education Guide

Bali is great for families! With international schools, kid-friendly activities, and a strong expat community, children can enjoy a safe, outdoor lifestyle while experiencing local culture. Many families from non-English-speaking countries move to Bali so their children can learn and become fluent in English. We have plenty of inspiration from our clients—read their stories to see how they’ve made Bali home.

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Bali boasts a healthcare system that often rivals or surpasses the services you find back in your home country. However, health insurance is a must and your policy should always include “Emergency evacuation or repatriation” coverage.

Doctor and dentist visits are very affordable, making it convenient for expats to access quality care. The island offers a wide range of medical centres, 24/7 clinics, and international standard hospitals, all staffed with skilled professionals.

The added bonus? Making doctor appointments can be made via WhatsApp message or through a hospital app. Doctors can make affordable home visits, ensuring you receive the care you need, even from the comfort of your own home.

Residing in Bali offers the opportunity to immerse oneself in a peaceful Hindu culture. Nonetheless, you need to be vigilant with the presence of petty crime and various scams.

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Bali offers diverse transportation choices, from taxis, Go Jek, and Grab to renting or buying scooters, motorbikes, or cars. Navigating the unique challenges of driving in Bali, such as road closures for ceremonies and unpredictable conditions, requires understanding the distances and travel times.

Despite motorbikes’ quicker commute times, traffic jams are common, causing extensive delays.

Our services assist expats in securing transport options, obtaining Travel and Health insurance, local licenses, and providing extensive tips and advice for living in Bali.

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Be aware from a legal point of view, dog and cats can be accepted into Jakarta, Indonesia (with an Indonesian permit). However, it is prohibited to transport dogs or cats to or from Bali, as a measure to manage the spread of rabies in Indonesia.

That being said, while acknowledging the existence of a grey area, it is possible to do a relocation with our highly reliable and internationally certified pet relocation company.

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Finding work in Bali can be challenging for foreigners, and we do not recommend relocating solely to search for a job.

Most local opportunities require fluency in Bahasa Indonesia and prior experience in Southeast Asia. Available positions are limited and highly competitive, and securing a job usually requires being on the ground.

For this reason, it’s strongly advised to have stable employment or financial support in place before moving.

Boutique recruitment agencies like High & Low Headhunters list jobs.

Many expats either continue working remotely for their existing jobs or start their own businesses while living in Bali.

Learn more about working in Bali or setting up a business in Bali

Establishing a business in Bali requires careful planning, an understanding of local regulations, and cultural sensitivity. Beyond legal and financial requirements, success often depends on building positive relationships within the community and respecting Balinese traditions.

Partnering with trusted business consultancies can be invaluable — they offer expert guidance on areas such as business setup, acquisitions, investments, accounting, and legal compliance. Additionally, recommended law firms can assist with PT PMA formation, real estate, immigration, family, contractual, and labor law matters.

Learn more setting up a business in Bali

Firstly you need to see if you are aplicable for the Retirement visa (which are not able to work on). This visa is for those aged 60 and above, providing a one-year visa with renewals.

There are a number of requirements that need to be met such a lease contract for a minimum of 12 months and a copy of the owner’s ID card, hiring local staff, and health insurance.

Benefits include access to opening a bank account, local insurance, import privileges, and lifestyle discounts, purchasing a car or scooter.

If you are younger than 60 years of age, and still wish to retire, there are other alternative visas to persue.

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Book a complimentary discovery call and let us guide you through every stage of your Bali relocation — from visas, schools, and housing to healthcare, banking, transport, community, and insurance. Our all-inclusive packages are tailored to your needs, whether you’re after essential guidance or full end-to-end support.

Start with our Bronze Package ($375) to access 9 detailed digital guides, or enjoy the Silver ($650) or Gold ($850) for access to our Bali Insider Directory with personalised introductions to trusted visa agents, real estate experts, health and insurance providers, and further consultations and check ins.

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No need to book a call first. You can also purchase any of our package memberships directly online and we’ll follow up with you by email and WhatsApp.

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