Indonesia on a budget: what a day actually costs

The cost of travelling in Indonesia has risen, but it is still remarkably low by European standards. A bed in a decent guesthouse, three meals, a scooter and a beer can come in under USD 40 a day. The same country will happily take USD 300 a day if you stay in cliff-top resorts, eat at beach clubs and dive from a liveaboard.

The useful way to think about it is not 'how much does Indonesia cost' but 'which parts do I want to spend on'. Transport between islands is expensive and unavoidable. Accommodation and food have an enormous range. Alcohol, diving and tours are where budgets quietly disappear. Get those three right and the rest looks after itself.

Accommodation: the biggest lever

A fan-cooled room in a guesthouse costs IDR 150,000 to 250,000 outside the main tourist strips, and IDR 300,000 to 500,000 in Canggu, Ubud or Seminyak. Air conditioning, hot water and a pool push the price up quickly. A mid-range hotel with a pool is IDR 700,000 to 1,500,000, and a private-pool villa starts around IDR 1.5 million.

The savings come from staying one street back from the main road, booking direct rather than through a platform, and staying three nights or more, which often earns a discount. In Yogyakarta, Bandung and Surabaya, equivalent rooms are 30 to 50 percent cheaper than in south Bali. Lombok and Flores are cheaper again, but with fewer options.

Dorms are the cheapest option at IDR 80,000 to 150,000, and they are fine in Bali, Yogyakarta and the Gilis. Outside those places, a private room often costs the same and gives you much more sleep. Do not assume a dorm is always cheaper; check both.

• Dorm bed: IDR 80,000-150,000
• Guesthouse room: IDR 150,000-400,000
• Mid-range hotel: IDR 700,000-1,500,000
• Pool villa: from IDR 1,500,000

Food: warungs versus cafes

A warung meal costs IDR 20,000 to 40,000: nasi goreng, mie goreng, sate, gado-gado, a plate of rice with two or three dishes. A local restaurant with tablecloths is IDR 50,000 to 100,000. A cafe in Canggu serving smashed avocado and a flat white is IDR 120,000 to 200,000. All three exist within 200 metres of each other.

The cheapest and best strategy is to eat where Indonesians eat. Look for a warung with a queue at lunchtime, a limited menu and a handwritten price list. Padang restaurants are excellent value: you point at the dishes you want and pay for what you take. Street food, grilled satay, bakso and martabak, is cheap and usually safe if it is cooked in front of you and busy.

Alcohol is the budget killer. A large Bintang in a bar costs IDR 50,000 to 90,000, and cocktails double that. Buying from a convenience store and drinking at your guesthouse is a fraction of the price and perfectly normal. Coffee is cheap: IDR 10,000 at a warung, IDR 35,000 at a specialty cafe.

Transport: where the money goes

Local transport is cheap. A scooter costs IDR 60,000 to 100,000 a day plus petrol at around IDR 10,000 a litre. A Gojek or Grab ride across town is IDR 15,000 to 40,000. A becak or a horse cart is a negotiation, and you should agree the price before you get in.

Inter-city and inter-island transport is the expensive part. A fast boat from Bali to the Gilis is IDR 400,000 to 600,000 each way. A domestic flight is IDR 700,000 to 1,500,000. A car with a driver for a day in Lombok or Flores is IDR 600,000 to 900,000. These are not negotiable in the way a souvenir is, and trying to save on them usually costs a day.

The budget trick is to travel overland where the distance is short and fly where it is long. Bali to Yogyakarta by train is cheap and comfortable; Bali to Flores by boat would take days. Use the train network on Java, which is excellent value, and accept that the islands require flights.

• Scooter: IDR 60,000-100,000 a day
• Ride-hailing across town: IDR 15,000-40,000
• Fast boat Bali-Gilis: IDR 400,000-600,000
• Car with driver: IDR 600,000-900,000 a day
• Java train: the best value in the country

Activities: diving, tours and temples

Temple entry is cheap: Borobudur is around IDR 400,000 for foreigners, Prambanan similar, and most Balinese temples ask for a donation of IDR 20,000 to 50,000. National park fees range from IDR 150,000 to 500,000, and Komodo and Raja Ampat charge more. These are fixed costs and there is no point trying to avoid them.

Diving is the big-ticket item. An Open Water course is USD 350 to 450, fun dives IDR 500,000 to 800,000, and a liveaboard in Komodo IDR 3 to 6 million for three nights. Surf lessons are IDR 300,000 to 500,000, and a guided volcano trek is IDR 500,000 to 1,500,000 depending on the mountain.

The best value activities are the free ones: rice terrace walks, temple ceremonies, markets, beaches and the coastal roads. Indonesia rewards people who get up early and wander. A scooter and a full tank of petrol will take you to more memorable places than a guided tour.

A realistic daily budget

A backpacker travelling in guesthouses, eating at warungs, using buses and scooters and doing one paid activity every few days can live on USD 25 to 40 a day. That includes a room, three meals, transport and a beer. It does not include diving courses or domestic flights, which should be budgeted separately.

A mid-range traveller in hotels with a pool, a mix of cafes and warungs, a scooter or occasional driver, and a couple of tours a week spends USD 50 to 90 a day. A comfortable couple sharing a villa, eating well and diving regularly should budget USD 150 to 250 a day between them.

Add a contingency of 10 to 15 percent. Indonesia has a way of producing unexpected costs: a cancelled boat that needs a flight, a visa extension, a hospital visit, a scooter repair. Cash is still essential in smaller places, so carry enough to cover two or three days without an ATM.

Questions people actually ask

How much should I budget per day in Indonesia?

USD 25 to 40 for a backpacker, USD 50 to 90 for mid-range comfort, and USD 150 to 250 a day for a couple in villas. Domestic flights and diving are extra.

Is Indonesia cheaper than Thailand?

Similar for rooms and food, slightly cheaper for local transport and considerably cheaper for trains on Java. Bali is more expensive than most of Thailand outside the islands.

Can I use cards everywhere?

No. Cards work in hotels, supermarkets and nicer restaurants. Warungs, markets, small guesthouses and transport are cash. Carry small notes.

Where can I save the most?

Accommodation and alcohol. Staying one street back and drinking from a convenience store can halve a daily budget without changing the trip much.