"Bali trip cost" covers a wide range, because someone eating at warungs and riding Grab bikes spends very differently from someone doing beach clubs, private drivers and a dive course. Below is a full 2026 breakdown: daily budgets by area, where to sleep and eat, getting around, activities, the visa and levy fees you pay before you land, and a SIM. There's also a short backpacking route with money-saving tips, and an honest comparison between travelling independently and joining one of our group trips.
How much does a trip to Bali cost in 2026?
For a week to ten days covering a coastal town, Ubud and Nusa Penida, plan on roughly IDR 2.5 to 4 million (about US$140 to $225, £105 to £170, or A$200 to $315) for food, drinks, local transport, activities and the boats between stops, travelling independently on a normal budget. That's on top of accommodation, which runs from about IDR 100,000 a night for a simple dorm bed, and on top of the one-off visa and levy fees below. The totals here are our own estimates built from 2026 price listings, not a survey. The sections that follow break out where that money goes.
Daily budget by area
Bali doesn't have one daily cost. The coastal towns with the most cafes and beach clubs run noticeably higher than Ubud or the quieter east coast.
| Style | Per day (IDR) | Per day (roughly) | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frugal | 200,000 to 280,000 | US$11 to $16 / £8 to £12 / A$16 to $22 | Warungs for every meal, local Grab or Gojek only, no cafes or beach clubs |
| Typical | 280,000 to 450,000 | US$16 to $25 / £12 to £19 / A$22 to $36 | A mix of warungs and cafes, a couple of drinks, the odd paid activity |
| Comfortable, or a beach club day | 500,000 to 900,000+ | US$28 to $50+ / £21 to £38+ / A$40 to $71+ | Cafe brunches, beach clubs, private drivers, spa treatments |
By area, outside your bed:
| Area | Typical daily spend (IDR) | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Canggu, Seminyak | 350,000 to 600,000 | Western-style cafes, coworking spaces and beach clubs push prices up; warungs keep it down if you eat like a local |
| Uluwatu (the Bukit) | 300,000 to 550,000 | Similar to Canggu, plus a surf lesson or the temple and Kecak fire dance if you go |
| Ubud | 250,000 to 450,000 | Warungs are cheaper here than on the coast, though the cafes near the rice terraces charge coast-town prices |
| Nusa Penida, Amed | 300,000 to 500,000 | Fewer restaurant choices, and the island's own entry levies add to the cost, even though food itself is cheap |
Dollar, pound and Australian dollar figures on this page use the rates of 22 to 23 September 2026: US$1 is about IDR 17,880, £1 about IDR 23,850 and A$1 about IDR 12,640. The rupiah moves, so treat them as rounded guides. The daily bands and the area table are our own estimates.
Backpacking Bali: a simple route and money-saving tips
A common backpacking route runs Canggu or Uluwatu (2 to 3 nights) for surf and beach time, then Ubud (2 to 3 nights) for the rice terraces, a cooking class and the Mount Batur sunrise trek, then Nusa Penida (2 nights) for the cliffs and mantas, with the Gili Islands added on if you have ten days or more. Our Bali itinerary guide sets out the full day-by-day version for every length from 5 days to 3 weeks.
A few things that actually move the needle on cost:
- Eat at warungs, not cafes. In 2026 listings a nasi campur costs about 20,000 to 50,000 rupiah at a local warung against 60,000 to 150,000 for a smoothie bowl or brunch dish at a Canggu cafe.
- Use Grab or Gojek's motorbike option for short hops. A bike taxi for a few kilometres is listed at about IDR 15,000 to 30,000 in 2026 guides, well under a car, but the app shows the real fare before you book.
- Split a car and driver with other travellers. Most hostels can put you in touch with others heading to Nusa Penida or Ubud's temples the same day, which cuts the per-person cost of a private driver a lot.
- Book fast boats online a day ahead. Online fares run below the walk-up port price, and popular sailings do sell out in high season.
- Travel outside the wet season (roughly November to March). Boats to Nusa Penida and the Gilis are cancelled more often when the sea is rough, and a cancelled sailing can cost you a hostel night you hadn't planned on.
- Skip Seminyak's beach clubs if budget matters. A single afternoon there can cost more than a full day everywhere else on this list.
Where to stay: hostel costs
Dorm prices vary a lot by area and by how social the hostel is. From the 2026 listings behind our hostels in Bali guide: roughly IDR 100,000 to 200,000 at a simple hostel in Sanur, Amed or the Nusa islands, and 250,000 to 450,000 at a social hostel with a pool in Canggu, Uluwatu or Ubud. Canggu starts from about 150,000 at a basic place, and prices rise in July and August. The hostels guide breaks this down by area, with a dedicated Canggu hostels guide for that stretch of coast.
Food and drink costs
These are 2026 price-guide ranges, and they move with the area and the venue.
| Item | Typical price (IDR) |
|---|---|
| Nasi campur at a local warung | 20,000 to 50,000 |
| Brunch dish or smoothie bowl at a cafe | 60,000 to 150,000 |
| Bintang beer at a warung | 25,000 to 45,000 |
| Bintang beer at a bar or restaurant | 50,000 to 80,000 |
Getting around: transport costs
Grab and Gojek. Both ride-hailing apps work across Bali. A motorbike taxi for a short hop costs about IDR 15,000 to 30,000, and a car ride a few kilometres runs from about 20,000 to 50,000. Fares rise in the rain and at rush hour. Some areas, including parts of Ubud, Uluwatu, Canggu and the airport, have informal "no pick-up" zones, so you may have to walk to a main road.
Scooters. Rental runs about IDR 60,000 to 110,000 a day, but riding legally means holding your home motorbike licence plus an International Driving Permit that covers motorbikes (category A); a home licence on its own isn't valid. Police checks have stepped up in 2026, and on-the-spot fines are reported at about IDR 300,000 to 500,000 per missing document, and your travel insurance may not pay out if you crash without the right paperwork. We don't arrange scooter rental on our trips.
Car with a driver. For day trips, most people hire a car with a driver, which costs about IDR 650,000 to 900,000 for an 8 to 10 hour day on the main island, including fuel, with smaller cars listed a little lower. On Nusa Penida, listings for a driver by the day vary widely, from about IDR 400,000 to 800,000. It's the easiest way to reach Ubud's outer sights, a waterfall, or Nusa Penida's rougher roads.
Fast boats. Sanur to Nusa Penida runs about IDR 150,000 to 250,000 one way (30 to 45 minutes), with online tickets usually at the lower end. Fast boats from Bali to the Gili Islands leave from Padang Bai and Serangan and have published fares of about IDR 550,000 to 700,000 one way. Nusa Penida to the Gilis takes roughly 1 hour 45 to 2 hours 30. Our Nusa Penida guide has the full timetable and safety points.
Airport transfers. An airport taxi to Canggu costs about IDR 250,000 to 500,000, and quotes vary a lot between sources. To Ubud, taxis are listed at about 300,000 to 500,000. Sanur and Seminyak are closer to the airport, so they usually cost less.
Activities and entrance fees
| Activity | Typical price (IDR) |
|---|---|
| Beginner group surf lesson, Canggu (2 hours) | 300,000 to 500,000 |
| Surf lesson, Uluwatu reef breaks (2 hours) | 500,000 to 700,000 |
| Mount Batur sunrise trek, shared tour (guide, transport, breakfast) | 500,000 to 800,000, plus a 50,000 Kintamani area fee |
| Uluwatu Temple entry, adult | 60,000 |
| Kecak fire dance, Uluwatu, adult (evening show) | 150,000 |
| Tanah Lot entry, foreign adult | reported at 75,000 to 100,000 |
| Tirta Empul entry | 50,000 to 75,000 |
| Tegallalang rice terrace entry | 15,000 to 50,000 |
| Monkey Forest, Ubud, adult | 130,000 |
| Manta ray snorkel trip, Nusa Penida (shared boat) | 250,000 to 350,000 |
| Two-dive day at Manta Point, Nusa Penida (certified or beginner) | varies by centre; one centre lists 1,950,000 |
| PADI Open Water course, Nusa Penida | about 6.8 million |
| PADI Open Water course, Gili Islands | about 6.2 to 6.9 million |
These are 2026 listings and the temple operators' own sites, and some listings differ, so check on the day. Diving prices are operator listings and vary with what's included. Our Mount Batur guide and Nusa Penida guide cover those two in full, and the diving guide has the wider picture on courses and dive sites.
Visa and entry costs in 2026
Every UK, US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Irish, EU or Indian passport needs a visa for Bali. Most people buy the Visa on Arrival online in advance as an e-VOA at evisa.imigrasi.go.id, for IDR 500,000 (about $28 / £21 / A$40), which gives 30 days. On 12 August 2026 Immigration announced a rise to IDR 750,000 for the e-VOA and IDR 1,000,000 for an airport VOA, with no confirmed start date, and the official portal still listed IDR 500,000 on 6 October 2026. Before landing you also complete the free All Indonesia arrival card and pay the IDR 150,000 Bali tourist levy (about $8 / £6 / A$12) at lovebali.baliprov.go.id. If you cross to Nusa Penida, the island charges its own fees on top: an IDR 25,000 arrival fee (charged since 2019) plus, since 1 September 2026, 25,000 at each of the main sights such as Kelingking and Crystal Bay (about $1.40 / £1 / A$2 each), separate from the Bali-wide levy. Our Bali visa guide has the full rules by nationality, extensions and this year's changes.
SIM cards and eSIMs
A tourist SIM from an official Telkomsel outlet is listed at about IDR 150,000 for 25 GB, and you'll need your passport to register it. Airport prices are higher, and 2026 listings disagree on whether counters there still sell tourist SIMs. An eSIM set up before you fly means data works the moment you land, with no registration queue. Plans vary a lot by provider and data size, so compare a few.
Sample budget: an independent 7-day trip
Here's a rough total for someone travelling independently for a week through Canggu, Ubud and Nusa Penida, similar to our Bali Express route, staying mostly in dorms and keeping half an eye on cost. It's our own estimate, built from the mid-range of the prices above. It excludes your international flight, travel insurance, and the visa and Bali levy fees above.
| Item | IDR |
|---|---|
| 6 nights in dorms, averaging about 250,000 | 1,500,000 |
| Food, drinks and local transport, 7 days at about 350,000 a day | 2,450,000 |
| Shared shuttle, Canggu to Ubud | about 150,000 |
| Fast boats, Sanur to Nusa Penida return | about 400,000 |
| Your share of a car and driver on Nusa Penida, 2 days | about 700,000 |
| Nusa Penida arrival fee plus four sights | about 125,000 |
| Mount Batur sunrise trek, shared tour and Kintamani fee | about 700,000 |
| Tirta Empul entry | about 75,000 |
| Surf lesson in Canggu | about 400,000 |
| Manta snorkel trip | about 300,000 |
| SIM card | 150,000 |
| Total | about 6.95 million rupiah (roughly US$390 / £290 / A$550) |
Independent travel versus a group trip: an honest comparison
Travelling independently on the budget above costs roughly US$390, before your international flight, visa and levy. Our 7-day Bali Express trip follows the same route through Canggu, Ubud and Nusa Penida for one upfront price, which also excludes your flight, visa and the Bali tourist levy. The trip page has the current price.
The trip costs more than going independently. The extra money covers a bed in a hostel or guesthouse for 6 nights, every van, boat and driver already booked, the Mount Batur trek with a local guide and breakfast at the top, the surf lesson, the manta snorkel and the Nusa Penida site levies, a Trip Host travelling with the group the whole way, and licensed local guides for the activities that need one. You also join a fixed group of other solo travellers aged 18 to 40, instead of piecing together a shared car with strangers at your hostel.
The same trade-off shows up at other lengths. At twelve days, our Bali & Gili Islands trip adds the Gili Islands, with three extra boat legs and three nights on a car-free island, all pre-booked. If surfing and yoga matter more to you than sightseeing, Bali Surf & Yoga runs coached lessons in Canggu and Uluwatu plus daily Ubud yoga over 8 days. Each trip page has its current price.
What you give up going independently: you're responsible for every boat, driver and booking working out, the cheapest dorm isn't always near the beach or the bus stop, and you're on your own until you meet people along the way. Neither approach is wrong. You're either paying for someone else to remove the planning and add a host and a group, or doing that work yourself and pocketing the difference.
