Asia

Indonesia

Indonesia includes Bali, the single most popular Australian destination for school leavers. The WHV is real but the quota is small; most travellers use the 30-day VoA.

Currency

IDR

1 AUD = 10600 IDR (mid-market, 2026-05-21)

Cost of living

40% of Sydney

Working Holiday Visa for Australians

Indonesia-Australia Work and Holiday visa

Age 18-30 | up to 12 months

Smartraveller

Check live advisory

Emergency: 112

Working Holiday Visa

Scheme: Indonesia-Australia Work and Holiday visa
Visa class: WHV
Eligible age: 18-30
Max stay: 12 months

Source: imigrasi.go.id

Tourist or short-stay entry

Visa on Arrival or eVOA

Up to 2 months. Work rights: none.

VoA (IDR 500,000) is valid 30 days, extendable once for another 30. Single-entry only.

Source: molina.imigrasi.go.id

Highlights

Bali's expat scene (Canggu, Ubud) has a strong coworking, yoga and surf circuit.
Cost of living is low: comfortable villa shares from AUD 600 a month in Canggu.
Easy onward travel to Lombok, the Gilis, Java, Flores by ferry and budget flights.
Indonesian (Bahasa) is one of the easier Asian languages for English speakers.

Watch outs

Bali drug laws are among the world's strictest; possession carries jail time.
Scooter rentals are easy, scooter injuries are the leading cause of Aussie hospital admissions; helmet plus international licence is non-negotiable.
'Bali belly' is real; brush teeth with bottled water for the first week.
Volcanic activity (Mount Agung, Mount Sinabung); check Smartraveller alerts.

Money tips

BCA and Mandiri have the best foreign-card ATMs; many Bali ATMs are skimmer hotspots.
Carry small notes (Rp 20,000 / 50,000); change is hard outside tourist zones.
Tipping is not expected; rounding up is fine.
Beware of 'kepeng' coin scams in tourist taxis; use Grab or Bluebird metered taxis.

Typical costs (AUD)

Hostel bed per night: $15
Budget meal: $5
Mid-range meal: $15
Beer (bar): $6
Public transport day pass: $4

Indicative only. Tourist-zone prices are usually 50-100% higher than local prices.

Practical basics

Power plug: Type C / F
Drives on: Left (same as AU)
Emergency number: 112

Sources

Last updated 2026-05-21.