How Much Things Cost in Bali
To give you an idea of how much everything is going to cost, we've listed some information about things you'll need on your holiday like accomodation, transport, food and more.
All the prices we've quoted in this article are in New Zealand dollars but you can visit our currency converter to find out what the exchange rate is between the NZD and IDR right now!
Before you head to Bali, learn about:
- Is it expensive to visit Bali?
- How much you need to bring to Bali
- The cost of food
- Accomodation
Is it Expensive to Visit Bali?
When it comes to travelling in Bali, there is a big difference between there and New Zealand. Let's have a look at the cost difference between some food and activities in Bali and New Zealand:
Australia vs Bali
In this table, we have a comparison of some things you might do in Bali. The prices are approximate, and can change between different cities in Indonesia.
| Expense | Cost in New Zealand | Cost in Bali |
| Breakfast with Coffee | $15NZD | $9NZD |
| Full priced Movie ticket | $13NZD | $10NZD |
| 1 Hour massage | $90NZD | $15NZD |
| A pint of beer | $9NZD | $4NZD |
To find the best place to buy IDR, you can read our guide here.
How much money do I need to bring?
The answer to this question really depends on the type of holiday you're planning. Will you be backpacking and staying in hostels? Will you be living it up at a fancy hotel? If you want to do it on a budget, you easily can or you can splurge and go on a luxury holiday.
Either way, you would have noticed that the cost of living in Bali is much lower than in New Zealand, which probably explains why it is such a popular destination. It all depends on what you're doing, where you're staying, and how long you're planning to travel.
Here we have listed an estimate of what you'd need, per person, per day depending on your holiday.
Budget holiday: Up to $70NZD
Middle of the range holiday: Up to $100 to $200NZD
Luxury holiday: At least $300NZD
How much does food cost in Bali?
Food is a pretty important part of a holiday, and a great way to get to know a country. Especially somewhere like Bali where there are an increasing amount different cuisines you can try. In Bali, you can really decide how much you want to spend on food everyday. You could get by on as little as $6NZD or if you're fine dining you could spend a lot more! Below we've listed some general prices for eating and drinking out, and the cost of some other bits and bobs.
Eating out:
- Breakfast: $5 - $15 NZD
- Lunch: $5 - $20 NZD
- Dinner: $5 - $40 NZD
Drinks:
- Coffee: $2.50 NZD
- Beer: $2 - $10 NZD
- Glass of wine: $10 - $15 NZD
Some other examples:
- Big Mac meal: $5.60 NZD
- Bottle of Wine: $30-60 NZD
- Bottled water: $1 NZD
- Cocktails: $2.5 NZD+
- Food tour: $50 to $150 NZD
Accomodation
You can really be flexible about how much you spend on accomodation when you get to Bali. If you're keeping it low key and don't want to spend much, there are hostels, or you could live it up! Because you'll saving on a lot of other aspects of your holiday you might find that you want to splurge on accomodation. And if you're travelling in a group, there are some excellent options for staying in villas. Below are some rough guides to how much you can expect to pay.
Accomodation on a budget, like hostels cost about $10 to $70 NZD a night.
Mid-range accomodation like a double room in a 3 star hotel will probably cost between $100 and $400 NZD a night.
A double luxury hotel room will cost between $400 NZD to as much as you're willing to spend per night.
4 person villa $300 NZD+ per night
Using the following sites will give you an even better idea of how much the accomodation you're after will cost you.
Tipping
Tipping is not compulsory in Bali. However, you may find that you want to tip and at some places you might find there is a service charge added to your invoice. Below we've listed some things you should keep in mind about tipping in Bali:
- Wages are quite low in Bali, and throughout Indonesia. If you have the means to, it is greatly appreciated by people in the service industry.
- 5-10% of your bill is an acceptable amount to tip.
- You can also consider leaving a tip at the reception of your accomodation, so that all staff can share in your generosity.
In all instances this is optional, and up to you and your resources to decide how much you spend on tipping.
