Bali on a Budget: Complete Travel Guide

Bali sees more tourists than the rest of Indonesia combined, but it’s still possible to travel comfortably here for under $30 a day if you avoid the most touristed strips.

Where to base yourself

Ubud

Bali’s cultural center, surrounded by rice terraces and jungle. Guesthouses here are excellent value, often $10–15 a night with breakfast and a pool.

Canggu

Popular with digital nomads and surfers, slightly pricier than Ubud but still affordable outside the main beach clubs — look a few streets back from the main strip for better rates.

Amed and East Bali

Quieter, cheaper, and less developed, with excellent snorkeling and diving at a fraction of the cost found near the main tourist areas.

A sample daily budget ($28)

Guesthouse room: $12
Scooter rental: $5
Three meals at local warung: $9
Coffee and snacks: $2

Getting around

Renting a scooter ($4–6/day) is by far the cheapest and most flexible way to explore Bali. For longer distances or if you’re not comfortable riding, ride-hailing apps are inexpensive and widely available outside a few restricted tourist zones.

Beyond Bali

Once you’ve acclimatized, budget ferries connect Bali to Lombok, the Gili Islands, and onward to Flores — all considerably cheaper and less crowded than Bali itself, and easy to combine into a longer Indonesia itinerary.

Money-saving tips specific to Bali

Eat at warungs, not beach club restaurants — the price difference for similar quality is often 3–5x.
Rent a scooter by the week, not the day, for a meaningful discount.
Negotiate a lower nightly rate for stays of a week or more, even in guesthouses without official long-stay discounts listed.
Avoid exchanging money at airport kiosks — city-center money changers offer noticeably better rates.