Is $2,000 Enough for 2 Weeks in Bali? 2026 Costs + Itinerary

By Ariel, founder of Firefly Retreat Bali. Updated September 2026.

In short, the answer is yes: if you travel from Australia, a amount of $2,000 is enough to cover two weeks in Bali, almost exactly to the dollar, with the flight costs included. When you start from the United States, Canada or Europe, all of your expenditures on the ground will still fit well within $2,000, but the cost of the plane ticket raises your overall total to about $2,300. The following section shows precisely how the money is spent, along with the route that I would choose for myself.

I have resided in Bali for over 18 years and have accommodated more than 9,000 guests at our retreat in Ubud. As a result, I've come to hear every variation of the same tale. Visitors arrive, book a villa in the wrong location, spend four days stuck in traffic, and then return saying that Bali was "nice, but busy". This guide is an effort on my part to prevent you from making that mistake. It includes information on flights, food, transport, where to stay, what to avoid, and a two-week itinerary which will allow you to see the island rather than just the back of a taxi driver's headrest.

All prices are in US dollars per person and were checked in September 2026, when one US dollar bought about 17,650 Indonesian rupiah and one euro was worth about $1.16. The rupiah moves, so treat every number here as a close estimate, not a receipt.

Where your $2,000 actually goes

The entire two-week budget for a single person adhering to the itinerary described is as follows: eight nights of sightseeing in guesthouses, followed by a seven-day retreat in Ubud during which the room, food and activities are all arranged and paid for.

Expense	Realistic range	What I would plan
Visa on arrival and Bali tourist levy	$37	$37
Accommodation, 8 nights before the retreat	$250 to $450	$310
Retreat week in Ubud, private room (482 euros)	about $560	$560
Food and drinks outside the retreat	$160 to $240	$200
Transport: Grab, drivers, fast boat, scooter	$180 to $230	$200
Activities and entrance fees	$80 to $180	$130
SIM card, laundry, snacks, small stuff	$50 to $80	$60
Total on the ground	$1,320 to $1,780	about $1,500

If you include your flights, you'll arrive at the actual figure. Starting in Australia, with a return ticket costing about $500, the total amounts to $2,000. When you take off from the US or Canada at a return price of around $780, you're looking at approximately $2,280. For Europe, with a realistic return fare of about $850, the total is around $2,350. If you select a shared room at the retreat rather than a private one, you will save about $155.

Flights: the biggest number on the list

The flight is the only expense you'll have once you're in Bali which means you should book it first and do so as early as possible, with two months in advance being the recommendation we give our guests and this does make a real difference.

If you start in Australia you'll be fortunate since Bali is essentially Australia's back yard. If you book two months in advance you can generally get fares of about $250 each way, which makes the return cost come to around $500. Perth is usually the cheapest city from which to fly, and the low-cost carriers operate the route from all the major cities several times a day.

If you book from either the United States or Canada you can expect a reasonable price of about $780, although you'll usually have to make a stop somewhere in Asia. Fares are best on the West Coast, and if you book from the East Coast you'll need to add a bit of money along with a very good neck pillow.

One-way tickets from Germany and the rest of Europe, with one or two changes, begin at about $370 to $470, while a reasonable return ticket booked in advance generally costs between $800 and $950. Although there are occasional sales under that price, it's advisable to set up a price alert and wait.

A warning regarding 'cheapest fare' is that such fares usually involve a budget airline which does not offer checked bags and requires a self-transfer during which your luggage is not handled by anyone. Remember to arrange the bag before you celebrate.

The two entry fees nobody puts in their budget

Most visitors, such as Australians, Americans, Canadians and Europeans, have to pay a visa on arrival amounting to IDR 500,000, or about $28; there is also the Bali tourist levy of IDR 150,000, or approximately $8.50. These are two distinct payments and payment of one does not cover the other.

Before you fly, pay the levy on the official Love Bali website, apply for the e-VOA online in advance and complete the free All Indonesia arrival card within 72 hours of landing. If you do all three of these things at home, you will avoid having to queue at the airport, especially after a long flight when it seems as though you've won the lottery. The total cost is about $37.

Food: from $1 to $20 and everything in between

Lunch can be either $1 or $20 in Bali and in both cases it is possible to get an excellent meal. If you have a plate of nasi campur at a local warung—this consists of rice mixed with small amounts of the food that the family prepared that morning—it will cost you one or two dollars when you eat where the Balinese people do. A pizza at an ordinary Western restaurant costs about $8 and a good vegan meal in a café is roughly $5, a figure that would seem like a mistake if you are living in Sydney or Berlin.

Look out for "++" beside the prices on the menus of mid-range and upscale restaurants since this indicates that both a 10% service charge and an 11% tax are added at the end, which is the reason why an $8 pizza ends up being almost $10.

If you combine warungs with cafés, an expenditure of between $20 and $30 each day will pay for three meals, a fresh coconut and a coffee which you will certainly photograph. Over the eight days prior to the retreat this amounts to approximately $200; once you have arrived at the retreat, meals are provided, so your spending on food then reduces to just occasional snack trips.

Getting around: download Grab before you land

There is no public transport in Bali that you can realistically base a holiday around. The only two genuine options are Grab, the ride-hailing app, which handles most car and scooter trips and displays the price to you before you book it, and hiring a private driver, which is more expensive but suitable for long days and journeys across the island, particularly if you agree on a price for the entire trip in advance. The cost from the airport to Ubud will be between IDR 350,000 and 400,000, or about $20 to $23.

Certain villages don't like app drivers, and you might come across signs stating that. If your Grab driver keeps having your booking cancelled, then walk a few minutes down the road or ask the guesthouse to arrange a call for a local driver.

The golden rule is to keep the daily drive to a maximum of one long drive since distances appear very small on a map and Bali's traffic has never looked at one.

Leg	How	Rough time	Rough cost
Airport to Uluwatu	Grab or driver	45 to 60 min	$16
Uluwatu to Sanur harbor	Grab or driver	about 1 hr	$15
Sanur to Nusa Lembongan, return	Fast boat	about 30 min each way	$28
Sanur to Sidemen	Driver	1.5 to 2 hr	$27
Sidemen to Amed	Driver	about 1.5 hr	$25
Amed to Ubud	Driver	2.5 to 3 hr	$38
Ubud to airport	Grab or driver	1 to 1.5 hr	$22
Scooter rental, Lembongan and Amed	4 days		$20
Total transport			about $190 to $200

Where to sleep, and what it costs

Bali offers good value if you stay away from the crowded southern areas. In Sidemen, the simple guesthouses begin at about $15 per night, and a comfortable room with a view, including breakfast and hot water, costs about $25 to $35. The situation is the same in Amed. In Nusa Lembongan and Uluwatu the prices are a bit higher, ranging from $40 to $60 for a good private room.

For the eight nights leading up to the retreat, budget between $250 and $450 depending on whether you care about having a pool. You should book your accommodation at Uluwatu and Lembongan in July and August since those are the busiest months; Sidemen and Amed are generally okay if you book a few days in advance.

The places I would skip, and why most guests agree

Kuta and Canggu are well known; they appear on all the lists and there are plenty of smoothie bowl videos shot there. Many people do in fact enjoy them. Yet after thirteen years of questioning our guests as to where they had been before coming to our retreat, I have observed a trend. When I ask them about their experience of Kuta or Canggu, the reply is usually a polite pause and then 'honestly, not really'—because of the traffic, the construction work, the beach clubs, and that odd sensation of flying for twelve hours to end up in a version of home that is even busier.

It isn't a rule. If you're after surf lessons and a vibrant nightlife scene, then go and have a good time. However, given that you have only two weeks, each day spent sitting in Canggu traffic is a day that you're not spending snorkelling over a shipwreck or waking up to see the rice terraces. Make your route carefully so that you're not paying to be annoyed.

My two-week Bali itinerary, as someone who lives here

If I were a tourist having 14 nights and a reasonable budget, that is the itinerary I would follow; it goes in a single direction, from the south to a small island, then proceeds into the peaceful east and finally reaches Ubud, in such a way that you never have to waste a day going back on yourself.

The thing that makes it all work is landing on a Saturday; this way you have eight nights to explore and arrive in Ubud on a Sunday, which is the day our retreat week starts.

Days 1 and 2: Uluwatu. Begin in the southern part of the island. Uluwatu is about one hour's drive from the airport on a day when traffic is good, something that's important after having just arrived from a long flight. Although it is a bit touristy and I won't deny that, it's a pleasant place to settle down in: with cliff-top views, beaches situated below limestone cliffs, and surfers that you can watch from a café without having to do anything yourself. Visit the Uluwatu Temple to see the sunset. Foreign visitors pay approximately IDR 50,000 for entry and about IDR 150,000 for the Kecak fire dance, making the total come to around $11. Don't forget to keep your sunglasses. The monkeys at the temple are professionals and haggle with more persistence than any driver in Bali. Two nights there is more than enough.

Days 3 and 4: Nusa Lembongan. On day three go to Sanur, which is about an hour's drive away, and then take the fast boat to Nusa Lembongan. The journey takes approximately half an hour and foreigner tickets start at about IDR 175,000 each way depending on the boat operator. When you get there there is also a small local charge, this being usually around IDR 25,000. Lembongan is the place most people imagine before they arrive in Bali. It's quiet, there are no large resorts, and on a good morning you might be the only person on a white-sand beach. Rent a scooter, cross the small yellow bridge to Nusa Ceningan and book a snorkelling trip. I'll be straightforward on one point: the food isn't the main attraction. You'll find some decent food, but no one travels to Lembongan for dinner. After two days take the boat back to Sanur.

On days 5 and 6: Sidemen. It takes about one hour and a half to two hours to drive from Sanur to Sidemen in eastern Bali. That's the kind of Bali you see on the old postcards—with rice terraces descending a green valley, a river running down the middle, and Mount Agung overlooking the whole area. In the morning walk through the rice fields, visit one of the village weaving workshops and book a massage which costs approximately the same as a sandwich back home. There isn't much to do in Sidemen, and that is precisely what makes it special. Two days are sufficient to see it properly before you begin to get bored and start rearranging your backpack.

Days 7 and 8: Amed. Then drive for about an hour and a half to Amed, a series of small fishing villages on the east coast featuring dark sandy beaches and brightly coloured jukung boats moored on the shore. In Amed snorkelling and diving are the main activities. Just beyond the beach at Banyuning there is a Japanese shipwreck believed to date from the Second World War, which lies so shallow that at low tide the top is only about two metres below the surface. A dive licence is not necessary to see it, merely some rented snorkelling equipment and a bit of courage when it comes to the fish. A short drive north to Tulamben brings you to the USAT Liberty, a US Army cargo ship that was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942. The wreck is approximately 120 metres long and is situated only about 25 metres off the shore, which is why divers of all levels go there. Amed is also situated below Mount Agung, the tallest volcano in Bali, which stands at just over 3,000 metres. Get up early one day and watch the sunrise as it rises around the mountain. After two days you will realise why some of our guests, when they arrive at the retreat, find themselves trying to work out how to get back.

From day 9 to 15 there was a retreat in Ubud. On Sunday we drove to Ubud, which is about two and a half to three hours' drive from Amed. Everywhere in the world Bali is famous for its yoga retreats, and Ubud alone has dozens of such places, ranging from luxury spa resorts to ones that are so serious you feel guilty for bringing chocolate.

The place I'd recommend to you—though I must admit I have a bias since I run it—is Firefly Retreat Bali. It's designed for single travellers, and all guests arrive on the same day. This is more important than it may at first appear; rather than walking into a group that already has inside jokes, you begin the week together and by Tuesday have people to share dinner with. The entire week, from Sunday to Saturday, costs 482 euros in a private room, which is about $560, or 350 euros in a shared room, equivalent to about $405. This price includes accommodation, three meals a day, yoga and meditation classes, the activities and cultural workshops, and a Balinese massage.

From a financial standpoint, two weeks in Bali becomes a feasible arrangement. During a seven-day period you don't have to pay for a room, a restaurant, a driver or an activity, and you no longer have to do the currency calculations each time you order a juice. That fact alone makes it a holiday.

On Saturday, check out and then go to the airport; the journey from Ubud to the airport typically takes between one and one and a half hours, and the cost of a Grab is about the same as that of the ride into Ubud, namely IDR 350,000 to 400,000.

Money tips that actually save money

Use ATMs that are attached to a bank branch rather than the lonely machine outside a minimarket, and take out larger amounts less often, because your home bank probably charges you per withdrawal. Carry cash for warungs, parking, temple donations and small guesthouses, and use your card for bigger bills.

Book fast boat tickets online a day or two ahead, especially for morning departures, and check the "++" on restaurant menus before you order. When you hire a driver for a long transfer, agree on the full price before you get in the car, including any stops you want on the way. And if you do only one boring thing before your trip, pay the tourist levy online at home.

Finally, remember what this budget does not include: travel insurance, diving courses and souvenirs. Bali is very good at convincing people they need a hand-carved wooden bowl. You probably do not need the bowl.

So, is $2,000 enough for two weeks in Bali?

For most travelers, yes. Everything you spend on the island over 14 nights comes to about $1,500 on this route, and that is not a backpacker version of Bali. You get private rooms, two islands worth of snorkeling, rice terraces, a volcano sunrise, and a full week where your meals and activities are already taken care of.

Whether $2,000 covers the whole trip comes down to where you fly from. From Australia, it does. From the US, Canada or Europe, plan for around $2,300 in total, or choose a shared room at the retreat, eat at more warungs, and you can pull that number down a long way.

Frequently asked questions

Is $2,000 enough for 2 weeks in Bali including flights? From Australia, yes, with a return flight around $500 and about $1,500 spent on the ground. From the US, Canada or Europe, flights of $780 to $950 return push the total to around $2,300 to $2,450.

How much does two weeks in Bali cost without flights? Around $1,300 to $1,800 per person for a comfortable mid-range trip like the one in this guide, including your visa, the tourist levy, private rooms, food, transport, activities and a retreat week.

How much cash should I bring to Bali? You do not need to arrive with much. ATMs are easy to find in every area on this route. Keep a few hundred thousand rupiah on you at all times for warungs, parking, boat fees and small guesthouses, and pay for bigger things by card.

Is two weeks enough to see Bali? Two weeks is enough to see Bali properly if you pick three or four areas and move in one direction. Trying to see every famous spot usually means seeing mostly traffic.

Do I need a private driver in Bali? Not for every day. Use Grab for short rides and book a driver for long transfers between regions, like Sanur to Sidemen or Amed to Ubud, where the extra comfort is worth the money.

How much is the Bali tourist tax in 2026? The Bali tourist levy is IDR 150,000 per person, about $8.50, paid once per trip. It is separate from the visa on arrival, which is IDR 500,000.

Where should I stay for two weeks in Bali? Split your time instead of staying in one place. A route through Uluwatu, Nusa Lembongan, Sidemen, Amed and Ubud gives you beaches, an island, rice terraces, snorkeling and culture without spending most of your trip in traffic.

Planning to end your trip in Ubud? See this week's availability and Firefly Retreat Bali prices, and arrive on a Sunday with everyone else.