The steps
- Decide between a monthly and a yearly rental.
- Pick an area and a budget.
- Shortlist five or six listings and message them.
- Visit in person.
- Negotiate the price and what it includes.
- Get it in writing.
- Pay, take photos of the place, move in.
For a monthly rental the whole thing can take two days. For a yearly rental, allow two to four weeks.
Where to look
Most rentals in Bali are posted in Facebook groups by owners and agents. A post has photos, a description, a price somewhere in the text and a WhatsApp number. The same place is often posted in several groups, by different people, at different prices.
This site collects those public posts, merges the duplicates and sorts them by area, by type, such as villas or houses, and by length of stay.
Of the 672 listings online today, 285 are posted by the owner. The others come from agents, who are paid a commission by the owner in most cases. Agencies also have their own sites, with the commission built into the price.
Airbnb and Booking list many of the same villas. They are useful for the first nights and expensive for a month.
Monthly or yearly
There are two markets, and they work differently.
| Monthly rental | Yearly rental | |
|---|---|---|
| Payment | Month by month, in advance | The full year up front, sometimes in two payments |
| Furniture | Furnished and equipped | Furnished, half furnished or empty |
| Wifi, cleaning, pool | Usually included | Yours to arrange and pay |
| Electricity | Often extra | Always yours |
| Price per month | Higher | Much lower |
| Paperwork | A receipt or a one page agreement | A written contract, sometimes with a notary |
| Flexibility | Leave at the end of any month | Committed for the year |
The price gap is large. In our listings, a two bedroom home costs Rp 30M a month on a monthly basis, about $1,680. On a yearly contract the median is Rp 225M, which is Rp 18.8M a month.
If you are new to Bali, rent by the month first. Most people change area after a few months. See the monthly rentals in Bali and the long term rentals in Bali, and the guide on renting for 1 to 6 months.
Set a budget
- Room or studio
- 8M
- 1 bedroom
- 17M
- 2 bedrooms
- 30M
- 3 bedrooms
- 45M
These are median asking prices for monthly rentals, from 436 listings. Area changes the picture a lot, and the rent prices index has the figures for each one. For villas in detail, see how much it costs to rent a villa in Bali.
Not sure about the area? Read where to live in Bali first. A cheap villa far from where your days happen is not cheap.
The first message
Owners get dozens of “is it available?” messages. Write one that can be answered in a single reply.
Say who you are, your exact dates, how many people, and ask for what the post leaves out:
- the exact location, with a map pin
- the total price for your dates
- what is included, and electricity in particular
- the deposit
- whether the person is the owner or an agent
- a time to visit
Then compare the price with the median rent for the area. A price far below it needs an explanation.
At the visit
Never pay before you, or someone you trust, has seen the place. During the visit, check:
- water pressure and hot water, in every bathroom
- wifi speed, with a test on your phone, in the room where you will work
- air conditioning in every room
- noise from building sites, roosters, a busy road or a bar nearby
- signs of damp on walls, ceilings and inside wardrobes
- the kitchen, including the fridge, the stove and the gas bottle
- locks on doors and windows, and a safe if you need one
- road access in the rain, and parking
Look over the wall. An empty plot next door can become a building site next month, and construction in Bali runs from 8am to 6pm, six days a week.
Go back at a different time of day if you are signing for a year. A lane that is silent at 11am can be a shortcut for scooters at 5pm.
Price and negotiation
Prices in the posts are asking prices. How much they move depends on the season and on what you offer.
- A longer stay. Three months costs less per month than one, six less again.
- Payment of several months at once, once you have visited.
- Dates that fill a gap in the owner’s calendar.
- The low season. From January to March and in November, owners negotiate. In July, August and over Christmas they rarely do. See Bali rent by season.
An offer 10 percent under the asking price is normal for a stay of three months or more. For a yearly rental, ask what the price becomes for two years.
The deposit
For a monthly rental, expect to pay the first month plus a deposit, often between half a month and a full month. Some owners ask for none on a single month.
For a yearly rental, the deposit is one or two months, or a fixed sum.
Agree in writing on three things. What the deposit covers, which is damage and unpaid bills. What it does not cover, which is normal wear. And when it comes back, ideally on the day you hand over the keys.
On move-in day, take photos and a video of every room, and send them to the owner on WhatsApp. That message, with its date, has settled many deposit disputes.
The contract
For one month, a receipt and the WhatsApp conversation are usually all there is. Keep them.
For three to six months, ask for a one page agreement signed by both sides.
For a yearly rental, get a proper written contract in a language you read. It should state:
- the names and ID or passport numbers of both parties
- the address of the property
- the start and end dates
- the price and the payment schedule
- the deposit and the conditions for its return
- what is included, with an inventory if the place is furnished
- who pays for repairs, and for the maintenance of the pool, garden and air conditioning
- who pays the local banjar fees and the property tax
- whether you may sublet or host paying guests
- what happens if either side ends the contract early
- the right to renew, and at what price
Check that the person signing is the owner, by asking to see the land certificate and their ID. If it is someone else, ask for the owner’s written permission. For a contract of several years, have a notary verify the documents and register the lease. The fee is small next to the amount at stake.
Paying
Pay by bank transfer to an account in the name of the person on the contract, and keep the proof. Cash is common for monthly rentals. Ask for a signed receipt each time.
Do not pay a year of rent to an agent’s personal account. The money should go to the owner, or to an agency with an office and a company account.
Bills and services
Ask who pays each of these, and write it down.
| Bill | Typical cost per month |
|---|---|
| Electricity, prepaid meter | Rp 1M to Rp 4M depending on size and air conditioning |
| Internet | Rp 350,000 to Rp 700,000 |
| Pool maintenance | Rp 600,000 to Rp 1M |
| Garden | Rp 500,000 to Rp 1M |
| Cleaning | Rp 1.5M to Rp 3M |
| Drinking water | Rp 100,000 to Rp 200,000 |
| Banjar and rubbish | Rp 50,000 to Rp 300,000 |
Electricity works with a prepaid token that you buy in a minimarket or a banking app. Ask the owner how much the last tenant used.
Registration and visa
Owners must report foreign guests to the local authorities. With a stay permit you also need a residence certificate for your address. Ask the owner if they have done this for earlier tenants, because immigration may ask you for it.
Match the rental to your visa. Do not prepay a year on a visa that ends in six months. The guide to long stay visas for Bali lists the options.
Moving out
Give notice as agreed, top up the electricity, and do the handover in person with the photos from day one. Ask for the deposit on the spot.
If you want to stay, say so a month or two before the end. The owner may already be showing the place.