Bali on a Backpacker Budget | Chill Bali Trips

Bali has a reputation as a cheap destination, but that reputation is increasingly outdated — at least in the tourist bubbles. A smoothie bowl in Canggu costs $8. A boutique hotel in Seminyak runs $80/night. A cocktail at a beach club is $15. If you only visit the places that show up on Instagram, Bali can be surprisingly expensive.

But step outside the tourist bubble, and the old Bali pricing still exists. A massive plate of nasi campur for $1.50. A clean guesthouse for $8/night. A scooter for $3/day. A waterfall with no entrance fee. The key to backpacking Bali on a real budget is knowing where to look — and being willing to go where the tourists don’t.

This guide uses real prices and real math. No vague advice to “eat local.” Actual numbers for everything.

The Bottom Line: Daily Budget Tiers

Shoestring ($15-25/day)

This is the absolute minimum for a comfortable backpacker experience. You’re staying in dorms, eating almost exclusively at warungs, walking or cycling where possible, and being selective about paid activities.

Breakdown:

Dorm bed: $5-8
Three meals at warungs: $4-7
Water and snacks: $1-2
Transport (local bemo or walking): $0-2
One cheap activity or entrance fee: $2-5
Buffer: $2-3

Lifestyle: You’re living like a local, which honestly isn’t a bad thing. The food is amazing, the people are warm, and you’ll see a side of Bali that resort guests never experience.

Comfortable Backpacker ($30-50/day)

The sweet spot. You can do most of what Bali offers at this budget without constant penny-counting.

Breakdown:

Private room in a guesthouse: $12-20
Two warung meals + one cafe meal: $8-15
Scooter rental: $3-5
Fuel: $1-2
One activity or attraction: $5-15
Drinks and social: $5-10
Buffer: $3-5

Lifestyle: You have your own space, reliable transport, and can join activities and eat at cafes without stress.

Budget-Conscious Traveler ($50-80/day)

Not strictly backpacking, but worth mentioning for context. At this level you can stay in decent hotels, eat at mid-range restaurants, and do premium activities regularly.

Accommodation: Where to Sleep Cheap

Dorm Beds ($5-10/night)

Bali’s hostel scene is solid, especially in Canggu and Ubud.

Best budget hostels:

Tribal Bali (Canggu): Not the cheapest ($12-15 dorm) but the social scene and facilities (pool, coworking, events) make it worthwhile if you’re solo. One of the easiest places to meet people.
Puri Garden Hotel (Ubud): Budget private rooms from $12 in a garden setting. Friendly staff, pool, central location near the Monkey Forest.
Kos-kosan (boarding houses): The cheapest option — monthly rooms in local boarding houses from $100-200/month. No frills but clean and private. Ask around in any neighborhood.

Private Rooms ($8-20/night)

Guesthouses (losmen). Traditional Balinese family-run guesthouses are the best budget accommodation in Bali. You get a private room, usually with bathroom, often with breakfast included, and the hospitality of a Balinese family. Ubud has the best selection — walk the side streets off Jalan Raya Ubud and you’ll find rooms for $8-15/night.

Booking tips:

Walk-in rates are often cheaper than online prices (especially for stays of 3+ nights)
Negotiate for weekly or monthly rates — discounts of 20-40% are common
Check rooms before paying. WiFi strength, hot water, and mattress quality vary enormously
Avoid anything on the main road unless noise doesn’t bother you

Where NOT to Stay on a Budget

Seminyak: The most expensive area in Bali for accommodation. Even budget options are $20+/night. Visit for the day but sleep elsewhere.

Kuta: Cheap but chaotic, noisy, and the least interesting area culturally. The $5 rooms near the clubs attract a crowd that backpackers trying to explore Bali probably want to avoid.

Nusa Dua: Resort zone. Nothing budget-friendly here.

Food: Eating Well for Almost Nothing

The $2-and-Under Meal Guide

Eating is where budget travelers save the most money in Bali. Warung food is genuinely cheap, delicious, and filling.

Nasi campur: The backpacker’s best friend. A plate of rice with an assortment of side dishes. $1-2 at any local warung. You’ll eat this 5-7 times per week and never get tired of it because every warung makes it differently.

Nasi goreng / mie goreng: Fried rice or fried noodles. $1-1.50 at a warung. Available everywhere, all day.

Soto ayam: Turmeric chicken soup with rice, bean sprouts, and sambal. Hearty, comforting, and $1-1.50.

Bakso: Meatball soup from mobile carts. $0.50-1 for a generous bowl. The cart vendors who pass through neighborhoods are usually the best.

Pisang goreng: Fried banana fritters. $0.30-0.50 for a serving. The perfect snack.

Nasi jinggo: Bali’s cheapest complete meal — a small portion of rice with sides wrapped in a banana leaf. $0.30-0.50. Sold from carts and warung windows, mainly in the evening.

Where to Find the Cheapest Eats

Night markets (pasar malam). Gianyar Night Market is the most famous and offers the best value-to-quality ratio. You can eat until you’re stuffed for $2-3. Sanur and Denpasar also have excellent night markets.

University areas. Denpasar near Udayana University has incredibly cheap warungs catering to students. Prices are 30-50% lower than tourist areas.

Away from main roads. Walk 5 minutes off the main tourist strip in any area and prices drop dramatically. The warung on a side street in Ubud charges half what the one on Jalan Raya charges — for the same food.

Supermarkets. Bintang Supermarket, Coco Mart, and Pepito stock essentials at fixed prices. Great for water (bulk-buy 19L jugs for $1.50), snacks, fruit, and basic breakfast supplies.

The Cafe Trap

The smoothie bowl that costs $8 at a Canggu cafe would cost $1.50 made at home with market fruit. The avocado toast at $7 is a markup of 500% over making it yourself. Cafes are great for the occasional treat and WiFi, but eating at them daily will triple your food budget.

Compromise: Eat breakfast and lunch at warungs ($3-4 total), then allow yourself one cafe meal or coffee ($3-8) as your daily splurge. Total food cost: $6-12/day vs. $20-30/day eating exclusively at cafes.

Transport: Getting Around Cheap

Scooter ($3-5/day)

The most cost-effective way to see Bali. Monthly rentals drop to $50-70/month. Always wear a helmet, carry your international driving permit, and don’t ride in the rain if you can avoid it.

Fuel cost: $1-2 fills most scooter tanks. You’ll fill up every 2-3 days with normal use.

Insurance warning: Many travel insurance policies don’t cover scooter accidents unless you hold an international driving permit. This is the one expense you should not skip.

Grab/Gojek

Ride-hailing apps are the cheapest option for point-to-point transport when you don’t have a scooter. A typical ride within an area (e.g., within Canggu) costs $1-2. Canggu to Seminyak is $2-3. Canggu to Ubud is $5-8.

Note: Grab and Gojek are unofficially banned from certain areas (airport, some tourist zones). Drivers may ask you to walk to a pickup point outside the restricted zone.

Public Transport (Bemo)

Bali’s minibus system is the cheapest transport option ($0.20-0.50 per ride) but routes are confusing, schedules are nonexistent, and they’re impractical for most tourist routes. Useful mainly for getting between Denpasar and nearby towns if you want to save every penny.

Walking and Cycling

Many areas are walkable once you’re there. Ubud’s center, Seminyak’s shopping strip, and Canggu’s Batu Bolong area are all manageable on foot. Some guesthouses lend or rent bicycles for free or $1-2/day.

Free and Cheap Activities

Completely Free

Beaches. Almost all of Bali’s beaches are free. Seminyak Beach, Echo Beach, Padang Padang Beach, Thomas Beach, and Dreamland are all free to access (small parking fees of $0.20-0.50 at some).

Rice terrace walks. While Tegallalang charges an entry fee ($1.50), many rice terraces are free to walk through. The terraces around Sidemen, Jatiluwih (small fee), and the paths north of Ubud are beautiful and free.

Temple exteriors. You can admire most temples from outside for free. Entrance fees when you do pay are usually $0.50-2. The free sunset view at Tanah Lot (without entering the temple) is one of Bali’s best.

Sunset watching. Every beach on the west coast has a free sunset show. Echo Beach, Seminyak Beach, and the cliffs at Uluwatu are all spectacular.

Campuhan Ridge Walk (Ubud). A paved path along a ridge between two valleys with panoramic views. Completely free, best at sunrise.

Monkey Forest path. While the Monkey Forest itself charges entry ($4), the road alongside it is free and you’ll still see plenty of monkeys.

Cheap Activities (Under $10)

Waterfall visits. Most waterfalls charge $0.50-2 entry. Tegenungan is the most popular ($1.50), but Tibumana, Kanto Lampo, and Tukad Cepung are equally beautiful and cheaper.

Temple entry. Tirta Empul ($2), Tirta Gangga ($1.50), Goa Gajah ($2). The purification ritual at Tirta Empul is one of Bali’s most powerful experiences and costs only the entry fee.

Yoga drop-in. Community yoga classes in Ubud start from $5-8. The Yoga Barn does donation-based community classes periodically.

Cooking classes. Some budget cooking classes start from $15-20 per person, including the meal you cook.

Night market dinner. An evening at Gianyar Night Market, sampling multiple stalls: $2-4 total.

Budget Activities ($10-30)

Most of Bali’s organized activities are affordable even on a backpacker budget:

Cycling tour: $25-35
Surfing lesson: $20-35
ATV ride: $30-50
White water rafting: $25-40
Coffee plantation tour: $10-20
Snorkeling trip: $20-35
Mount Batur trek: $35-55

Saving strategy: Book through a local agent or your accommodation rather than online platforms. Walk-in prices at local tour offices in Ubud and Canggu are typically 20-40% less than Viator or GetYourGuide.

Money-Saving Strategies That Actually Work

The Big Wins

Stay longer. Everything gets cheaper with time. Monthly accommodation rates are 30-50% less than daily rates. You learn where the cheap eats are. You stop paying tourist premium because vendors recognize you.

Base yourself in Ubud. Accommodation, food, and activities are all cheaper in Ubud than the coastal areas. You can still day-trip to beaches and coastal attractions.

Cook sometimes. If your accommodation has a kitchen or kitchenette, buy fruit, bread, eggs, and instant noodles from local minimarts. A self-made breakfast costs $0.50-1 vs. $3-8 at a cafe.

Share costs. Many activities (private driver, boat charters, villa rentals) are priced per group, not per person. Finding 2-3 other travelers to split costs with halves or thirds your expense. Hostel notice boards are the best place to find trip-sharing partners.

Avoid the tourist tax. Prices in tourist areas (Seminyak, beachfront, main roads) are 50-200% higher than prices one block back or in local neighborhoods. The same bottle of water is $0.30 at a minimart and $1.50 at a beach vendor.

The Small Wins

Water: Buy 19L refill gallons ($1.50) and fill a reusable bottle instead of buying small bottles ($0.50 each, 3-4/day)
Laundry: $1/kg at local laundry services vs. $3-5/kg at tourist-facing ones
SIM card: Buy at an official Telkomsel or XL store ($3-5) rather than the airport ($8-15)
Bargaining: At markets, start at 30-40% of the asking price and negotiate up. Be friendly but firm
Alcohol: A large Bintang beer is $1.50 at a minimart, $3-5 at a restaurant, $8+ at a beach club

Sample Budget Itinerary: 14 Days for $500

Total budget: $500 ($35/day)

Days 1-5 (Ubud) — $150:

Guesthouse private room: $10/night ($50)
Food at warungs: $6/day ($30)
Scooter rental: $4/day ($20)
Activities: Monkey Forest ($4), Tegenungan Waterfall ($2), Tirta Empul ($2), rice terrace walks (free), Campuhan Ridge (free), Gianyar Night Market ($3), sunset at Tanah Lot ($2)
Yoga classes x2 ($14)
Buffer: $23

Days 6-7 (Nusa Penida/Lembongan — $80:

Fast boat round trip: $15-20
Budget accommodation: $10/night ($20)
Food: $6/day ($12)
Scooter rental on island: $5/day ($10)
Activities: Kelingking Beach (free), Angel’s Billabong (free), snorkeling ($10)
Buffer: $8

Days 8-10 (Canggu) — $130:

Hostel dorm: $8/night ($24)
Food (mix of warungs and one cafe/day): $12/day ($36)
Scooter: $4/day ($12)
Activities: surfing ($25), Echo Beach sunset (free), beach days (free)
Socializing and drinks: $20
Buffer: $13

Days 11-12 (Uluwatu — $70:

Budget room: $12/night ($24)
Food: $8/day ($16)
Scooter: $4/day ($8)
Activities: temple and Kecak dance ($5), Padang Padang Beach (free), cliff walks (free)
Buffer: $17

Days 13-14 (Seminyak/Departure) — $70:

Budget room: $15/night ($30)
Food: $8/day ($16)
Last activities and shopping: $15
Airport transport: $5-8
Buffer: $5

Total: ~$500

Let Gede Stretch Your Budget Further

Budget travelers benefit the most from local connections. Gede knows the warungs, guesthouses, and activity operators that offer the best value — places that don’t advertise online and don’t charge tourist prices. He can arrange shared tours, negotiate group rates, and point you to the cheapest transport options.

He doesn’t charge for planning advice. Tell him your budget and your must-do list, and he’ll show you how to make it work.

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