Indonesia · Southeast Asia
Moving to Bali
Bali quick facts
Cost of living in Bali
Getting set up in Indonesia
Visas & stay permits: the E33G Remote Worker KITAS
Most people arrive on a visa-on-arrival (B1, 30 days, extend once to 60) or a C1 visit e-visa (60 days, extend twice to 180) — neither of which lets you settle or legally work. For a proper one-year base, the headline option since 2024 is the E33G Remote Worker KITAS: a digital-nomad permit for people earning at least USD 60,000/year entirely from foreign sources. You apply offshore on the official e-visa portal, fly in within 90 days, then complete biometrics at the Bali immigration office to activate the stay permit (ITAS, still nicknamed 'KITAS'). Other long-stay routes exist (Second-Home, Investor/Work KITAS) but suit retirees and business owners. Almost everyone uses an agent because the rules shift constantly.
Read the full step-by-step guideDriving & riding: IDP, the Indonesian SIM licence & checkpoints
Bali runs on the scooter, and the moment you sit on one the law applies. To ride legally you need EITHER a valid International Driving Permit (IDP) carried with your home licence — and that licence/IDP must actually cover motorbikes, not just cars — OR an Indonesian licence: SIM C for a scooter, SIM A for a car. Once you hold a KITAS you can get a real SIM at the Denpasar SIM office in a single morning for about IDR 215k, including a quick psychology and health screening. The two things newcomers get catastrophically wrong: riding on a car-only licence/IDP (illegal, and it voids your insurance after a crash), and panicking at checkpoints — police legally cannot collect cash on the spot since October 2022, so asking for an official ticket ('tilang') usually ends the shakedown.
Read the full step-by-step guideBanking: local account vs the Wise/ATM reality
A normal Indonesian bank account (BCA, Mandiri, BNI, Permata) effectively requires a KITAS residence permit plus a local address, so most newcomers on a tourist/VOA cannot open one. The practical default while you sort residency is a Wise or Revolut multi-currency card: pay by card or the QRIS QR standard nearly everywhere, and pull IDR cash from bank-branch ATMs (capped around IDR 2.5-3M per withdrawal). Once you hold a KITAS and cross ~183 days, expect to add an NPWP tax number.
Read the full step-by-step guideHealthcare: private clinics, evacuation insurance & the real risks
Bali's public hospitals are basic, and the international standard you expect lives in a handful of private hospitals (BIMC, Siloam, Kasih Ibu, Prima Medika). KITAS holders employed 6+ months must enrol in the national BPJS Kesehatan scheme, but almost every expat treats it as compliance only and relies on private clinics plus international health insurance. The non-negotiable feature of that insurance is medical evacuation: serious cardiac, trauma or cancer cases are flown to Singapore, Bangkok or Jakarta, and an unfunded evac runs USD 25,000-100,000+. Budget for the local realities too: pay upfront or arrange a guarantee of payment before treatment, and take the rabies risk seriously — post-bite immunoglobulin can be hard to find outside the private clinics.
Read the full step-by-step guideGetting a SIM / mobile data
Indonesian prepaid SIMs must be registered against your passport before they activate, and Telkomsel has by far the widest coverage once you leave Bali's south. Buy at an official store or a supermarket, not the marked-up airport kiosks. The real trap is the IMEI rule: a phone bought abroad loses local-network access after roughly 90 days unless you register (and possibly pay tax on) the device at customs.
Read the full step-by-step guideIncome tax, residency & the NPWP
You are an Indonesian tax resident once you spend 183+ days in Indonesia in any 12 months, OR earlier if you show intent to reside — and holding a KITAS (including the E33G) can itself signal that intent, potentially from arrival. Residents need an NPWP (the tax ID, now the same 16-digit number as the NIK) and file an annual return (SPT) by 31 March. Residents are in principle taxed on worldwide income at progressive 5%-35% rates. The widely-repeated claim that E33G foreign income is automatically tax-free is not how the law reads: foreign-sourced income is relieved only via a tax treaty (with the right paperwork) or the special 4-year skills exemption — which, crucially, the E33G does not qualify for.
Read the full step-by-step guideEach guide has verified costs, timelines, required documents, and the non-obvious gotchas — sourced from official government pages.
Essential Indonesian phrases
What to know before you go
Ride the scooter carefully — it's the #1 risk
CriticalMost people get around by scooter. Traffic is chaotic, helmets are legally required, and you need an international (IDP) or Indonesian licence — police checkpoints target tourists. Go slow, never ride drunk, and check your travel insurance actually covers motorbikes.
Respect Balinese Hindu customs
ImportantWear a sarong at temples, never step on the canang sari (small daily offerings on the ground and pavements), and don't touch people's heads. Dress modestly at religious sites and during ceremonies.
Don't drink the tap water
ImportantUse refill galon (jugs) or filtered water and avoid ice in dodgy spots. 'Bali belly' is near-universal for newcomers — ease into street food and carry rehydration salts.
Carry cash, but QRIS is everywhere now
Good to knowRupiah cash still rules at warungs and markets, but QRIS (the national QR payment) is widely accepted. ATMs have low withdrawal limits and fees, and card skimming exists — use ATMs inside banks or malls.
Respect Nyepi, the Day of Silence
Good to knowOnce a year the entire island shuts down for 24 hours — no going outside, no lights at night, and even the airport closes. Stock up beforehand and stay in; it's taken seriously.
Take your visa timeline seriously
ImportantOverstaying is fined per day and can mean detention or a ban. Track your visa's end date carefully, start extensions early, and use a reputable agent — the rules and processes change often.
Top industries & employers
Tourism & hospitality
Hotels, villas, restaurants, beach clubs
The island's economic engine, employing a huge share of the local and expat workforce.
Remote work & digital nomads
Dojo, Outpost, Tropical Nomad (coworking)
One of the world's densest remote-work hubs, especially around Canggu and Ubud.
Wellness & yoga
Ubud retreats, yoga teacher trainings, spas
A global wellness destination, with a deep retreat and teacher-training economy.
Surf & water sports
Surf schools, dive operators, board shapers
A year-round surf economy from Canggu to Uluwatu, plus diving off the east coast.
Creative & e-commerce
Content creators, agencies, fashion & jewellery export
A booming scene of online founders, creators and small export brands.
Real estate & construction
Villa developers, property agents
Fast-growing (and increasingly regulated) villa development across the south.
Where to go in Bali
Uluwatu Temple
Landmark · Bukit Peninsula
A clifftop sea temple with crashing surf below, famous for its sunset Kecak fire dance.
Local tip: Come for sunset and the 6pm Kecak performance; hold onto your sunglasses — the monkeys are expert thieves.
Tegallalang Rice Terraces
Nature · Ubud
The postcard emerald terraces stepping down a lush valley north of Ubud.
Local tip: Go at opening before the tour buses; small donations are expected at the viewpoints and jungle swings.
Canggu
Neighborhood · Canggu
Surf-and-nomad central: cafes, coworking, gyms and beach clubs strung between rice fields.
Local tip: Where most remote workers base — beat the infamous Canggu traffic by learning the scooter side-roads.
Campuhan Ridge & Monkey Forest
Culture · Ubud
Ubud's green core — a ridge walk through the hills and a sacred forest full of macaques.
Local tip: Walk the Campuhan Ridge at dawn before the heat and crowds; Ubud is calmer and greener than the south coast.
Sidemen Valley
Hidden gemNature · Karangasem (east Bali)
A lush, quiet valley of rice fields and rivers under Mount Agung, far from the crowds.
Local tip: This is the uncrowded, authentic Bali — rent a homestay and slow right down.
Jimbaran & Seminyak
Food · South Bali
Beach-grill seafood at Jimbaran and upmarket dining and beach clubs in Seminyak.
Local tip: Sunset seafood with your feet in the sand at Jimbaran is a classic; Seminyak for the polished dining scene.