Living in Indonesia (Bali): visas, cost of living and cities (2026)

Five in the afternoon in Canggu. The tide has come in, the sky is orange and a row of boards waits for the next set. On the sidewalk, cafés packed with laptops are wrapping up the workday as the sunset drinks begin. You get off the scooter, order a smoothie bowl for four dollars and sit on the sand. It’s hard not to think: how did this life become possible, and cheap? Welcome to Bali, the unofficial world capital of remote work.

Say “living in Asia” to someone and the first image is almost always Bali: and for good reason: a huge community, wild nature, friendly costs and a quality of life that’s addictive. What almost no one knows is that Indonesia created a nomad visa that can exempt your foreign income from tax. This guide makes it all simple.

Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, but for people who move, almost everything starts (and often stays) in Bali.

Why Bali / Indonesia

• The biggest nomad community in the world: coworkings, events, people from everywhere; you won’t be alone.
• A nomad visa with tax exemption: the E33G can zero out the tax on your foreign income.
• Nature and lifestyle: surf, yoga, volcanoes, rice terraces and beaches on every corner.
• Friendly costs: you live very well for a fraction of Western costs (especially in Ubud).
• Infrastructure for remote work: cafés, coworkings and villas built for people who work online.

Indonesia’s visas

There are more paths than the tourist visa, and one was tailor-made for remote workers:

The E33G (Remote Worker Visa) is the star for remote workers: one year, built for people who earn from abroad, with the tax advantage I explain below. To just test the island, the B211A gives you up to six months.

Not sure which of these routes fits your profile? That’s exactly what the quiz sorts out in 2 minutes.

What it costs to live, the real budget

Bali has a wide range: you can live well on little in Ubud, or pay more for the buzz of Canggu. A realistic monthly budget for one person in Canggu, living well:

Comparing destinations:

Eating local (warung) costs a couple of dollars; the bill climbs when you live off Western cafés and beach restaurants.

Where to live in Bali

Canggu: the nomad epicenter. Surf, beaches, work cafés, gyms and nightlife. Pricier and busier; great if you want community and buzz.

Ubud: inland, surrounded by rice terraces and jungle. A hub for wellness, yoga and a slow pace. Cheaper and more serene, the favorite of people escaping the rush.

Sanur: the calm east coast, with a seaside cycle path. Less “Instagrammable”, more peaceful; popular with families and anyone wanting quiet.

Uluwatu: the southern cliffs, with the most beautiful beaches and the best surf. More isolated and higher on price.

Lombok / Gili Islands: Bali’s rawer, cheaper neighbor, for people who want real nature and quiet.

The food

Indonesian cuisine is well-seasoned and cheap: nasi goreng (fried rice), mie goreng (noodles), grilled satay with peanut sauce, gado-gado (salad with peanut sauce) and a breakfast of tropical fruit. At the warung (local stalls), a full plate costs a couple of dollars. In Canggu and Ubud, a scene of cafés and healthy food (bowls, vegan, juices) exploded to serve the nomad crowd, pricier, but still affordable.

A typical day

Surf or yoga at sunrise, breakfast at a warung or a smoothie-bowl café. A morning of work at a coworking with air conditioning and fast fiber. Nasi campur for lunch, a nap in the heat, more surf or a hike to a waterfall in the afternoon. At night, sunset on the beach with an international group and a cheap dinner. It’s that mix of nature, community and rhythm that makes Bali hard to leave.

What no one tells you: taxes

Here’s the point that separates the people who plan from the people who get a nasty surprise. A visa doesn’t define the tax, and leaving home without filing keeps you owing tax there.

In Indonesia, the practical rule:

• You become a tax resident after spending 183 days or more in the country in the year.
• As an ordinary resident, Indonesia taxes worldwide income on progressive brackets (5% to 35%).
• The big advantage: the nomad visa (E33G) was designed to exempt foreign-source income: if you earn from abroad, that income isn’t taxed in Indonesia. It’s one of the visa’s biggest draws.

And on the home side: until you file your formal tax exit, your home country still considers you a tax resident, and your income can be taxed there even while you live in Bali.

Getting there

There’s no direct flight to Indonesia from the Americas. You connect through a big hub into Denpasar (DPS), Bali’s airport:

• Via Doha (Qatar Airways) or Dubai (Emirates): the most frequent routes to Bali.
• Via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur: short, cheap flights link these hubs to Denpasar.
• Via Istanbul (Turkish): often shows up in good deals.

First 30 days, the arrival plan

1. Before you fly: eSIM (Airalo), nomad insurance, visa (E33G or B211A) sorted, first nights booked.
2. Week 1: local SIM (Telkomsel), rent a scooter, ride through the villages (Canggu, Ubud, Sanur) and feel which one fits.
3. Week 2: lock in the monthly villa, pick a coworking, map out clinics and markets.
4. Weeks 3 to 4: routine in place, surf/yoga, work, community. Community in Bali forms fast.

The practical stuff from people who went

• Health insurance: essential. Bali has good clinics for daily life, but serious cases usually go to Singapore; good insurance covers that.
• Transport: the scooter is queen; rent by the month. Apps (Gojek/Grab) handle rides and food.
• Money: an international card with a good exchange rate; a local account only with a KITAS.
• Internet: an eSIM at first; then a cheap local plan. Cafés and coworkings in Canggu/Ubud have great connections.
• Language: English works in the expat areas; Indonesian is one of the easiest to pick up and opens doors.

Culture and etiquette in 30 seconds

Bali is majority Hindu: unlike the rest of Indonesia, which is mostly Muslim. You’ll see offerings (canang sari) on the ground at every step: don’t tread on them. Cover shoulders and knees (and wear a sarong) entering temples, take your shoes off in homes and sacred places, and never touch someone’s head. The rhythm is jam karet, “elastic time”; patience and a smile beat hurry.

Pros and cons, unfiltered

For: the biggest nomad community in the world · a visa that exempts foreign income · unbeatable nature and lifestyle · friendly costs · infrastructure built for remote work.

Against: Canggu has become pricey and crowded · chaotic scooter traffic in the nomad areas · advanced healthcare means a trip to Singapore · the E33G needs high income (~US$ 60k/yr) · visa bureaucracy can be slow.

Is it worth it?

For anyone who works remotely and wants nature, community and friendly costs, Bali is hard to beat, and the nomad visa with foreign-income exemption made the math even more attractive. The secret is the usual one: pick the right village, enter through the visa route that serves you, and settle the tax question before you fly.

City guide: get to know Bali from the inside, from Canggu to Ubud, where to stay, what to do and the nomad life on the island.

Ready for the next step? The Rota Ásia quiz matches your profile, budget and lifestyle and hands you a tailored plan: your city, the ideal visa route, the cost and the taxes, straight to your inbox.