Living in Bali: My Guide to Bali Digital Nomad Life
Last Updated on June 10, 2021
Is living in Bali all it’s made out to be? We’ve spent three months experience the Bali digital nomad life as a family. Here’s what I like (and dislike) about living on this island.
Greetings from the island of Gods! After a month or so of traveling in Singapore, Laos and East Timor, we have now found a comfortable rhythm in our temporary home, Bali. We have already spent a month living here, catching up on work and enjoying quality time with my family while slowly exploring every nook and cranny of the island.
So why Bali? I know, everyone is moving to Bali. Living a life of yoga, surfing, smoothies and raw food. It all just seems so cliché. And I’ve always been one to seek out unusual places and experiences. So why am I following the trend and moving to yogi-saturated Bali?
Table of Contents
- Why Live in Bali as a Digital Nomad?
- New Bali Digital Nomad Visa
- What We Love about Living in Bali as Digital Nomad
- READ NOWBest Family Hotels in Bali
- Balinese Culture is Rich and Beautiful
- Endless Things to Do for Digital Nomads
- Living in Bali is Safe and Comfortable
- Easy to Stay for An Extended Period
- High Speed Internet & WiFi Everywhere
- Abundance of Co-Working Spaces
- Cheap & Easy to Get Around
- It’s a Great Place for Kids
- There’s Something for Everyone
- What We Dislike about Living in Bali as Digital Nomad
- Inspired? Pin it!
- What did I miss? Let me know if you have any questions below!
Why Live in Bali as a Digital Nomad?
For one, I’ve always loved Bali — no matter how touristy it has become.
Bali has certainly changed since tourism dominated the island, but the ‘real Bali’ still thrives — and like the scent of incense, cloves and flowers, it permeates every corner of the island. The unique culture of Bali is resilient, persistent and very much alive, not only in its small villages, but also in the towns and cities, where ancient traditions blend with a burgeoning global lifestyle.
Besides, Bali is fast becoming a hub for digital nomads like myself, with a growing community of location-independent and remote-working professionals living here. Plus Bali has developed tremendously over the past few years, with a new airport and more cafes and cool Airbnbs than before. It is a great location to live cheaply, work remotely, learn about a rich culture and enjoy the great outdoors.
New Bali Digital Nomad Visa
Exciting news for digital nomads living in Bali! SCMP reports that Indonesia has put formal proposals in place to launch a digital nomad visa, joining Portugal, Dubai and a handful of countries hopping on the trend.
The visa would allow people to live and work in Bali for up to 5 years, without a work permit. Proposals also include paying a modest 5-10% flat income tax, or a flat fee for the visa, in lieu. Fees to apply for digital nomad visas tend to range between $750 to $5,000, depending on country and each come with different requirements as to level of income, or proof of employment.
What We Love about Living in Bali as Digital Nomad
Low Cost of Living in Bali
Bali is one of the cheapest places I’ve been to (and I’ve been to 140 countries!). Our family get by on around US$30 a day per person, including accommodation, meals and transport. You can probably spend even less if you’re on a tight budget.
A look at Nomad List, which compares cost of living in different cities around the world, will show that your money will last longer here in Bali. Eating local food at a warung (simple diner) will set you back at just US$1 or 2 per person, while an Uber ride around south Kuta usually costs no more than $5 each way.
Accommodation here is really affordable and great value for money. Beautiful villas backdropped by an infinity pool and surrounded by green rice paddies are easily available and cheap. You can get a great villa, for as little as US$30 a night. Some of the hotels we’ve stayed at only cost US$20/night and they even have swimming pools, restaurant and air-conditioning in the room.
This hotel only cost us $20/night
Balinese Culture is Rich and Beautiful
Bali is a very spiritual place with an infectious energy unlike anywhere else in the world. Traditional culture is the reason why keep returning to Bali, and the underlying fabric of all Balinese culture is its religion. Balinese Hinduism is a syncretic one, with many threads sewn into a rich tapestry. It shapes every aspect of Balinese life, from their architecture to traditions.
In most of Bali, you needn’t go far to learn about and appreciate Balinese culture. Just take a walk and you’ll see ceremonies and rituals being carried out on a daily basis. Even in the most touristy corner of Kuta, we found plenty of beautiful temples with intricately carved exteriors, layered pagodas and stone statues of the barong (a lion-like creature that is highly revered in Bali).
Endless Things to Do for Digital Nomads
From ancient temples and fascinating museums to verdant rice terraces and white-sand beaches, there are plenty of things to do in Bali whether you’re a culture vulture or beach lover. While living in Bali, we would spend our mornings exploring (usually to a temple or interesting site) and then I’ll work the rest of the day while Alberto and Kaleya swam or just hung out.
We’ve also been staying in various parts of Bali to experience different sides to the island — the laidback beach town of Canggu is great for surfing and hanging out at its cool cafes, Seminyak is awesome for its swanky cocktail bars. We plan to head up next to the spiritual hub of Ubud, and then the dive mecca of Tulamben in the northern part of Bali. To explore it all in Bali, we’ll probably need a year or even a lifetime!
Living in Bali is Safe and Comfortable
Compared to other Southeast Asian locations, Bali is relatively safe. Going out at night is not a problem at all in most parts of the island, and the tourist areas have a vibrant night scene. Some travelers have their qualms about visiting Bali since the bombings in Kuta and Jimbaran in 2005 — but security has clearly increased around the island and there hasn’t been any terrorist attacks in recent years.
Theft is rarely a problem — which can be a concern for digital nomads if you are traveling with expensive equipment. It is still important to stay at a decent hotel (with a proper safe) and have your wits about you.
Easy to Stay for An Extended Period
Most nationalities don’t need a tourist visa to enter Indonesia for 30 days, but those who need can usually obtain it on arrival at the airport. The visa is good for 30 days and can be easily extended when it expires. Like we mentioned above, Bali intends to introduce a digital nomad visa, which will be excellent for us!
High Speed Internet & WiFi Everywhere
In recent years, the availability and speed of broadband connections in Bali have improved dramatically, especially since the introduction of 4G and fibre optics. WiFi is easily available in hotels and cafes, and typical connection speed for WiFi 512kbps – 2mbps (some providers can offer higher speeds).
Mobile connection is also cheap and fast — we got a SIM card with 4 gigs of internet data for 90,000 Rp (US$6). The three main providers in Bali are Telkomsel, XL, and Smartfren. The typical connection speed on mobile is 1mbps – 15mbps.
The speed of their connection is very location-dependent. In the southern part of the island (Denpasar, Sanur, Kuta, etc.), you’ll find better and faster connections than in in north or central Bali. Internet connectivity is very important for us digital nomads, so I definitely recommend looking for a decent hotel or Airbnb to stay with good internet connections. Check out our Bali hotel recommendations.
Abundance of Co-Working Spaces
Recent years have seen the number of co-working spaces in Bali mushroom, making it a very practical place for digital nomads. They make great offices for digital nomads like myself that need to work remotely. Some of the most popular co-working spaces in Bali are Hubud (Hub-in-Ubud), Outpost also in Ubud, and Dojo Bali in Canggu.
These co-working spaces tend to offer the fastest connections on the island. Aside from comfortable workspaces, these places also have swimming pools, kitchens, conference rooms, and private Skype booths. Many co-working spaces also organize regular events and activities where digital nomads can meet each other, exchange ideas and get inspired. Most of them charge monthly membership fees but they also allow people to walk in and pay US$10-20 for a day’s use.
Cheap & Easy to Get Around
Uber is now a popular means to get around Bali, though Uber is technically illegal in Bali. Some Uber drivers are wary of picking you up at taxi stands. Still it can be a cheap way to get around tourist areas like Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu and Ubud. Prices for Uber are almost half of taxis. For instance, it costs only around US$2 to get from Kuta to Seminyak on Uber.
Most people rent either a scooter to get around the island. A scooter costs around US$5 to rent for a day, and it can be a more convenient way to get around the narrow streets of Bali than a car.
Because we are traveling Bali with a kid, we rented a Toyota Avanza for US$350 for six weeks. It’s a convenient way to explore the island with Kaleya as well as our families and friends who were visiting. We found the car hire while wandering around Seminyak and highly recommend the rental company. It’s run by a local Balinese man and his son. Email me if you’d like his contact.
It’s a Great Place for Kids
Traveling Bali with kids is a lot of fun, as there are so many outdoor activities to do and plenty of kids-friendly restaurants and entertainment areas. Kaleya loves walking in rice paddies, visiting temples, exploring monkey forests (plenty of them everywhere!) and of course, playing on the beach.
In Bali, it’s easy to find waterparks and indoor playgrounds — though we haven’t been to any as we prefer to show Kaleya nature. We really like Peekaboo Kids Play Cafe in Sanur — it’s big, spacious and safe for kids. Plus they have a comfortable cafe for parents, so I could comfortably work on my laptop while Kaleya played around on her own. I’ve also heard good things about Waterbom in Kuta, though we haven’t been there.
There’s Something for Everyone
With its diversity and multi-faceted character, Bali draws in all sorts of travelers: from the yogis to the laid-back hippies, intrepid families (like us!) to the well-heeled traveler looking for exotic flair. There is truly a corner of Bali for everyone.
Most party backpackers head to hedonistic Kuta, while well-heeled vacationers congregate in chic Seminyak for cocktail bars and boutique hotels. Yoga enthusiasts and hippies tend to flock to Ubud in central Bali in search of their own versions of “Eat Pray Love”; hardcore surfers like to stay in and around Uluwatu as that’s where the best swells are’; scuba divers go straight to Tulamben in the North; and couples seeking romance and luxury often end up in Nusa Dua, at the southern tip of Bali. Digital nomads will usually find most co-working spaces in the Canggu and Ubud areas.
What We Dislike about Living in Bali as Digital Nomad
But just like everywhere else, digital nomad life in Bali isn’t perfect. Most online resources seem to completely leave out the difficulties or challenges that you may find living here. In reality, living in Bali is not quite the same as traveling in Bali. While Bali IS a great place to live and work remotely, there are also downsides to living in ‘paradise’.
Chaotic Traffic in Bali
Traffic can be crazy in the built-up areas of Kuta, Seminyak, Jimbaran and Denpasar. Roads all around Bali tend to be narrow and windy, and drivers have absolutely no regard for traffic laws. Scooters usually zigzag their way around without any concern for their safety and that of others. It can take 30 minutes just to cover 9km at times, because of the traffic.
Trying to navigate these roads on a daily basis can be exhausting, especially if you’re commuting to a co-working space or just exploring amidst the heavy traffic. As a result, most people tend to find a base and spend most of their time in that area. We didn’t find it enjoyable to drive in Bali at all — it was stressful and annoying at times.
Intense Heat & Hush Climate
Living in the tropics isn’t quite as easy – or dreamy – as everyone thinks it is. The weather may be hot and sunny here all year round, but the heat can make walking around a pain (especially when you’re lugging a toddler like we are). I grew up in the tropics (Singapore), so I’m used to seeing insects everywhere and having to clean everyday.
But for some others, it can be quite a shock to find giant wasps and big bugs even in the most luxurious accommodation. When staying at a villa that was surrounded by the forest, our two-year-old daughter had an insect bite that got very swollen and red — we had to bring her to see the doctor for treatment. Thankfully, it was easy to find an English-speaking doctor.
Haggling and Getting Bothered by Vendors Everyday
It’s one thing to be haggling while on holiday, and another to do it on a daily basis. Everyday, someone is trying to sell you something. They’re not usually aggressive and they’ll stop after a simple ‘no thank you’, but when you live somewhere and every day of the year you are asked if you would like to buy something, it can get a bit overbearing. This is particularly true in areas like Seminyak, Kuta and Ubud.
Internet May Be Unreliable
While internet speed and availability in Bali has improved tremendously over the years, it’s still not quite as reliable as you would expect from home. We’ve stayed in different parts of Bali, including in remote areas where few tourists go, and we notice that WiFi can get very slow and sketchy once you’re out of the tourist zones.
At two of the villas we stayed at (that cost more than $100/night), the WiFi dropped several times during our stay. It’s best to stick to tourist hubs of Seminyak, Kuta and Legian if, like me, you need to work remotely with digital reliability.
Tricky to Find Electronics or Particular Items in Bali
Bali may be very developed as a tourist destination but there are still some things that can make living in Bali difficult. When our iPhone cable broke and when we lost Kaleya’s pacifier, we had to go on a hunt all over Bali to find them.
Medication can usually be found in Watson’s or Guardian Pharmacy that have branches in most of the tourist hubs, but other than that, you’ll have to travel to Denpasar for electronics or a particular item.
Are you planning on living in Bali? By sharing our experience of living in Bali, I hope we’ve shown you both sides of the story and helped you decide if you’d like to be a digital nomad in Bali. Let us know in the comments field below if you have any questions!
Inspired? Pin it!
What did I miss? Let me know if you have any questions below!
The Comments
Darlene
Hello Nellie, I loved your blog! I’m a digital nomad looking forward to living in Bali for a couple of years. It was’t very clear for me if it is possible to stay for that period of time working remotely and what the process would be. I’d appreciate any further information you can share. Thank you!
Nellie Huang
Darlenehi Darlene, yes I should have mention the legalities aspect of living in Bali. I’ll add that into the post. Basically, what most digital nomads do is they get a visa on arrival into Indonesia (though most people don’t need one), so that they can extend the visa after that and stay longer. It’s really quite easy and cheap, that’s why Bali is so popular with digital nomads. However, not all nationalities can get a visa on arrival — Singaporeans are not allowed to, and so I had to apply for it before getting there. Hope this helps!
Nellie Huang
hi Courtney, we found the internet connection in most parts of Bali to be rather reliable. That said, we stayed at mostly villas and hotels, and not rental apartments. But even cheap hotels (for US$20/night per room) had excellent internet connection. If you’re looking for good internet service, a beach for surfing, that’s not insanely crowded, I’d recommend checking out Canggu. It’s much quieter than Kuta or Seminyak and there’s a great surfing and remote working community there. Plenty of affordable and good housing as well.
Maria
Hi Nellie, Google search brought me to your blog. i will be travelling to Bali this July and looking to stay for a week but would need to have reliable internet especially at night because I need to work remotely. I visited Bali before, and stayed in Ayodya hotel at Nusa Dua and their internet service was terrible. Where would you recommend to stay to get good internet? I will be with my husband and a toddler and would probably be doing some stuff doing the day and I’d work at night, EST business hours. Appreciate the tips!
Nellie Huang
Mariahi Maria, good to have you here! I was also with my husband and toddler in Bali, sightseeing by day and working at night. We would also have some down days just chilling out at our villa or hotel and I would use those days to catch up on work. When were you last in Bali? The internet connectivity there has improved quite a lot in recent years (I’d been a few times in the last ten years) and of course it varies at different hotels. I’ve written a list of family hotels in Bali worth checking out: https://wildjunket.com/best-family-hotels-bali/. All of them have great internet connections and are good for toddlers. I also wrote a guide on which area in Bali is best to stay for different types of travelers (https://wildjunket.com/where-to-stay-bali/). I really like Canggu and love how easy it is to walk to cool cafes and restaurants from our villa. The beach is just ok but if your husband/kid like surfing, it’s the best place to surf without the crowd. Sanur is the most family-friendly and I really liked our guesthouse that was cheap and comfortable. It’s called Puri Tempo Doelo and you’ll find more details about it in the link. Hope these help!
Rawan
Hello Nellie, great blog!
I’m going to be living in Bali for three months and was looking at housing options in Ubud and Seminyak. Any places you would recommend in either?
I personally liked Seminyak housing options more than Ubud’s. My work will be remote but I may need to meet with my team in Ubud once or twice a week. Do you think it’s possible for me to live in Seminyak and commute to Ubud weekly? Or would that be too expensive/too much of a hassle?
Nellie Huang
Rawanhey Rawan, I was just going to add some long-term housing options into the post! Thanks for reminding me! Would you have a scooter or car in Bali? If yes, then it would be possible. It takes around 1.5 hours to drive there, but traffic isn’t great in Bali and I honestly dislike navigating the roads. Roads are narrow (usually one-lane) and there are always lots of scooters around. So you need to think about whether you want to spend so much time commuting each week. I too prefer the beach to Ubud, especially since Ubud is getting too crowded these days. My favorite beach was Canggu – it’s less commercialized and there are more digital nomads living in the area, plus more space to breathe really. Anyhow, you might want to check out my recommendations on where to stay in Bali — I know they’re quite pricey to be staying long-term but I intend to add more budget options to the list. We did stay at a few affordable hotels/apartments that can definitely make good long-term options.
Jen
I will be traveling to Bali (in a week!) for a month with my toddler as a digital nomad and am wondering if I should attempt to bring her car seat. We may spend some time exploring the island by car. Thoughts?
Nellie Huang
JenIf you want to err on the side of safety, then yes bring it! Traffic in Bali can be quite hectic so it’s good to do anything to make your kid comfortable when stuck in traffic.
Belke
Hi Nellie.. love your blog
I have stayed in Bali for a month and really love to stay and work there. But as a Singapore like you.. I’m afraid of the problem of Visa and what kind of job I can find there.
Cheers
Belle
Truc
I’m also a working as a remote software engineer via Upworks, spent 2 night at Ubud and the internet connection for 4G is quite terrible , speed at hotel is about 3Mbps which is acceptable for normally working.
If you want to try something new, you should visit my country Vietnam, I’ve been working around the country and even some remote places in the northeast Vietnam has 10Mbps for 4G. Traffic is a little chaos but some acceptable, although renting a car is impossible for foreigner.
I might give you a plan if you want to give it a try.
Chen
Hi Nellie, do you know what I should buy for my laptop to connect with fast & reliable internet if I don’t have a cell phone? Are there places that sell USB modems and how can I get data added?
Pagi Asmara
Greetings everyone and Happy New Year!
Hi Nellie, enjoyed reading your blog and how you differ the plus and minus with all honesty.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is I Ketut Pagi Asmara (known as Pagi Asmara). I was raised in a farming village of Pejengaji, just 10mins drive north of Ubud. I lived in London for 16 years and now I am working in Singapore. My parents and my oldest brother are in Bali. There is currently 1 double bed room with a bathroom available for rent while 1 more is nearly completed. I will also be building 4 new units at our rice field. The house has been used by Professor Dr Angela Hobart, a London based Anthropologist, who is also my godmother, since the 70s whenever she comes for a visit. You are welcome to get in touch for whatever queries you would like to ask. [email protected]
Philip Thompson
Uhhh….. 2 mbps is insanely slow, and I don’ t know of anywhere in the world where they still measure speeds in kbps (which means less than 1 mbps) – fiber, which you mentioned gives you speeds usually between 250 mbps minimum to 1 gbps).
Aside from that, I love Bali and I love your article. But yea, internet speeds need to drastically improve here in Bali. I am a digital nomad and it is very difficult to do much of anything.
Philip Thompson
Also, are you saying that wifi is not as good in Canguu…? I have not stayed in Seminyak, Kuta, or Legian, and I wonder if the speeds are better there….? That would be a shame, because Canguu in my opinion is so much more beautiful and pleasant than Kuta or Seminyak.