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What it actually costs to run a place in Bali, how the electricity tokens and water pumps work, and the questions that save you from a bad lease.

A Bali villa with a pool and tropical garden

Before you sign

Twenty minutes of questions now prevents a year of arguments.

  • Is electricity included, or metered? What is the meter capacity (daya)?
  • Is water PDAM, well, or both — and who repairs the pump?
  • Is there an active fibre line, and what speed does it actually test at?
  • Who pays for pool chemicals, the gardener and rubbish collection?
  • What is the deposit, and exactly what conditions return it?
  • Is the owner the actual owner? Ask to see the certificate, and use a notary for anything longer than six months.
  • Is the building legally permitted (IMB/PBG)? Unlicensed builds do get sealed.

Each utility, in practice

Electricity (PLN)

Biggest bill

Two systems: prepaid token meters (you buy a 20-digit token via Tokopedia, GoPay or a minimart and key it in) and postpaid billing.

Typical monthly cost: IDR 500k–1m for an apartment with light AC use, IDR 1.5m–4m for a villa running AC overnight plus a pool pump.

Check the meter capacity (daya) before renting — 1300VA will trip constantly if you run two ACs, a kettle and a pump. 3500VA+ is comfortable for a villa.

Photograph the meter reading on move-in day and keep it. Disputes over 'previous tenant' usage are common.

Water

Check the source

Homes run on PDAM town supply, a private well with a pump, or both. Well water is free but pressure and quality vary, and pumps fail.

PDAM bills are small — usually IDR 100k–300k a month.

Never drink from the tap. Order 19L galon refills (IDR 20k–25k delivered) or fit a filter system.

Ask who pays when the pump dies. It should be the owner; get it in writing.

Internet

Test it first

IndiHome (Telkom), Biznet and MyRepublic cover most of the south and Ubud. Packages run IDR 300k–700k a month for 50–300 Mbps.

Installation can take one to three weeks and some streets simply have no fibre — confirm the property already has an active line if you work online.

Have a backup: a Telkomsel data SIM as a hotspot, plus a co-working membership (IDR 1m–2.5m a month) for outage days.

Test speed standing in the room you'll work in, not at the gate.

Rubbish and recycling

Local system

Collection is usually organised by the banjar, IDR 50k–150k a month, two or three pickups a week.

Separate organic and plastic; services like Eco Bali will collect sorted recycling for a fee.

Never burn rubbish — it's common, it's toxic, and it makes you the neighbour everyone resents.

Gas

Cooking

Most kitchens run on a 12kg LPG cylinder (IDR 200k–250k, delivered and swapped the same day) rather than piped gas.

Keep a spare. Cylinders always empty mid-cook, usually on a Sunday.

Pool, garden and cleaning

Villa life

Pool service is IDR 500k–1m a month including chemicals; a gardener a few days a week is IDR 1m–2m.

A daily cleaner is roughly IDR 1.5m–3m a month full-time, less for a few mornings a week.

Clarify in the lease whether these staff are included and who directs them — the owner's staff are not automatically yours to reassign.

Living with the climate

  • Damp is the enemy: run AC or a dehumidifier in wardrobes, and keep leather and electronics off the floor in wet season.
  • Ants, geckos and the occasional snake come with tropical gardens. Keep food sealed and grass short.
  • Wet season (Nov–Mar) brings power cuts and flooded lanes — keep a torch, a power bank and a bucket of water for when the pump has no power.
  • Nyepi (Balinese day of silence) means no lights visible outside, no traffic and no airport for 24 hours. Stock food and water the day before.