🇮🇩 Indonesia: Budget Backpacking Guide
16 cities indexedBest: Apr, May, Jun~$38/day realistic
Indonesia is an archipelago of 17,000 islands and feels like a dozen countries in one. Bali is the famous tourist hub — deservedly popular with its rice terraces, surf breaks, and excellent café culture. But beyond Bali lies a world most visitors miss: the wilds of Sumatra, the Buddhist temples of Java, the Komodo dragons of the NTT islands, and the orangutan sanctuaries of Borneo. Budget well for island-hopping: domestic flights and ferries add up. Base costs are low, but transport between islands is the main expense.
Budget breakdown
What does Indonesia cost?
Bali is the most expensive. Java cities (Yogyakarta, Surabaya) are much cheaper. Remote islands add 20–50% for transport.
Bare minimum
$20/day
Cheap dorms, warungs, local transport
Hostel$6–9/night
Food$5–7/day
Transport$3–5/day
Activities$3–4/day
Most common
Realistic budget
$38/day
Mixed rooms, scooter rental in Bali, a few surf lessons
Hostel$12–18/night
Food$10–13/day
Transport$6–8/day
Activities$6–10/day
Comfortable
$70/day
Private villas, restaurant dining, diving day trips
Hostel$30–45/night
Food$18–22/day
Transport$8–12/day
Activities$12–18/day
When to go
Seasonal Guide
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Best months (Apr, May, Jun, Aug, Sep)Peak / pricey (Jul, Aug)Avoid (Jan, Feb, Mar)
Data
Indonesia Cities in the Index
Moni
Hostel from $5/night · 0 indexed
$10/day
daily total
Ruteng
Hostel from $5/night · 0 indexed
$11/day
daily total
Bajawa
Hostel from $5/night · 0 indexed
$11/day
daily total
Lake Toba
Hostel from $5/night · 0 indexed
$11/day
daily total
Probolinggo
Hostel from $5/night · 5 indexed
$17/day
daily total
Banyuwangi
Hostel from $7/night · 6 indexed
$17/day
daily total
Medan
Hostel from $9/night · 1 indexed
$21/day
daily total
Malang
Hostel from $7/night · 11 indexed
$21/day
daily total
Surabaya
Hostel from $8/night · 2 indexed
$22/day
daily total
Labuan Bajo
Hostel from $10/night · 6 indexed
$24/day
daily total
Yogyakarta
Hostel from $9/night · 13 indexed
$25/day
daily total
Jakarta
Hostel from $6/night · 8 indexed
$26/day
daily total
Lombok
Hostel from $10/night · 21 indexed
$30/day
daily total
Flores
Hostel from $17/night · 2 indexed
$31/day
daily total
Bali
Hostel from $11/night · 96 indexed
$32/day
daily total
Bukit Lawang
Hostel from $10/night · 2 indexed
$33/day
daily total
Entry
Visa Requirements
Most nationalities (169 countries)
Visa on arrival or free30 days
$35 USD on arrival at major airports. Extendable once for 30 days.
ASEAN + select countries
Visa-free30 days
Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand etc. No payment needed.
Social Visit Visa
Pre-arranged60 days
Extendable to 180 days. Best for long stays (yoga retreats etc.).
Methodology
Data Sources
| Data type | Source | Updated |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel prices | Live booking data — avg of cheapest available dorm beds | Monthly |
| Flight prices | Aggregated fare data from multiple GDS sources | Weekly |
| Cost of living | Crowdsourced + editorial verification | Quarterly |
Plan your Indonesia trip
Get a personalised itinerary with real hostel prices, flight costs, and transport options.
Plan my Indonesia trip →