An accidental interview with someone moving to Bali
being too harsh, maybe
I had a conversation with someone recently that summed up a lot of what annoys me about a certain type of Bali visitor.
How long had we been here? Did we build our place? What did we pay a month?
I explained it had been paid upfront. But what was the monthly equivalent? Did we rent it out when we were not there?
Before I recount the rest of this chat, a reminder that you can read real interviews with people actually from here — Made and Emily.
Like the vast majority of foreigners here, we do not have the right visa or regulatory status to rent out our place and have no intention of doing so. Conscious it’s not exactly thrilling social conversation, I briefly mentioned this. I also added that this is exactly the kind of arrangement the government is cracking down on, fed up of an informal market of unregulated villas with almost no tax going back into the system. (I wrote about this for Inside Indonesia here)
But how much did you pay for your villa? He asked, again. I could see calculations going on behind his eyes. It was all about how could Bali work for him.
He told me, unprompted, how he was thinking about paying for a year lease upfront (to secure a lower rate with the Balinese landlord) and then renting it out during the 6 months of the year he would not be here, at the monthly tourist price.
My previous comments had glanced off him. They were not helpful to his cause.
The conversation moved on to how much I cook at home. A safer topic. Or so I thought.
I was happily making small talk about the best place to find cheese and where we bought our vegetables. And how we often end up having breakfast out as we pass so many nice spots on the way back from walking the dog.
He then complained to me about the price of coffee at cafes. It’s disproportionately high compared to the price of food, don’t I think?
For context, it's normally 45k IDR plus tax, like £2. I replied, well everything needed for it is expensive. Coffee machines and their maintenance, good quality beans, barista training. If you want something cheaper, warungs serve traditional Bali coffee for a fraction of the price.
I suppose, he said.
I smiled and excused myself. Inside my head was flashing red.
Sorry that your fancy flat white you buy for whatever price at home is not matching your perception of what a Bali price should be. Sorry Bali can't perform total convenience for you at a price you think is right.
If you are considering moving and are so worried about the price of a coffee here, maybe don’t be here?
I can’t help but equate this kind of mentality with the neverending ROI signs I see everywhere.
But, perhaps I’m being too harsh. A few years ago, I pondered similar questions about villa rentals. Perhaps I hadn’t asked a near stranger so directly about it, or maybe I did and I don’t remember.
I touched on how we were previously the annoying Bali newcomers here:
It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement and possibility of making a home on this beautiful island.
And just as easy to want to sand its textures down into something smooth and shiny, made just for you.
Wondering about the rental market and how to afford a life here is one thing; wondering how to turn a profit from it, or complaining that the coffee costs too much, is quite another.
But still.
Last time I was in London in January 2026 I treated myself to a flat white at my local. It cost £4.90.
If you enjoyed this, a like or restack goes a long way.
Love the picture that you added to this article. How ironic. 😉
Enjoy your coffee.
Regards from the sunrise-side 👋
Spot on. I remember reading that Bali's first barista-brewered cappuccino was only served sometime in 2010s (in Balian, no less). Expats complaining about the price of their oat milk flat whites only a decade or so later don't know how lucky they are that they have options other than Bali Kopi (which is still a must-try experience btw).