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Related reading: Why Bali Rent Prices Keep Rising — and What to Pay in 2027 · The Bali Rental Agreement,…
Read guide →Yearly & Unfurnished House Rentals in Bali | Bali Expat Housing
A Bali yearly house rental — an unfurnished house or a home in a local-style compound on a 1–5 year contract — costs 40–60% less per year than a furnished…
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A Bali yearly house rental — an unfurnished house or a home
in a local-style compound on a 1–5 year contract — costs 40–60% less per
year than a furnished villa of the same size. In 2027,
unfurnished 2-bedroom houses lease for IDR 45–90 million/year in local
neighborhoods of Kerobokan, Sanur Kauh, and Ubud's outskirts, and IDR
90–180 million/year in expat-adjacent streets. The trade: you furnish
it, you maintain more of it, and the contract logic is different. Bali Expat Housing arranges these leases with the same
notaris review we apply to villas — start on the inquiry page and we'll reply with real options
within 24 hours.
If a managed, furnished pool villa is what you actually want, that's
a different product with different economics — see our long-term villa rentals guide.
This page is for people planning to stay years, not months.
Houses vs Villas: The Distinction That Saves You Money
Bali listing sites use "villa" for everything with a roof. We don't.
On our books:
The price gap is structural, not a bargain to be sniffed at
suspiciously. Owners of local-market houses expect multi-year tenants,
expect them to furnish, and price without the "foreigner premium" that
attaches to anything photographed with a drone.
- A villa is furnished, has a pool, is marketed to
foreigners, and is priced accordingly. - A house (rumah) is typically unfurnished or
semi-furnished, often without a pool, sits on a normal street among
Balinese and Indonesian neighbors, and is priced for the local long-term
market. - A compound home is a house within a family compound
or a small cluster sharing a gate and sometimes a garden — the most
affordable and most culturally embedded option of the three.
What Yearly Houses Cost in 2027
Closed-lease ranges, unfurnished or lightly semi-furnished, per
year:
| House type | Kerobokan / Umalas fringe | Sanur Kauh / Renon side | Ubud & surrounds | Tabanan / Pererenan inland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-BR local house, no pool | 45–90M | 50–95M | 40–80M | 35–70M |
| 3-BR house, garden | 80–150M | 85–160M | 65–130M | 55–110M |
| 3-BR house with pool | 140–240M | 150–260M | 110–200M | 90–170M |
| Compound home (1–2 BR) | 30–60M | 35–65M | 25–55M | 22–45M |
Two costs that surprise people coming from the villa market:
PLN power capacity upgrades (many local houses carry
1,300–2,200 VA, too low for multiple ACs; an upgrade to 5,500 VA costs
roughly IDR 4–6 million and needs the owner's cooperation) and
furnishing (a comfortable 2-bedroom furnish-out runs
IDR 60–120 million done sensibly in Denpasar, more if everything comes
from a Seminyak showroom). Spread over a 3-year term, the total still
lands far below villa rates — our rental costs 2027 tables show the
side-by-side math.
The 1–5 Year Contract: Different Rules Apply
Full upfront payment, per year or per term
A 3-year lease is commonly quoted as one upfront number. Paying three
years upfront earns a genuine discount (10–20% versus year-by-year) but
concentrates your risk — which is why the verification below is
non-negotiable. Where clients prefer it, we negotiate year-by-year
payments on a multi-year term; expect to give back some of the
discount.
Renovation and improvement clauses
If you're furnishing, repainting, upgrading power, or adding a fence
for kids or dogs, the lease must state: what you may alter, who owns
improvements at the end (fixtures typically stay), and whether any rent
offset applies. We've negotiated IDR 15–25 million first-year rent
reductions against tenant-funded renovations — but only in writing,
before signing, never on a handshake.
Maintenance split
In villa contracts the owner maintains nearly everything. In local
house leases, the custom is closer to: owner handles structure and roof,
tenant handles everything cosmetic and day-to-day. Get the split
itemized — roof leaks, septic pump-outs, well pumps, and tree cutting
are the classic dispute zones.
Renewal and first-refusal
For a home you've furnished yourself, moving out is expensive. We
write a renewal option with a capped increase (typically "maximum 10–15%
at renewal") or at minimum a right of first refusal into every
multi-year house lease we place.
For anything at five years or beyond — where the lease starts
functioning as a long-term land-use arrangement — read our leasehold guidance for foreigners
and expect the full due-diligence treatment: certificate check, PBG
verification, notarized deed.
Yearly house leases in the local market run on logic that catches
foreigners out:
- 20%
- Paying three years upfront earns a genuine discount (10–20% versus year-by-year) but…
- 15%
- We write a renewal option with a capped increase (typically "maximum 10–15%…
Living Local: The Honest Trade-Offs
Founder Saskia van der Meer's third Bali home was an unfurnished
house in Sanur Kauh at — in that era — IDR 35 million/year, three
streets from villas asking four times that. What you gain: real
neighbors, banjar life, warung prices, and rent that doesn't reset to
"market" every August. What you accept: roosters from 4:30am, ceremonies
that close your street a few days a year (attend one — it's the point of
being here), more insects, and a banjar contribution of IDR
50,000–250,000/month that you should pay cheerfully and on time. Houses
suit people staying 2+ years who want Bali as a home. They don't suit
people who need hotel-grade quiet and a maintenance hotline.
How We Place House Rentals
The process mirrors our villa work with two additions. Standard:
right-to-lease verification against the land certificate, PBG/permit
check, clause-by-clause notaris review, photographed handover inventory,
written deposit terms. Added for houses: a power and water
audit (PLN capacity, water source and dry-season reliability —
wells in parts of the Bukit and Kerobokan run short in
September–October) and a renovation clause negotiation
where you're investing in the property. Multi-year money only moves
after the paperwork is clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a yearly house rental in Bali really that much cheaper than a villa?
Yes — structurally. Unfurnished local-market houses run 40–60% below
furnished villas of similar size in the same district. Even after you
amortize IDR 60–120 million of furnishing over three years, a 3-BR house
typically totals half the cost of a 3-BR villa.
Can foreigners sign a 3- or 5-year house lease?
Yes. Multi-year rental (hak sewa) is legal for foreigners; you're
leasing use of the property, not acquiring land. The longer the term and
the bigger the upfront sum, the more the contract quality matters —
which is why we notarize multi-year leases.
Should I pay 3 years upfront for the discount?
Only after full verification: certificate sighted and matched to the
signer, permits checked, notaris review done. With clean paperwork, a
10–20% multi-year discount is often worth it. Without it, no discount
justifies the risk.
Who pays for repairs in a local house lease?
Custom says owner = structure and roof, tenant = cosmetic and
routine. But custom isn't a contract — we itemize the split in every
lease, specifically covering septic, water pump, roof, and
electrical.
Can I put a pool or a fence in?
With the owner's written consent baked into the lease, yes —
improvements generally become the owner's at term-end, so negotiate a
rent offset or a longer term in exchange. We've done both for
clients.
- 60%
- Unfurnished local-market houses run 40–60% below furnished villas of similar size in…
- 3 years
- upfront for the discount?
- 20%
- With clean paperwork, a 10–20% multi-year discount is often worth it.
Tell Us Your Plan
Staying two years or more and want the numbers to make sense? Tell us
your budget, area, and timeline — we'll reply within 24 hours with
houses that exist, and an honest note on what furnishing and setup will
really cost.
Start your house search → ·
WhatsApp: wa.me/6281139414563
Bali Expat Housing specialises in providing comprehensive guidance and property solutions for expats.
If you require assistance with bali expat housing, bali expat accommodation, or bali rentals for expats, please request a housing shortlist on WhatsApp or email [email protected] to connect with our advisory team.
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Bali Leasehold Guidance for Foreigners (Hak Sewa Done Right) | Bali Expat Housing
Leasehold in Bali (hak sewa) is the legal right to use land or a building for a fixed term —…
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The cost of renting in Bali in 2027: a furnished 2-bedroom pool villa on a yearly lease runs IDR 250–450…
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