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Bali
#123 of 124
Asia

Bali

Indonesia

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Bali compare to Dubai?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Bali is 78% worse off vs in Dubai

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Bali compared to Dubai, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$13,179
-$68K (-84%) vs Dubai
Based on 260 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$10,701
-$71K (-87%) vs Dubai
Tax Rate: 19%

Community Insights

New

Bali remains a top destination for the lifestyle-focused software engineer, particularly those who value surfing and sunsets over reliable infrastructure. While the financial benefits of geo-arbitrage are undeniable for those earning foreign currency, the reality of living here involves navigating chaotic traffic, spotty internet, and increasing pollution. It is not a tech hub for local employment (median salary ~$13k/year) but rather a playground for remote workers who can tolerate the developing world's friction in exchange for a villa lifestyle.

Resident Sentiment

Sentiment is increasingly mixed. While newcomers often enjoy the "honeymoon phase" of cheap luxury and tropical vibes, long-term residents and recent discussions highlight growing frustration with overcrowding, gentrification, and the traffic crisis in 2024/2025. Many experienced nomads now view Bali as a seasonal destination rather than a permanent home, often leaving during the rainy season or when infrastructure fatigue sets in.

The Good

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to Dubai.

Rankings

Tax Rate

Top 12%

#15

of 124 cities

19%

Current value (lower is better)

Cost of Living

Top 27%

#33

of 124 cities

36/100

Current value (lower is better)

Community Events

Middle of the pack

#75

of 124 cities

0 events on luma

Current value

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Bali compared to Dubai?

Avg. Property Price
$2,375 / m²
58% cheaper than Dubai
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Bali to maintain the same standard of living.

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Do you have kids?

Cost of Living
41% cheaper than Dubai
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Bali

Gojek Tech logo
Gojek Tech
Tokopedia logo
Tokopedia
Traveloka logo
Traveloka
  • Strong Digital Nomad Community: Bali (specifically Canggu and Ubud) has one of the world's most active remote work scenes, making it easy to find co-working spaces and network with other solopreneurs and devs.
  • Geo-Arbitrage: While local salaries are low (~$13k/year), earning a US/EU salary here provides massive purchasing power, allowing for a luxury lifestyle (private pool villas) that would be unaffordable in the West.
  • Lifestyle & Nature: unparalleled access to world-class surfing, beaches, yoga, and lush nature, offering a work-life balance that revolves around outdoor activities.
  • Visa Accessibility: The B211A (Social/Tourist) visa allows for 6-month stays and is widely used by remote workers, with newer 'Second Home' visa options emerging for wealthier long-term stayers.

    • The Bad

    • Severe Traffic Congestion: Traffic in hotspots like Canggu is frequently described as a nightmare or "gridlock," often turning a 10-minute trip into an hour-long ordeal.
    • Unreliable Internet: While fiber (GlobalXtreme) exists, connection stability can be "hit or miss." Power outages occur, and latency to US/EU servers is high, which can hamper real-time collaboration.
    • Time Zone Challenges: The time zone (WITA) is terrible for US hours (often requiring graveyard shifts) and only manageable for Europe (afternoon/evening work).
    • Infrastructure & Pollution: Residents frequently complain about trash burning, poor air quality, construction noise everywhere, and a lack of walkable infrastructure (a scooter is mandatory).

    The Verdict

    You'll love it if...

    Async-first remote workers who do not have strict meeting schedules.

    Surfers and wellness enthusiasts who prioritize access to the ocean or yoga studios over big-city amenities.

    Those earning USD/EUR/GBP who want to maximize their savings rate or lifestyle quality.

    Skip it if...

    Engineers with strict US-time zone meetings, as the 12+ hour difference often leads to burnout.

    Those who rely on 100% uptime internet or low latency for high-frequency trading or competitive gaming.

    People who prefer walkable cities or are sensitive to heat, humidity, and air pollution.

    Updated 11/29/2025

    Weather3.0/10+500% vs Dubai
    Safety50-41%
    Pollution79+60%
    Events0-100%
    3.0/10TechCities weather score vs 0.5/10 in Dubai

    0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

    Weather snapshot

    Average High
    24°C(vs 34°C in Dubai)
    Average Low
    16°C(vs 22°C in Dubai)
    Sunshine Hours
    2,100h/yr-1409h/yr(-40%)
    Hottest Month High
    27°C(vs 41°C in Dubai)
    Coldest Month Low
    14°C(same as Dubai)
    Rainy Days
    200/yr+190/yr(+1840%)

    Community & Quality

    Bali community pulse

    Bali has 0 Luma events listed.

    100% fewer events than Dubai.

    Safety Index

    Middle of the pack

    #81

    of 124 cities

    49.5/100

    Current value

    Comfortable Weather

    Bottom 21%

    #99

    of 124 cities

    30/100 weather score

    Current value

    Home Affordability

    Bottom 11%

    #111

    of 124 cities

    ≈17.8 yrs to buy 80m²

    Current value

    Pollution Score

    Bottom 11%

    #112

    of 124 cities

    79/100

    Current value (lower is better)

    Net Income

    Bottom 6%

    #118

    of 124 cities

    $10,701/yr

    Current value

    Purchasing Power

    Bottom 2%

    #123

    of 124 cities

    SWE Affordability
    17.8 years
    12.2 years longer than Dubai
    Muggy Days
    101/yr-64/yr(-39%)
    Cloud Cover
    81%(vs 24% in Dubai)