Bali on a Budget: Daily Cost Breakdown 2026

Bali can cost you $25 a day or $500 a day, and both versions of the trip can be excellent. The island has an unusually wide spending spectrum — world-class experiences are available at every price point, and the gap between “budget” and “expensive” is more about comfort and convenience than quality.

This guide breaks down real 2026 prices across every category so you can plan a Bali trip that fits your budget without sacrificing the experiences that matter.

The Quick Answer: Daily Budgets

Here’s what a typical day in Bali actually costs at three spending levels:

Budget Traveler: $30-50/day

Guesthouse or hostel: $10-20
Three meals at warungs and local restaurants: $6-12
Scooter rental: $5
One activity or entrance fee: $5-15
Drinks and snacks: $3-5
Miscellaneous: $3-5

Mid-Range Traveler: $70-120/day

Hotel with pool or private villa: $40-70
Mix of warungs and mid-range restaurants: $15-25
Transport (mix of scooter and ride-hailing): $8-12
One to two activities: $15-40
Drinks, coffee, and snacks: $8-12
Miscellaneous: $5-10

Comfort/Luxury Traveler: $200-400+/day

Luxury hotel or premium villa: $150-300+
Fine dining and beach clubs: $50-80
Private driver for the day: $40-55
Premium activities and experiences: $40-80
Cocktails, spa, and extras: $30-60

Now let’s break down each category in detail.

Accommodation

Accommodation is where your budget level has the biggest impact.

Budget ($10-25/night)

Hostels: Dorm beds in Canggu and Seminyak run $8-15/night. Private rooms in hostels are $15-25.
Guesthouses: Family-run guesthouses in quieter areas (Sanur, Lovina, Amed) offer clean rooms with fan or AC for $10-20/night, often including breakfast.
Basic homestays: In areas like Sidemen, Munduk, and village areas of Ubud, homestays with rice field views go for $12-25/night with home-cooked breakfast included.

Where to save: Avoid Seminyak and central Canggu if you’re on a tight budget. Berawa, Pererenan, Sanur, and Ubud outskirts offer much better value.

Mid-Range ($40-100/night)

Hotels with pools: Clean, comfortable hotels with pools and breakfast start around $40/night in most areas.
Private villas: One-bedroom villas with private pools can be found for $50-80/night, especially in Pererenan, Ubud outskirts, and Amed. This is Bali’s best value proposition — a private pool villa for the price of a standard hotel room anywhere else.
Boutique stays: Design-forward boutique hotels in Canggu and Ubud go for $60-100/night.

Luxury ($150-500+/night)

Premium villas: Multi-bedroom pool villas in Seminyak, Uluwatu, and Ubud run $150-400/night.
Five-star resorts: International chains and premium Balinese resorts range from $200 to well over $500/night.
Cliff-top resorts in Uluwatu: The Bulgari, Alila Villas, and Six Senses properties command $400-1000+/night.

Booking tip: Direct booking through platforms like Booking.com or Agoda often beats hotel direct pricing. For longer stays (2+ weeks), contact properties directly and negotiate — monthly discounts of 20-40% are common.

Food

Bali’s food scene spans from $1.50 warung plates to $100+ fine dining tasting menus. The range is enormous, and the quality at the bottom end is surprisingly high.

Street Food and Warungs ($1.50-4/meal)

This is where your money goes furthest:

Nasi campur (mixed rice with sides): $1.50-2.50
Nasi goreng or mie goreng (fried rice or noodles): $1.50-2
Babi guling (suckling pig — Bali’s signature dish): $2-4
Sate lilit (Balinese minced meat satay): $1.50-2.50
Bakso (meatball soup from a street cart): $1-1.50
Fresh fruit juice from a warung: $0.75-1.50

You can eat three full meals a day at local warungs for $5-8 total and eat very well.

Cafes and Mid-Range Restaurants ($5-15/meal)

Brunch/breakfast at a cafe (Canggu, Seminyak, Ubud): $5-10
Smoothie bowls: $4-7
Western-style meals (burgers, pasta, salads): $6-12
Coffee at a specialty cafe: $2.50-4
Mid-range Indonesian restaurant: $5-10

Fine Dining ($25-80+/meal)

Upscale restaurants in Seminyak/Uluwatu: $25-50 per person
Beach club meals: $15-30 per person (plus minimum spend requirements at some)
Tasting menus: $50-100+ at top restaurants
Cocktails at premium bars: $8-15 each

Alcohol

Bintang (local beer) at a warung: $1.50-2
Bintang at a restaurant/bar: $2.50-4
Cocktails at a beach club: $8-15
Local arak-based cocktails: $3-5
Wine (imported): $6-15 per glass — wine is expensive in Bali due to import taxes

Budget tip: Eat your main meals at warungs and save the cafe/restaurant budget for one or two splurge meals. A warung nasi campur for lunch tastes better than most $10 tourist restaurant meals anyway.

Transport

Getting around Bali is affordable, but costs add up if you’re not strategic.

Scooter Rental: $4-7/day

The cheapest and most flexible option. Most rentals include a helmet. Prices drop for weekly or monthly rentals ($80-120/month is standard). Only ride if you’re experienced — Bali traffic is not the place to learn.

Ride-Hailing (Grab/Gojek)

Short rides within an area (e.g., within Canggu): $1-2
Cross-area rides (Canggu to Seminyak): $2-4
Airport to Seminyak/Canggu: $6-10
Airport to Ubud: $12-18

Note: Some tourist areas restrict ride-hailing apps. You may need to walk to a main road for pickup.

Private Driver: $40-60/day

For a full day (8-10 hours) with an air-conditioned car and an English-speaking driver. This is Bali’s best transport value for groups — split between 2-4 people, it’s cheaper than multiple Grab rides and infinitely more convenient. Book a private driver through Chill Bali Trips for reliable, vetted drivers.

Airport Transfers

Official taxi from airport: $12-20 depending on destination
Pre-arranged pickup (through hotel or Chill Bali Trips): $12-25
Grab from airport: $6-12 (walk to the pickup zone outside the terminal)

Fuel

If you’re renting a scooter, fuel costs about $0.80-1 per liter. A full tank on a scooter ($2-3) will last several days of normal use.

Activities

Bali is one of the best-value activity destinations in the world. Here’s what things actually cost:

Adventure Activities

Surfing lessons: $25-40 for 2 hours with board
ATV/quad biking: $35-60 per person
White water rafting: $30-50 per person
Mount Batur sunrise trek: $45-65 per person with guide
Cycling tours: $30-45 per person
Nusa Penida day trip: $55-80 per person (includes boat and transport)

Cultural Activities

Temple tours: $40-60 per person (full day with transport)
Temple entrance fees: $2-5 per temple
Cooking classes: $25-45 per person
Coffee plantation tour: $20-35 per person
Traditional dance performances: $5-10 per person

Water Activities

Snorkeling trips: $35-60 per person
Scuba diving (2 dives): $50-80 per person
Dolphin watching in Lovina: $10-15 per person
Fishing charters: $80-150 per person

Wellness

Balinese massage (1 hour): $8-15 at a local salon, $30-60 at a premium spa
Yoga class: $8-15 per class
Flower bath experience: $15-30
Full-day spa package: $40-80

Free or Nearly Free Activities

Beach time: Free everywhere (beach clubs charge for their facilities)
Rice field walks: Free in Canggu, Pererenan, Sidemen, Ubud
Temple visits (many small temples): Free with appropriate dress
Waterfall entrance fees: $1-3
Market browsing: Free (Ubud Art Market, Sukawati Market)
Sunset watching: Always free, always spectacular

Money Tips

Currency

The Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) is the local currency. As of 2026, $1 USD equals roughly 15,500-16,000 IDR. Prices in this guide are listed in USD for easy reference.

ATMs

Use ATMs inside bank branches (BCA, Mandiri, BRI, CIMB). They’re more reliable and less likely to have skimming devices.
Maximum withdrawal per transaction varies but is typically 2,500,000-3,000,000 IDR ($160-190).
ATM fees from your home bank typically run $3-5 per withdrawal. A travel card with no foreign transaction fees saves money over a trip.
Avoid standalone ATMs in tourist areas — these are higher risk for card skimming.

Cash vs. Card

Warungs, markets, local shops, and small businesses: cash only
Established restaurants, cafes, hotels, beach clubs: card usually accepted (Visa and Mastercard widely; Amex less so)
Activities booked through tour operators: cash or transfer (booking through Chill Bali Trips simplifies payment)

Always carry a mix. Having $50-100 worth of Rupiah in small bills covers most daily cash needs.

Bargaining

Bargaining is expected at markets and for some services (not at restaurants or shops with fixed prices). A reasonable approach:

Start at 40-50% of the asking price
Meet somewhere around 60-70% of the original quote
Be friendly and have fun with it — aggressive bargaining is poor form
If they won’t go lower, politely walk away. They’ll often call you back.

Sample Itineraries with Real Costs

Budget 10-Day Trip: ~$350-500 total

Stay in guesthouses and homestays. Eat at warungs. Rent a scooter. Prioritize free activities (beaches, rice walks, temples) with 2-3 paid activities. Stay in less expensive areas like Sanur, Lovina, or Ubud outskirts.

Mid-Range 10-Day Trip: ~$800-1,200 total

Mix of hotels and villas. Eat at a combination of warungs and restaurants. Use Grab and occasional private drivers. Include 4-5 paid activities. Stay in Canggu, Ubud, or Pererenan.

Comfort 10-Day Trip: ~$2,000-4,000 total

Stay in villas and boutique hotels. Eat well everywhere. Use private drivers. Include premium activities and beach clubs. Stay in Seminyak, Uluwatu, or luxury Ubud properties.

Where to Save and Where to Spend

Save on:

Food — warungs serve better food than many tourist restaurants at a fraction of the price
Transport — scooter rental is radically cheaper than constant Grab rides
Accommodation — book direct for long stays, use Pererenan and Ubud outskirts for villa bargains
Drinks — happy hours exist everywhere; pre-game at a warung before hitting bars

Spend on:

One or two signature activities (the Mount Batur trek, Nusa Penida day trip, or a cooking class)
A private driver for day-trip days — the value is unbeatable for groups
One splurge dinner — the quality gap at Bali’s best restaurants is real
A quality spa experience — treat yourself at least once

Let Gede Maximize Your Budget

One of the biggest advantages of using a local concierge is cost efficiency. Gede knows the real prices, negotiates on your behalf, and avoids the tourist markups that trip up independent travelers. Many visitors find that booking through Chill Bali Trips actually saves them money compared to figuring everything out solo — and that’s before accounting for the time and stress saved.

Get your free personalized itinerary and cost estimate — tell Gede your budget and dates, and he’ll build a trip that squeezes maximum value from every dollar.