For a long-term renter in Bali in 2027, budget roughly
Rp1.5–2.5 million per month in utilities for a one-bedroom without a
pool, Rp3–5 million for a two-to-three-bedroom villa with a pool and
daily air-conditioning, and Rp6 million or more for a large family villa
running multiple AC units, a pool pump and staff. Electricity
is by far the biggest line — usually 60–75% of the total — and it is the
one item most new arrivals underestimate by half. Here are the real
numbers, meter by meter, from twelve years of paying these bills myself
in Sanur, Umalas and Pererenan, and from the cost sheets we prepare for
clients at Bali Expat Housing.
Electricity
(PLN): the bill that decides your budget
Indonesia’s state utility PLN prices residential electricity by
connection capacity (VA). Current regulated tariffs for standard
residential customers sit around Rp1,352 per kWh for 900 VA
(RTM) and Rp1,444.70 per kWh for R-1 connections of
1,300–2,200 VA, with larger R-2 connections (3,500–5,500 VA)
around Rp1,699.53 per kWh — tariffs are reviewed
quarterly by the Ministry of Energy and published by PLN. Two consequences for renters:
First, check the villa’s VA capacity before signing.
It is printed on the meter box. A 2,200 VA connection cannot run two AC
units, a water pump and an oven simultaneously — the breaker will trip
nightly. Villas with pools realistically need 4,400–7,700 VA. Upgrading
capacity is the owner’s job; negotiate it before you sign, not after
your first blackout dinner party.
Second, learn the token economy. Most rentals use
prepaid meters (“pulsa listrik”): you buy tokens at Indomaret, via
banking apps, or through the PLN Mobile app, and the meter counts down.
What real consumption looks like:
- One AC unit, 8 hours nightly: roughly 250–350
kWh/month ≈ Rp360,000–500,000 per unit. This is why a three-bedroom
family running AC in every room sees Rp1.5 million on cooling
alone. - Pool pump (6–8 hours daily): 150–250 kWh/month ≈
Rp220,000–420,000. - Well-water pump, fridge, washing machine, lights, wifi
router: another 100–200 kWh/month.
Realistic monthly electricity totals we see on client bills:
Rp700,000–1.2 million for a frugal one-bedroom;
Rp2–3.5 million for a three-bedroom with pool and daily
AC; Rp4–6 million for a big compound in the hot season
(October–March runs 15–25% higher than the cool months). If an owner
says “electricity is about Rp500,000 a month” for a pool villa, they are
describing a villa nobody lives in.
Water: PDAM, wells, and
drinking gallons
- PDAM (municipal water): where available (Sanur,
Denpasar, parts of Ubud town), expect
Rp100,000–350,000/month for a household — cheap and
metered. - Well/bore water: most villas in Canggu, Pererenan
and Umalas pump their own well water. You don’t pay for the water, you
pay for the pump’s electricity (already counted above), and you inherit
water-quality questions — many wells in dense coastal areas are
increasingly brackish. Ask at inspection; our villa inspection
checklist covers the taps-and-pressure test. - Drinking water: nobody drinks tap or well water.
Refill gallons (19L) cost Rp20,000–25,000 delivered; a
couple uses 6–10 per month (Rp150,000–250,000). Families with a
dispenser habit or a good filter system spend less than gallon-only
households.
Internet: fibre is
cheap and mostly excellent
Bali’s fibre coverage in expat corridors is genuinely good in 2027.
Typical monthly prices:
- Biznet: 100–250 Mbps plans roughly
Rp375,000–700,000 - Indihome (Telkom): 50–100 Mbps roughly
Rp350,000–600,000 - MyRepublic and local providers: competitive in
specific pockets
Installation matters more than the brand: confirm which providers
already serve the villa (ask for a speed-test screenshot on the villa’s
actual connection). New fibre pulls can take two weeks to two months
depending on the banjar and the poles. Remote workers should also carry
a Telkomsel or XL data SIM as backup — power cuts take the router down
with everything else; Rp100,000–150,000/month buys
ample backup data.
Gas, rubbish, and the
invisible lines
- Cooking gas: LPG canisters (12 kg) cost roughly
Rp190,000–230,000 and last a normal kitchen 6–10
weeks. - Rubbish collection: village or private pickup runs
Rp50,000–150,000/month depending on area; some banjars
bundle it into community fees — see our guide to banjar fees for renters. - Pest control, septic pump-outs: occasional but
real; septic service every 1–2 years at Rp500,000–1 million is normally
the owner’s cost — check your contract’s repair clause.
Staff: where
utilities blur into lifestyle
Many yearly leases in Bali come with expectations attached: the
gardener who has tended the compound for a decade, the pool technician
on a monthly route. Typical 2027 rates: pool service
Rp300,000–500,000/month; garden Rp300,000–600,000/month; part-time
housekeeping Rp1.5–2.5 million/month for daily short visits.
Whether these are included in rent, mandatory add-ons, or optional is a
negotiation point — get it in writing. Keeping existing staff on is also
one of the friendliest levers in a rent negotiation, as covered in how to negotiate rent in
Bali.
Three real
monthly budgets (client-verified, 2027)
Solo renter, 1BR apartment, Berawa, no pool:
electricity Rp850,000 · drinking water Rp150,000 · wifi Rp400,000 · gas
Rp90,000 · rubbish Rp75,000 → ≈ Rp1.57
million/month
Couple, 2BR pool villa, Umalas: electricity Rp2.6
million · water (well) Rp0 · drinking water Rp200,000 · wifi Rp450,000 ·
gas Rp100,000 · rubbish Rp100,000 · pool service Rp400,000 → ≈
Rp3.85 million/month
Family of four, 4BR villa, Sanur, PDAM water:
electricity Rp4.2 million · PDAM Rp300,000 · drinking water Rp250,000 ·
wifi Rp600,000 · gas Rp150,000 · rubbish Rp100,000 · pool + garden
Rp900,000 → ≈ Rp6.5 million/month
Add these to the rent figures in our Bali rental costs 2027 pillar and
you have an honest total cost of living in the home — which is the
number that should drive your villa choice, not the rent alone. A
cheaper villa with 7,700 VA of badly insulated glass boxes can out-cost
a pricier one with cross-ventilation and shade.
Before you sign: the
five utility questions
- What is the PLN capacity (VA), and is the meter prepaid or
postpaid? - What did electricity actually cost the last tenant? (Ask for token
receipts or PLN app history.) - Is water PDAM or well — and when was the well water last
tested? - Which fibre providers are installed and what speed does a live test
show? - Which staff and services are included in the rent, and which are
expected extras?
We ask all five (and about forty other questions) on every property
we shortlist. If you want a villa search where the utility reality is
checked before you fall in love with the pool, send your budget, area
and move-in month through the inquiry page at Bali Expat Housing, or WhatsApp us at wa.me/6281139414563 — we reply
within 24 hours.
Tariff data: PLN residential tariff tables (web.pln.co.id),
reviewed quarterly by Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral
Resources. Prices above are field-verified ranges from client bills, Q1
2027.