Indonesia on a budget: how much to plan?

The ratio between flight and living costs is the most unbalanced in the comparator. The ticket starts at €249, while a day costs €25 to €60. In other words, the return equals one to two full weeks of the stay.

Bali is the cheapest destination measured, across all countries. A hostel recorded at €1 a night, a three-star at €22, a four-star at €41: trading up there costs less than a dorm bed in most European capitals.

Jakarta is slightly pricier than Bali on every line, at an index of 0.41 against 0.33 and a four-star at €71 against €41. The capital concentrates business hotels, which pulls its upper rates.

The consequence is mechanical: stretch the stay. Over ten days, the daily cost runs around €60 all in. Over three weeks, it falls below €40. It is one of the destinations where length has the strongest effect on cost per day, and that explains its popularity with long-haul travelers.

The dry season, May to September, is clearly the best window. Bali then gets between 53 and 114mm of rain a month, against 386mm in January. Temperatures stay stable year-round, between 23 and 25°C, so they are not the deciding factor.

The rainy season is markedly pronounced, November to March, peaking at 386mm in January and 366 in December in Bali. Showers are often intense but brief, and do not make travel impossible: it is also the cheapest and least crowded period.

Jakarta follows the same rhythm, at 298mm in January and a low of 44mm in August. The capital is permanently warm, between 26 and 27°C.

July and August are Bali's tourist high season, which pushes rates up despite prices staying very low in absolute terms. May-June and September offer the best balance between dry weather and moderate crowds.

The flight starts at €249 and varies noticeably by period: on a ticket of that size, comparing dates has a real return.

Eating. A nasi goreng or mie goreng at a warung, those small family stalls, costs €1 to €3. A meal at a Bali tourist restaurant climbs to €6 to €12, still modest but several times the local price. The quality difference does not always follow the price difference: warungs are often the best addresses.

Getting around. In Bali, the scooter is the dominant mode and rents for a few euros a day, but it requires the appropriate licence and careful riding on busy roads. Ride-hailing apps, car and motorbike, cover the island well for a few euros a trip. In Jakarta, traffic is considerable and motorbike ride-hailing is often the fastest option. Between islands, ferries and domestic flights are cheap.

Sightseeing. Temples and natural sites charge modest entry, often a few euros, sometimes with separate pricing for foreign visitors. Organized activities, diving, volcano sunrises, day trips, are the line where gaps between operators are widest: comparing several offers genuinely changes the value.

Currency. The Indonesian rupiah, not the euro. Amounts run in tens and hundreds of thousands, which disorients at first: get into the habit of checking the number of zeros before paying. Cash remains necessary for warungs, markets and short trips.

Language. Indonesian. English is spoken in tourism, very widely in Bali, less elsewhere. The country is used to independent travelers.

Two-wheelers. The scooter is the dominant mode in Bali, but it requires the appropriate licence and genuine care: roads are busy and accidents involving visitors are frequent. Also check what your travel insurance covers on this specific point.

Seasonality. The difference between dry and rainy season is stark, from 53mm in August to 386mm in January in Bali. Temperatures barely vary: it is rain, not heat, that determines the period.

Entry. Check the entry requirements in force before booking; they vary by nationality and length of stay.