9 News reported that many Aussies are choosing to move to Bali.
I am wondering if they can share anything about their experience, or where they live in Bali, etc.
Moving to Bali for Cheaper Costs of Living
Frankensnore on 28/09/2024 - 08:05
Last edited 28/09/2024 - 08:38 by 1 other user
Last edited 28/09/2024 - 08:38 by 1 other user
Comments
Caught in bali life sentence or execution. Either way cost of living solved.
follow me for more finance tips
I'm out.
More bogans in Bali then Australia
Depends on the area.
For sure in Kuta you see old men drinking at bars at 9am but if you venture further a field its just regular Aussies sick of insane real estate and general costs here.
Most people return when they are about to die due to the poor healthcare system in Indo.
Water, Bali belly ? Do you want more ?
+++ avoid the "satay" sticks …
Have just been reading ABCnews article about the dog meat trade in Bali (+ some AU travellers unaware).
And to think the idea in Bali came about due to a Christian minority group bringing their views/beliefs - way back when.
Agreed
Thailand is the place to go.
Probably Phuket if you like the beach and bar lifePhuket is know full of Russians avoiding getting killed in a ditch and expensive AF.
Awful exchange rate compared to 10 years ago - Philippines is the place, though prices of goods are high and the food isn't anywhere near as good. Vietnam would be another cheap option, but the hassle of visa runs makes it annoying.
Don't forget the boogie board. Don't come back.Enjoy the health care. Celebrate the Aussie way .Go scooter riding with a guts full of Bintang.
Arrange crowd funding first.to retire maybe, but if you could barely afford the bills in Aus i don't think you could afford to live a good lifestyle there either.
look, thing is what are you gonna do there that could afford you a better lifestyle in Bali than Aus? Without getting paid expat salary, or at least in AUD (Remote/WFH), your life is actually going to be miserable. it seems affordable to most people because they're going there as a tourist.
It's not easy at all moving to a new country and start afresh. you potentially have to combat loneliness, and social isolation (to an extent) if you don't speak the local tongue. Indonesia is not a country you can just yolo your way in. Do you think it's worth it though for potentially lower cost of living?
Well in Sydney a decent 3/4br house is north of $2000 rent a week, or $3m outright. Sure apartment is cheaper at $1000/$1m+… i reckon it is definitely lower cost of living.
if you're struggling in Australia, I do not think you would be much better off overseas honestly.
let me put it this way - if you're not a skilled migrant moving to Indonesia and making at the very least an expat salary do not expect your life to magically become easier. Basic goods and services will still take up a huge chunk of your salary there.
It's one thing to travel there, it's another to live there. I'd would suggest making a few visits there. stay cumulatively for 6 months (minimum) and see if it's for you. sus out medical care, job market etc.
Newsflash: you don't HAVE to live in Sydney
True, you can just die in Sydney…
It says a lot about the mental state of mind of some people here that this post was down voted.
OP …
Unsure whether OZB or "that other forum" - but I remember reading a thread afew months ago, about retiring + moving to Indonesia.If you search - will find plenty of useful info +++ ppl that have already done such a move.
Lots of useful info there.
Nah - "the other" forurm … The one that OZB ppl tend to dislike
[EDIT] … But your link does have useful advice too.
Ohhhhhhh WhingePool. My bad.
@MS Paint: Don't diss what you don't respect …
Personally - WP has a more happier crowd of ppl than what find on OZB forums +++ they tend to give more accurate responses.
But if you utilise both == win.
[EDIT] … Just look at responses to this thread …
More comical/funny than factual…. Need I say more ???
Don’t forget to get a skin full of piss, walk around smashed drunk, fall off a verandah, break your head open, start a go fund me and expect the Australian tax payers to foot the bill for medical expenses and ongoing disability support when they get home…
Not sure what this is about
You must live in a vacuum then. Or Bali.
Not just Bali but quite a few Australians either go overseas without travel insurance or do have travel insurance but not covered because they were stupid such as drink-driving and speeding.
Idiot i went to school with wrecked a car in the US but was drunk and speeding at the time his insurance didnt cover him. They did a fund raiser for him at the local football club.
People in Australia start a go fund me when their grandma dies… seems to just be the thing these days.
Dude, helmetless scooter accidents are trending ATM.
Why put a helmet on a hollow pumpkin,I say.
only someone with a hollow pumpkin would ask that
If youre going to run out all the old tropes about Bali you forgot the boogie board full of weed.
Importantly, take a chance at life and make your own path regardless of the naysayers. For every idea, there are 100s who will have an opinion even if those 100s have never tried it themselves.
Do some research before you travel (visa, health care, areas to reside, things to do or goals to achieve while being away), do join a few online groups to get to know the place or to build up a social network in your new area, try to avoid spending too much time with people you would spend normally spend in Australia otherwise you really aren't exploring your new area. Places of creativity (universities or the arts) will likely meet you with open minded people who are might have similar goals and interests as yours.
That said, if it all turns sour after your stay, you could always come back to Oz. Its only 1 public transportation trip away from Bali.
Some youtubers share their day to day living in Bali. Check them out. If you can maintain your wages in Australia and live in Bali, why not right.
"live in Bali, why not right."
Min daytime temp 25C?
https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/indonesia/bali
.Perfect temp to go to beach all year round :)
Meh, not too much worse than Darwin or Cairns. And Beer is cheap /s
There are a heap of FIFO workers living in Bali. It’s not that much cheaper apart from labour eg having a maid or childcare if affordable. Restaurants are a little cheaper, local food is cheaper but imported products not so much; rent on a western standard house is cheaper than Sydney but more than you might expect.
Overall cheaper than Australia but if you want a western lifestyle it’s not that much cheaper. Live more like a local and it is definitely cheaper but what are you doing with yourself?
Pretend it's like paradise for a while ,accommodate all your bludging Aussie mates who milk your location. Then you realise you're a square Aussie peg in a round Indo hole. And the cost going back & forth kills you, and the kids miss Nana & Pop. Then you skulk back into Straya and timidly enter the socials a few months later.
FIFO flies you back to Perth, you can get a return flight to Bali for $300 or less. Still cheaper than living in Perth. There is a pretty large ex pat community
Issue is the kids when they hit high school.
I'd do it when my kids are older, the only thing holding me back would be medical costs as I'll probably need a kidney transplant in about 20 years.
Take one out now and whack in the freezer, for later.
That's actually a good idea but I worry my wife would end up feeding it to me by 'accident'.
Hmm, you have kids, you say?
Theres plenty of videos on youtube of people who've done it - bali, thailand etc… they explain the positives and negatives
It isnt all as easy as it sounds for some… others are never coming back
but most seem older people
If FIFOs gravitate to it, it will be a SH in no time.
Work/live 186 summer days in Oz then live 179 winter days in Bali.
to be honest,
I could live in Bali, come home 4-6 times a year and absolutely make bank.
Because my work is mostly remote, I could work out of any air conditioned room with an internet connection.
And as of last trip in January, we found a couple of islands outside of Bali that have good internet and are even cheaper…Penida or further afield ?
Friend of mine does that, works mostly remote and trips over to NT when she needs to be in Australia. Kids are grown up, so why not? She's pretty well travelled and stays out of the worst of the bogan hotspots, easy to find somewhere with a good balance of low cost of living and awesome beaches.
But she's the kind of person who loves a good tropical holiday, lives half in the water, etc. So it's perfect for her. Cost-wise she's on a very good Aussie income so it's pretty straight forward. Not sure you'd exactly "make bank", it is still easier to maintain a residence in Australia, but it's definitely a pretty nice lifestyle.
Cost of Living in Bali
From https://www.findawayabroad.com/post/in-bali-indonesia (published 2024)Besides the good vibes and the nice weather, another reason why expats and digital nomads love Bali is because of the low cost of living.
When you work online and earn a salary that meets Western standards, Bali will allow you to live a very comfortable lifestyle.To give you an idea of my costs of living here in Bali I will give you a breakdown of my monthly costs below, all listed in USD:
Basic room in a guesthouse, air-conditioned and with a pool - $280
Monthly scooter rental - $50
SIM card with 5GB internet - $10
Meals - anywhere between $1 and $8 depending on if you eat local or Western. Trust me, you won't mind treating yourself to these amazing Bali vegan restaurants I frequent.
*Do note that these prices are based on my lifestyle and the cost of living upon publication. Take it with a grain of salt when applying to your life!These are the basic costs of living and of course you will be spending money on going out, a gym membership, massages or whatever else your interests are.
Besides the costs of living though, you do need to keep in mind that you will need to renew your visa regularly, how often depending on the visa you are on. This includes flight tickets, accommodation and of course the costs of your new visa. This can add greatly to your cost of living if every 2 months you're planning a big international trip.
Hard to see how that wouldn't smash any city in Australia out of the MCG, but if you have/end up with serious medical issues at some point, you have to plan for that because hospitals and doctors overseas aren't all that great in some places, and there's no Medicare to cover part of your bills.
Ironically, Bali doesn't want overseas people living there but also Bali created a tourist place for overseas people to live there.
Bali is only doable if you're still earning dollars, you won't survive on local currency. Gentrification is real…..
I went to Bali for 2.5 weeks and lived like a king, everything was amazing but obviously doing touristy things, but I don't think I can live there……. Thailand maybe.
If i could work remotely 100% then I'd move there. Renting out my house in Aus would easily pay the mortgage and cover my living expenses in Bali. My wage would be a bonus.
Needles to say but there is Bali and there is Bali.
Putrid drug infested tourist areas versus the real Bali with Balinese lifestyle and people.
So, whereabouts in Bali … ?
I unsubscribed a while ago, but there is at least one organisation out there espousing the joys of living overseas in retirement. It was quite a useful place to find out more. It gave great hints on what to look for in your country of choice (the first being an English speaking expat community). It did the hard yards of researching the places where living worked out cheaper. They were basing their research on renting a property out in Australia and living overseas and coming back occasionally. Note though, this won't work if you were counting on a government pension. Certainly when I was looking, there was plenty of choice for living in great properties with staff and a good expat community with eating out being quite cheap.
I'm sure you would find these by using decent searches ….I just cannot remember the name of the mine I subscribed to for a while.
Too humid. Not for me
Bali is beautiful. The rest of Indonesia is bloody awesome too. I lived in Jakarta for 3 years and didn't miss Australia. The locals make it special - warm and generous. The girls aren't bad to look at either (not my type, though).
Plenty are beating a path there. Follow your heart. If it doesn't work out, return. Itu saja.
Living in Oz only advantage.
Caught with drugs = 6 days in jail and repeat