Curious about the Indonesia travel cost ? Generally speaking, Indonesia is a cheap place to travel for backpackers, especially when it comes to accommodation and food.
How much does it cost to travel to Indonesia? If you’re thinking about visiting this tropical country, you might be surprised at how affordable it really is! There are plenty of ways to explore Indonesia within your budget if you’re willing to do some research and planning before you go. The first step? Figuring out how much it costs to travel to Indonesia in the first place! Here’s what you need to know.
1. How much you need to travel to Indonesia?
As you may expect, it depends on a number of factors: How long are you planning to spend in Indonesia? What type of traveller are you, backpacker or luxury-lover? Is there a specific place or destination that you’re interested in visiting more than others? What is your accommodation preference; camping and hostels or five-star hotels and villas at beach resorts? To get an accurate idea of how much is it going to cost to travel in Indonesia, use our calculator below. Our tool will allow you input some basic information such as: Duration of stay, seasonality and preferred destinations.
Important Information Regarding Visas
Before you book your trip, make sure you’re aware of all visa requirements. Visas are issued by Indonesian embassies and consulates around the world, so be sure to contact them directly for more information. Most countries require a visa that must be applied for in advance at an Indonesian embassy or consulate. The cost of your visa will vary based on your nationality and where you plan on entering Indonesia (you may need more than one). For example, British citizens who wish to enter via Bali should obtain a visa prior to arrival costing £52 ($80) and lasting 15 days. If you plan on visiting Batam, however, you’ll need a $15 (around £10) landing visa that lasts three days. Things are changing as the government tries to increase tourism in the country.
Citizens of most countries can get a 30 day-extendable stamp, free of charge, or pay $35 for a “Visa on Arrival,” which can be extended for 30 more days.
Since the pandemic has hit the world, the free visa tourist is not available and replaced by the business tourist.
Money in Indonesia
The currency of Indonesia is known as rupiah. 1 US dollar is equal to 12,500 rupiah. You can bring in foreign cash up to a limit of $10,000 into and out of Indonesia at any given time. There are no ATMs outside of major cities, so you’ll need enough cash to last you for your entire trip. The country’s highest point is Mount Carstensz Pyramid (4884m), while its lowest point lies below sea level in some places, with over 300 active volcanoes – one indication that they’re quite capable of having their own weather patterns! It’s also an incredible place for birdwatching – nearly half of all species on Earth have been recorded there!
2. Suggested Budgets For Travelling In Indonesia
| Backpacker style | cost per day |
| Ultralight Backpacking | $25-$35USD per day |
| Flashpacker | $50-$75USD per day |
| The Traveling Couple | $90-$115USD per day |
Indonesia travel cost: Average daily cost transportation
Transportation costs in Indonesia can vary depending on how much time you want to spend on a plane, ferry or bus. If you plan your trip around some of Indonesia’s major cities, however, transportation can be very affordable. For example, in a country known for its public transportation marvels, Jakarta offers free bus rides with pre-paid cards (called an E-ticket); that can be bought at most convenience stores. Trains are also cheap and offer both luxury and economy cabins; however they don’t run as frequently as buses so keep that in mind if you need something more timely. For more distant cities like Yogyakarta, try finding a private transfer service online like GoJek to get around cheaper than cabs and Uber rides!
- Rental bike – Renting a bike is very cheap : you can easily rent a bike for 50k to 80k a day ($3,5 – $7,5)
- Ferry – traveling between islands, cost around 7,000 IDR ($0.50) for a ticket from Java (Banywangi) to West Bali. From Bali (Padang Bai port) to Lombok is about $5.
- Bus – Buses are the main way for locals and international travelers to get around Indonesia. Prices vary by the length of the route. Above 10 hours it will cost you around 110k to 150k ($7,11). Less 10 hours around will cost you around 80,000 IDR ($5,5).
- Train – In Indonesia, the cities of Java are well linked by train, it will be very easy for you to travel in java with train. If you travel from : Jakarta to Surabaya it will takes 15 hours and costs around 104k IDR ($7) economy class
Jakarta to Yogakarta it will take 12 hours and cost around 100k ($6,5) economy class - Flying – Garuda Indonesia is the main airline of Indonesia providing international and domestic flights. Beside for cheaper flights, Lion Air (I wouldn’t advise traveling with them), Citilink, batik air, sriwijawa air are safe to travel with. The average cost will be around 300k-800k ($20-$57), prices vary by the length of the route and the date. You can find cheap ticket on going on kiwi.com
The Cheapest Times to Visit Indonesia
If you’re looking for the most affordable options to fly to Indonesia and stay at an Indonesian hotel, consider these dates:
- January 10th to April 1st
- August 28th to December 7th
For the absolute lowest prices, plan your vacation in late November to early December. These periods typically offer the best deals for your Indonesian getaway.
Getting Around Bali & Lombok (Transportation)
Transportation is one of your biggest expenses when traveling to Indonesia; especially if you plan on getting around Bali and Lombok using public transportation. The good news is that while some parts of Indonesia are quite pricey, Bali in particular is quite affordable. If you’re looking for a more luxurious experience, there are a number of other options available; boat rides around Gili Trawangan or surfing lessons at Bukit Peninsula will run you thousands of dollars! Whatever your budget and needs, rest assured that getting around Bali & Lombok won’t cost as much as you might think—just be sure to get multiple quotes before committing to any price.
Find a free/ affordable place : Where to stay in Indonesia
Do you have friends or family who live in destination you are heading to ? Most backpacker use the app CouchSurfing, where you can find a free couch, bed, or space on the floor to sleep, the best part about staying with a local, is to travel and see the country as a local. This is the best way to travel on a budget in Indonesia. If you feel not comfortable sleeping in people’s house try hostels. They are really affordable with good cheap accommodation option.
Itinerary If you’re wondering where to stay in Indonesia, stick with top-rated hotels. This will help keep travel costs down and ensure that you receive great service. We recommend choosing a hotel that’s near (or a short shuttle ride away from) your chosen tour operator’s office. That way, you can easily check in, drop off your bags and head right out on an adventure. Here are our top picks for where to stay in Indonesia: The Mulia Senayan Hotel Yogyakarta: Situated near major shopping malls, restaurants and public transport options, The Mulia Senayan Hotel is your best bet if budget isn’t an issue.
Average daily cost per day : staying accommodation
- on couchsurfing : free
- in a hostel : from 60k – 350k ($4,5-25$)
- hotel 3 star : from 600k-800k ($42-$60)
- a nice aribnb : from 150k-300k ($10 – 20$)
Accommodation in Indonesia
Every traveler is different. Some are attracted by luxury resorts, while others prefer hostels or more rustic accommodation. Whatever your style of travel, there are numerous options for you to consider when visiting Indonesia. Affordable lodging can be hard to find in some parts of Bali and Lombok—but given the country’s beauty, you may well feel like splurging a little on a room with a view. A good rule of thumb is that things tend to get much cheaper as you move inland from tourist areas like Jakarta and Bali; locals say cheap hotels in Central Java can cost as little as $4 per night.
The accommodation in Indonesia is much cheaper than other countries, with an average cost of about $4-6 for a night in a dorm. If you want something more comfortable and private, you can expect to pay around $15-25 per night. In major cities like Jakarta or Surabaya, you may be able to find hotels for as little as $10 per night but only in very well-known locations. However, if you travel away from these areas and onto smaller islands that tourists don’t often visit (like Sumbawa or Flores), your accommodation will drop down significantly again at around $5-$7 per night.
Food & drink : If you travel in Indonesia on a budget cook at home or eat local
Cost of Street Food in Indonesia 10,000Rp – 60,000Rp (70 cents – $4USD)
Cost of Water in Indonesia 5,000Rp – 30,000Rp (30 cents – $2USD)
The travel cost for food in Indonesia is quiet affordable. Use the kitchen to cook, you will save money on eating and drinking out. Get to know the local cuisines. The street food in Indonesia is extremely cheap. Street food cost around 10k IDR ($0.70), For a meal at a local restaurant, prices could start around 14k ($1). Fast food like McDonalds, burger king will cost around 45k IDR ($3.20).
It is possible to eat as cheaply in Indonesia as you can in India or Thailand. A typical lunch consists of a main dish, which could be anything from fried rice and soto ayam (chicken soup) for IDR 5,000 up to an expensive Indonesian dish like nasi gurih for IDR 20,000. This will usually come with rice (there are two choices: white rice or more expensive beras ketan, red rice), some sides such as sayur lodeh (vegetable soup) and sambal terasi (hot sauce made from shrimp paste). You could go even cheaper than that by eating just some fried rice from warungs and skipping everything else.
Indonesia travel cost for activities
If you’re a solo traveler and on a budget, you can split the costs of the activities, transport, rental equipment (if hiking). I advise you to use couchsurfing app, there is always travelers hanging out and having activities to do around the city you are heading to.
Entertainment and activities in Indonesia like snorkelling trip, ticket to museums or national park and other attractions will cost around 120k ($8,5) per person, per day.
Orangutan Trekking – 700kRp – 10mRp ($50-$660USD)
Komodo National Park – 1mRp – 2mRp ($75-$135USD) per day
Climb Mount Bromo – 220kRp- 1M ($16-$75USD)
Hope this post will help you give you a good overview about the travel cost in Indonesia. If you need additional informations, please do not hesitate to contact me. Enjoy your trip to Indonesia, and stay safe. Bless you !