What Bali costs beyond the rent

The costs that scale with the house

A bigger villa does not just cost more rent. It costs more to cool, more to clean, more to maintain, and usually comes with a pool. These costs scale with the property, which is why the jump from a two-bedroom to a four-bedroom is larger than the rent difference suggests.

• Electricity — air conditioning and pool pump dominate. Metered.
• Pool service — chemicals and a weekly visit.
• Garden — most villas need someone.
• Staff — daily or weekly cleaning is common and inexpensive by Western standards.

The costs that do not

These are independent of which house you choose, and they are the ones people forget when comparing a Bali budget to the one they left.

• Visa or KITAS renewal, plus any agent fee.
• Health insurance that actually covers evacuation.
• A scooter or car, plus fuel and servicing.
• Flights home, which is a real annual line item.

Common questions