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Advice for family of 3 looking at moving to Bali

Hi everyone,


Am at the very eary stage of thinikng about making a move to Bali from the UK. I have googled and gooled all sorts and you get so much information its hard to know whats what...... So am asking if any of you are willing to share any practcal advice and experiences


We're heading out for a month early next year to get a true feel and do some research but if anyon ehas any advice it be really interested to hear


We've been recommended to look at Denpasar but I have some questions:


  1. Is this a good area for a UK family of 3 with a 10yr old child?


  1. Any recommendations on Estate/Real Estate agents for long term rental?

What is a reasonalbe expectation for either a small Villa or apartment in a complex with a shared pool? Are there hidden costs? Things to look out for?


  1. Any advise on schools that teach in English?

What sort of costs are involved (again Goole gives so many variations) and locations. Do you they have anything that helps SEN children like they do in the UK?


  1. Transportation -

We are non drivers at the moment but what are Taxis like (reliable/expensive)? Are there bus services etc or do we need to look into getting a motor bike license as a bare minimum before making the move?


  1. General cost of living/Finances

What do you really spend on average a month?

What would you recommened we have in the bank before we even consider moving? We've no house to sell so would all need to be savings (know this is a how long is a piece of string question) but are there any requirements that you need a certain amount in the bank to get certain visas etc


  1. Visas

What are the best options for visas? Any recommendations on someone to help with applications or are they pretty simple to do yourself



Know there is a lot there and I am researching all this but anyone willing to share any personal/practical experiences i'd be really interested to hear from you.


If you've made it this far well done and thanks for reading

See also

Probably Denpasar is the last place I would want to live. Sanur is nice if you can find a place there. Or maybe the outskirts of Ubud. Many people live in Canggu these days. If you haven't already got one then open an online Wise account which is the best for exchanging and sending money from places like the UK to Indonesia and anywhere else, but you'll need a visa that allows you to open a local bank account. You can check with the schools directly about their costs. I know that in Bandung, West Java where I live, we need to pay a big sum to register a child at a private school. I think we paid about Rp25 million for one school and Rp45 million for another. That is non refundable.


Don't know about visas for living in Bali or the requirements. Maybe a Visa Agent can help.

1 member reacted to this post

@wyngrove60

Can i ask why not Denpasar?

Is that a personal preference or is it not a good area for families?

Denpasar is the capital of Bali. It's built up, lots of traffic jams, no beach, no mountains, no natural anything, just buildings. Usually people move to Bali to be near the sea or near the mountains which discounts Denpasar. But it's better you visit Denpasar yourself when you come to Bali and see for yourself. Ask other foreigners about it too. I think probably 99% of foreigners living in Bali will advise against living in Denpasar. In my opinion, if you don't like Sanur or Ubud, then maybe consider the area between Seminyak and Kerobokan all the way to Canggu. Then there is also JImbaran which is not bad.


I don't live in Bali anymore, but I am sure some of the members here who do live there will give you their opinions and advice.

2 members reacted to this post

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