After spending 1 month in Indonesia earlier this year, we couldn’t resist returning to explore Bali, this time with Thysia’s mom and aunt! We based ourselves in Ubud for 20 nights, took an overnight trip to Nusa Penida, and spent 8 nights in Denpasar, totaling 28 fantastic days on the island. Given that we managed to stick to a budget of € 94 per day for both of us during our previous month in Indonesia, we were curious to see how our spending in Bali would compare. In this post, we’ll break down our budget for 1 month in Bali and share tips for enjoying the island without overspending.
Table of contents
- Flights
- Accommodation
- Transportation
- Food
- Drinks
- Sightseeing
- Other
- Total of our 1 month in Bali
- Tips and tricks for saving money in Bali
How much did our trip to Bali in July 2024 cost? Here’s our budget breakdown for 1 month in Bali:
Flights
We booked our flights with AirAsia about a month ahead, and the direct flight from Kuala Lumpur to Denpasar cost us € 185,40 for both of us. Included in this are checked baggage, seat selection, and a meal. It’s a pretty good deal, although we did have a 4-hour delay. Because of this we arrived at 1 AM in Denpasar and didn’t reach our accommodation until around 3 AM. Not the most convenient start to our Bali adventure, but we made it in the end and were ready to enjoy the island!
Total for 2 people: € 185,40
Accommodation
We rented a villa in Ubud for 20 nights with Thysia’s family. We also decided to take an overnight trip to Nusa Penida, which means we ended up paying for two accommodations that night because we had already booked and paid for the villa in Ubud. Luckily, our night at Sentulan Garden only cost us € 17. After returning, we spent 8 more nights in Denpasar at Bestah Coliving. In total, we spent € 928,98 on accommodation, averaging € 34,41 per night for both of us.
Total for 2 people for 27 nights: € 928,98
Transportation
We rented a scooter in Ubud for 19 days, which cost € 57 or only € 3 per day! However, renting a scooter in Denpasar for 2 days was quite a bit pricier at € 20. Our trip to Nusa Penida cost us € 45, covering the boat tickets and transfer from our hotel. The airport transfer to Ubud was € 34, but since we shared the cost, we only paid € 17. Additionally, we had a few Grab rides and covered costs for gas and parking.
In total, we spent € 179,30 on transportation during our month in Bali, which averages out to € 6,40 per day for both of us. We want to mention that we hired a driver for our time in Nusa Penida due to the poor road conditions. The driver for two days cost 1,200,000 IDR (about € 70), but Thysia’s mom and aunt covered this expense, yay! This means this isn’t included in our transportation costs. If we had paid for it ourselves, our transportation expenses would have been slightly higher.
Total for 2 people: € 179,30
Food
During our month in Bali, we spent nearly € 700 on food, which averages out to around € 25 per day for both of us. Normally, we stick to local spots to keep costs down, but with Thysia’s family visiting we decided to treat ourselves on a few occassions. Our priciest meal was at Woods in Canggu, where we spent € 72 dining with a lovely Belgian couple we met in Java. At Honey & Smoke, we spent € 68 on an exceptional meal with cocktails – it was the best food we had in Bali! Other notable expenses included lunches at Uma Cucina and The Shed, each costing €40. A bit more expensive than your regular nasi campur or mie goreng. 😉
Total for 2 people: € 699,37
Drinks
Besides enjoying delicious food, we also treated ourselves to some drinks during our month in Bali. We had a few cocktails and bought a bottle of rum and a bottle of sparkling wine. Overall, we spent € 51,75 on drinks, not including what we had with our meals (already covered in the restaurant bills).
Total for 2 people: € 51,75
Sightseeing
We spent a total of € 216,50 on sightseeing, which averages out to just € 7,73 per day for both of us. Our biggest expenses included a Balinese cooking class and market tour (€ 40), a snorkeling tour at Nusa Penida (€ 51), and a pool day at TIS Cafe (€ 51). These experiences were all worth it though! Learning to make our favorite Indonesian dishes with a small but lovely group was such a fun experience. The snorkeling tour was definitely the highlight of our trip – swimming with manta rays was truly unforgettable. At TIS Cafe we had stunning views of the rice fields and even a quiet pool area just for us! True luxury, if you ask us. Even though it seems pricey, it’s worth every cent.
Other expenses included entrance fees to waterfalls and temples, and a ticket to see the Legong Dance Show at Ubud Palace.
Total for 2 people: € 216,50
Other
Our miscellaneous expenses in Bali included a variety of everyday costs like visas, groceries, haircuts, and laundry. The priciest was our visas, which set us back € 60 for both of us. We spent € 78,43 on groceries, and Kelvin had two haircuts that totaled € 8,52. We also did laundry four times, costing us € 10,90, and picked up a few souvenirs along the way. Altogether, these expenses added up to € 199,86.
Total for 2 people: € 199,86
Total of our 1 month in Bali
Here is our budget breakdown for 1 month in Bali in July 2024:
Total per category for the two of us
✈️ Flights: € 185,40
🛏️ Accommodation: € 928,98 (€ 34,41 per night)
🛵 Transportation: € 179,30 (€ 6,40 per day)
🍛 Food: € 699,37 (€ 24,98 per day)
🍹 Drinks: € 51,75 (€ 1,85 per day)
🌾 Sightseeing: € 216,50 (€ 7,73 per day)
🛒 Other: € 199,86 (€ 7,14 per day)
💰 Total excluding flights: € 2275,76 | € 81,28 per day for 2 | € 40,64 per day per person
💰 Total including flights: € 2461,16
Excluding our flight costs, we averaged € 81,28 per day for both of us, or € 40,64 each. We’re pretty proud of that, especially considering we spent € 93,92 per day during our month in Indonesia. That’s almost € 13 less each day! Admittedly, with Thysia’s family visiting, we didn’t stick to our budget as strictly – our pool day at TIS Cafe is a prime example of something we wouldn’t have done on our own. It’s interesting to think how much less we could have spent if we had really stuck to our budget!
For budget travelers, a daily budget of € 20 to € 30 per person is very doable, especially if you stay in homestays and mostly eat at warungs. We also recommend not moving around too much, as transportation costs can add up quickly. Renting a scooter is a great way to get around in Bali!
We had an amazing time in Bali, and sharing it with Thysia’s family made it even more special. We created some lifelong memories, and it was actually quite freeing to take it a bit slower during that month! Staying in one place rather than moving every couple of days allowed us to explore everything at a more relaxed pace.
Tips and tricks for saving money in Bali
We ended up spending € 40,64 per person per day in Bali, which we find quite affordable, especially considering we didn’t stick to our budget as strictly as usual. Along the way, we picked up some valuable tips for exploring Bali on a budget.
1. Accommodation
Accommodation in Bali is quite budget-friendly, especially if you opt for homestays. You can easily find a private room for two people priced between € 10 and € 20 per night, often including breakfast. While the rooms may be basic, they are consistently clean and comfortable. Check out our top recommendations for places to stay in Ubud, Canggu, and Uluwatu below.
2. Food
To save money on food in Bali, we recommend eating at warungs! These family-owned spots serve delicious local dishes at great prices. We especially enjoyed In Da Compound Warung, Warung Makan Bu Rus, and Meme’s Kitchen, all in Ubud. Make sure to try nasi campur, which is a mix of small dishes that offers a great introduction to local flavors. Other must-tries include nasi goreng (fried rice), mie goreng (fried noodles), and chicken satay (chicken skewers).
3. Transportation
The best way to get around Bali is by renting a scooter. While ordering a cab through Grab is affordable, Bali’s traffic can turn a 30-minute car ride into a much, much longer journey. This is not the case when renting a scooter! Scooter rentals range from € 3 to € 10 per day, depending on the location and duration. For instance, in Ubud, we rented a scooter for 19 days, and Thysia’s mom rented one too. Because we rented two scooters for an extended period, we paid just € 3 per day per scooter! In contrast, our scooter rental in Denpasar was € 10 per day. Renting for a longer period is a great way to snag a discount.
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