Roommates in Bali for Feb. 2018

Look for a kos.
Should be around Rp500,000 per month

Agree with Fred. There are a lot of good and decent kos-kosan in Bali.

Will add some info:
In Kuta area, Rp500.000-Rp800.000/month would be just the room, empty without any furniture.

Based on experience, a one-room rental with amenities, e.g. TV, fridge, queen-size bed, water heater, and WiFi would be around Rp1,8mil-Rp3mil in Kuta area. The facilities depend on each kos, of course.

Super cheap is the basic 1 or 2 small rooms + toilet kos, buying a mattress and a simple cooker.
The much needed air con unit will cost around Rp3.5 million but a 1/2 PK unit will do as the places are small.
You could splash out on a portable A/C for a tiny place like that but they cost a little more.

thanks. i found an air bnb for about 400 a month (USD). Do you have any advice for living cheaply ? Bali is a tourist destination, so im sure the prices for food and recreation are higher... any advice on how/where i can find some cheap food and fun?

So much for ultra cheap, the price being about 5.5 million per month or about 11 times ultra cheap.
Cheap food can be found in almost every street at around Rp20,00 or you can go to very expensive restaurants if cheap is half a million per meal.

Hi Fred, I couldn't find any Kos that you were describing. Do you have a link?

Just ask around, the things are everywhere.

Much of Indonesia is yet to advertise anything on the web, especially the low end housing that is normally found by asking around and walking around in the hope of finding the right places.
The vast majority are in back streets, often only a hundred yards from the main roads.
Ask around and places will be easy to find.

Some new ones have just been built near me, the houses around ask rents of a hundred million or more per year but only 50 yards away a small 2 room kos will set you back Rp500,000/month (6 million/year)

The greedy grasping nasty end of the estate agent rip off trade can't slap stupid rents on these places because the people who live there don't have the cash to pay and someone is always building new places at fair prices so the nasty agents can't charge stupid high prices.

Hi @rbparay, you should inform us which part or Bali you will stay.

i have some friends from Australia studying in Udayana University Jimbaran, they chose to use "Kos" with  furniture ( Bed, wardrobe, tv, air con [suggested since Bali is very hot right now], ) for IDR 1.800.000, its near by KFC / Mc D in case u not use to Indonesian food.

try below link. hope it helps

http://olx.co.id/bali/q-kos/

About 24 million per year for a kos is a stupid price aimed at foreigners without a clue.
Watch out for 'special offers' as many or most are a rip off.

Hi Gede,
Thanks for your response. I am going to be working at English First on street Jl. Hayam Wuruk. What KFC is the kos Near? I would like to stay as close to work as possible

ahh... English First a lots of food court around that area, but i don't remember if there a KFC/Mc D near by but i know Pizza Hut around that area.
its near by Warmadewa University so lots of kos around that area.

Try to download OLX in playstore/appstore or use browser to search kos in OLX. co. id

Fred wrote:

About 24 million per year for a kos is a stupid price aimed at foreigners without a clue.
Watch out for 'special offers' as many or most are a rip off.

@fred i'm agree with you "Watch out for 'special offers' as many or most are a rip off".
but full furnished kos, mostly around that number.
as my kos right now is IDR 1.150.000/month + Free Water and its empty.
and it worth paying.

One of my colleagues worked at EF Hayam Wuruk before. She said there are a lot of kos in housing area behind the office. If you want to save your money, don't choose Airbnb. Fred and Gede already gave you handy tips: find kos in Bali using OLX app  or just walk around in that area later to find it by yourself. Don't forget to ask your Indonesian colleagues there, they would be willing to help you.

The kos price would be cheaper in Hayam Wuruk area than the ones in Kuta in general.

Thanks everybody, Im looking into the website as we speak ! Thanks for your great advice. on another note, how easy is it to get a driver's license from the police station? (this will help me narrow down my search area a bit...) thanks again!

Foreigners have to apply at the area police station, do written and practical tests, then you get a licence.
Your licence is valid for a maximum of five years or the time your immigration document is valid for.
A work sponsored KITAS is normally one year, so you have to extend every year.

Thanks for the great information. I 'm still working on getting a cheaper apartment, although i think my best bet is to go in person once i am on the island! I have been looking at OLX.com, but no luck. Does anyone have any other websites or contacts for a cheap KOS?

Websites might have kos but it's usually a case of looking around.
Internet take up in Indonesia is low, especially for the bottom end of the market.

@rbparay, the OLX. co. id should be shown like picture below, I don't know if you open it from your country and shown a different stuff.

https://ibb.co/i9dUdRhttps://ibb.co/dGMRQ6

let me know if you need more help

Thanks!

so im still looking for a permanent home in the denpasar area.... i have had no luck on olx.com ...... im looking for something very cheap, like a KOS price or something with roommates? any one have any leads? i will be working at EF and not sure if i will drive yet.....

Forget driving if you can - dangerous for the inexperienced.
Stay in a cheap hotel for a few days and hunt around back streets starting as close to work as you can.

How much is your budget for kos / month? (just pm me this)
because your kos type is depend on your budget.
area, security, full furnished, bed and wardrobe only, or empty room (kos) will affect the price as well.

Fred suggestion is also good, stay in hotel for few days while you are looking for a nice kos (make sure you have someone to guide you, since not everbody in Bali can speak english)

ps : make sure of everything and be as safe as possible

Thanks. I have a month with Airbnb booked so I have time to search.