Money in Bali: Rupiah, ATMs, Cards, QRIS and Tipping

Money in Bali is easy once your brain adjusts to the zeros. A coffee costs tens of thousands of rupiah, a villa lease can run into the hundreds of millions, and almost everyone hands over the wrong note at least once in the first few days. This guide explains how the currency works, when to use cash, card or QRIS, how to use ATMs and money changers without losing money, what to tip, and what everyday things cost.

Prices, fees and rules here were checked as of October 2026. Banks change their charges and exchange rates move daily, so check anything important before you rely on it.

The rupiah and its many zeros

The Indonesian rupiah (IDR, written Rp) is the only legal tender in Bali. Notes come in Rp1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000. Coins of Rp100, 200, 500 and 1,000 turn up mostly as supermarket change. In early October 2026, one US dollar bought roughly Rp17,900. Work out what Rp100,000 is worth in your own currency and use that as your mental anchor.

A few things make prices easier to read:

• Menus drop zeros. "45" or "45K" on a café board means Rp45,000.
• Full stops separate thousands. Rp45.000 is forty-five thousand, not forty-five.
• The classic mistake is paying Rp100,000 when you meant Rp10,000. Keep notes sorted by value, with the red Rp100,000 notes apart from the rest. The Rp50,000 note is blue.
• Carry small notes. Warungs, parking attendants and drivers often cannot break a Rp100,000 note, especially early in the day.

You may read that Indonesia plans to remove three zeros from the rupiah. As of October 2026 the redenomination bill was still at an early stage, and any change would come with years of transition. Nothing changes for visitors yet.

By law, payments in Indonesia must be made in rupiah. Villas and tours sometimes quote in dollars, but you should still settle in rupiah. Bali's provincial government has also warned foreigners firmly against paying with crypto, which is not allowed as a means of payment.

Cash, card or QRIS

Cash is still essential. You need it at warungs, small shops, markets, roadside fuel stalls, parking, temple donations and sarong hire, and for small tips.

Cards (Visa and Mastercard) are widely accepted at hotels, supermarkets, malls and most restaurants and cafés in tourist areas. American Express is accepted less often. Some smaller businesses add a card surcharge of a few percent, so ask first. Whenever a card terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and choose rupiah. That conversion option usually comes with a poor exchange rate.

QRIS is Indonesia's national QR payment standard, run under Bank Indonesia. You will see the QRIS sticker almost everywhere, from beach clubs to tiny warungs. Using it as a visitor depends on your phone:

• Cross-border QRIS. As of 2026, Bank Indonesia has linked QRIS with Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea and China (through Alipay). If your banking or wallet app comes from one of those countries, you may be able to scan QRIS codes directly. Check with your provider before you travel.
• Indonesian e-wallets. GoPay, OVO and DANA can sometimes be set up and topped up by visitors, but registration usually needs an Indonesian phone number, and some features need local ID.
• Everyone else. For most visitors from Europe, Australia or the Americas, cash and card remain the main tools. QRIS becomes effortless once you have a local bank account.

ATMs: where, which banks, fees and limits

ATMs are everywhere in the south and in Ubud but rarer in remote villages, so withdraw before heading east or north.

Where to withdraw. Your best choice is an ATM attached to a bank branch, ideally inside or in a guarded lobby, during opening hours. If the machine swallows your card, you can walk inside and sort it out. ATMs inside large malls and supermarkets with security staff are a reasonable second choice. Be more cautious with standalone street booths and machines in quiet corners.

Which banks. The big Indonesian networks in Bali are BCA, BNI, BRI and Mandiri, along with others such as CIMB Niaga. Since 22 February 2026, Bank Mandiri has charged foreign Visa and Mastercard cards an access fee of Rp50,000 per withdrawal, and its own notice says this rises to Rp100,000 from 6 November. JCB and UnionPay cards are exempt. Other banks may add their own charges, and the screen should show any fee before you confirm. If you do not like the number, cancel and try another bank.

Your own bank's fees come on top: usually a foreign ATM fee and an exchange margin. A fee-free travel card can save a lot over a long trip.

Limits. Most ATMs dispense somewhere between Rp1 million and Rp3 million per transaction, depending on the bank and the machine, and your home bank sets its own daily cap. Fewer, larger withdrawals mean fewer fees, but more cash to look after.

Small details that help:

• Machines carry a sticker showing whether they dispense Rp50,000 or Rp100,000 notes. The Rp50,000 machines are handier for everyday spending.
• Many machines ask if you want another transaction before returning your card. Do not walk away until you have your card, cash and receipt.

Avoiding card skimming

Skimming is a known problem in Bali, and foreign nationals have been prosecuted for tampering with ATMs. A few habits keep you safe:

• Cover the keypad with your other hand every time.
• Look at the card slot. Anything bulky, loose or different from the machine next to it is a reason to walk away.
• Be wary of "out of order" notes that send you to a different machine.
• Politely refuse help from strangers at the ATM.
• Turn on instant transaction alerts and know how to freeze your card in your banking app.
• Carry two cards linked to different accounts and keep one separate from your wallet.

Money changers

Changing cash in Bali is simple, provided you use an authorised changer. Licensed non-bank money changers are regulated by Bank Indonesia and display its licensed money changer logo, which includes a QR code you can scan to check the licence, along with their business licence certificate. They will ask for your passport. Bank Indonesia's Bali office also runs an online directory of licensed changers, linked to the provincial Love Bali platform. Banks and the airport change money too.

Clean, undamaged, recent banknotes get the best rates. Torn, marked or older notes may be refused or exchanged at a lower rate.

The sleight-of-hand pattern

Most changers are honest. The trick to watch for follows a familiar pattern. A board shows a rate noticeably better than everyone else's, often with "no commission". The clerk counts out your rupiah, you count it too and it is correct. Then the clerk takes the pile back to "recount" or "check something", and when it returns a few notes have quietly disappeared. Variations include a calculator that produces the wrong total or a fee that appears at the very end.

How to protect yourself:

• Do the maths on your own phone before handing anything over.
• Count the rupiah yourself, in stacks of Rp1 million (ten red notes).
• Once you have counted it, do not let it go back across the counter. If they insist, start your count again from the beginning.
• Hand over your own currency only after the rupiah is counted and in your hand.
• If anything feels off, cancel and ask for your money back. Never agree to exchange in a back room.

Tipping and service charges

Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory. Restaurants in tourist areas commonly add a service charge (typically 5 to 10 percent) plus 10 percent regional restaurant tax, which is calculated on top of the service charge. Menus often show this as "++". In practice, a dish listed at Rp100,000 may cost about Rp115,500 to Rp121,000 at the till.

• Restaurants: if service is already on the bill, nothing more is expected. Leaving small notes for great service is kind, and cash goes straight to the person who served you.
• Warungs: no tip expected. Rounding up is a nice gesture.
• Ride-hailing: round up, or tip in the app.
• Day drivers: around Rp50,000 to Rp100,000 for a good full day is common.
• Spas, porters and housekeeping: small notes, given directly, are appreciated.

Always tip in rupiah. Foreign coins cannot be exchanged.

What things cost (as of October 2026)

Canggu, Seminyak, Uluwatu and central Ubud are the most expensive areas; villages are much cheaper. These ranges are a guide only:

Item	Typical price
Local coffee at a warung	around Rp5,000 to Rp15,000
Latte or flat white in a tourist-area café	around Rp35,000 to Rp55,000
Nasi campur at a warung	around Rp25,000 to Rp45,000
Nasi campur at a trendier café	from about Rp50,000
1.5 litre water at a minimarket	around Rp8,000 to Rp12,000
Scooter rental, basic automatic	around Rp70,000 to Rp100,000 a day, from about Rp1.2 million a month
Pertalite fuel at a Pertamina station	Rp10,000 per litre
Grab or Gojek car, short ride within one area	around Rp25,000 to Rp50,000 (bike rides cost less)
Grab or Gojek car, airport to Kuta	around Rp120,000 to Rp180,000
Private driver, 8 to 10 hours	around Rp600,000 to Rp850,000

App fares rise at busy times and in the rain. Fuel sold in bottles at roadside stalls costs more than at the pump.

Foreign visitors also pay Bali's tourism levy of Rp150,000 once per visit. It is cashless and should be paid only through the official Love Bali system or its counters at the airport and harbours.

Managing money as a longer-term resident

Multi-currency accounts. Many residents keep their income abroad and use a multi-currency account such as Wise. Wise can send rupiah to Indonesian bank accounts and to e-wallets such as GoPay, OVO, DANA and ShopeePay. Its cards are issued only to residents of supported countries, and Indonesia has not been on that list, so most people use a card from home. Check the current position in the app.

A local bank account. With a KITAS or KITAP, you can open an account at the major banks. Expect to need your passport, your stay permit and often a local address letter (surat domisili) or rental contract. Some banks also ask for an Indonesian tax number (NPWP). A few branches open limited accounts for visitors on a passport alone, but practice varies from bank to bank and even branch to branch. Go to a larger branch with originals and copies, and ask what they need before you start. A local account gives you QRIS everywhere, easy transfers to landlords, bill payments and simple e-wallet top-ups.

Large payments. Leases are often paid a year or more upfront. Pay by traceable bank transfer, in rupiah, against a signed contract and a receipt. Never hand over a large sum in cash without paperwork.

Tax. Spending more than 183 days in Indonesia within a 12-month period can make you an Indonesian tax resident. Get advice from a qualified local tax consultant early.

Cash at the border. Carrying cash worth Rp100 million or more (in any currency) into or out of Indonesia must be declared to customs.

A safety net. Keep two cards from different banks, an emergency cash reserve at home and banking alerts switched on. A lost card then becomes an inconvenience, not a crisis.