Sanur

Cost of Living in Sanur

Sanur sits comfortably below Canggu and Seminyak on price, and well below Ubud for accommodation. Here is what a month actually costs in 2025.

• Rent, central Sanur (Jl. Danau Tamblingan corridor): IDR 6,000,000-9,000,000 per month (USD 370-560) for a furnished one-bedroom apartment or small villa with AC
• Rent, cheaper areas (Sanur Kauh, north Sanur): IDR 3,500,000-5,500,000 per month (USD 215-340) for a simple room or studio; quality varies
• Groceries (local markets and mid-range supermarkets like Bintang): IDR 800,000-1,500,000 per month (USD 50-90)
• Eating out: A warung meal runs IDR 25,000-50,000 (USD 1.50-3). A cafe lunch or mid-range restaurant meal costs IDR 80,000-180,000 (USD 5-11). Budget IDR 1,500,000-3,000,000 per month (USD 90-185) depending on how often you eat out
• Coworking hot-desk: IDR 2,400,000-3,800,000 per month (USD 150-235) at FLOW Workspace or Livit Hub; day passes start around IDR 300,000 (USD 18)
• Local transport (scooter rental or Grab/Gojek): IDR 500,000-1,200,000 per month (USD 30-75); scooter rental costs roughly IDR 700,000-900,000 per month
• Monthly total range: IDR 9,000,000-18,000,000 (USD 550-1,100) covers a comfortable lifestyle; USD 1,300-1,800 gives you flexibility for travel, dining out regularly, and occasional splurges

Electricity and water are rarely included in rent and can add IDR 300,000-700,000 per month depending on your AC use.

Where to Work

Sanur has a small but solid coworking scene, and cafe-work culture is genuinely viable here rather than merely tolerated.

Coworking Spaces

FLOW Workspace (Jl. Danau Poso No.66) is the most professional option: 24/7 access, up to 150 Mbps fiber, ergonomic desks, private booths, meeting rooms, standing desks, a gym, and an on-site cafe. Day pass is IDR 300,000; monthly from IDR 3,800,000. Livit Hub (Jl. Bumi Ayu) is the community-focused alternative, with rooftop views, coworking events, and a 4.8/5 rating from nearly 300 reviewers. Both are serious working environments, not Instagram backdrops.

Cafe Work

Genius Cafe on Mertasari Beach sits right at the sand and doubles as a coworking hub for entrepreneurs. WiFi is consistently fast, outlets are plentiful, and the beach setting actually stays quiet on weekday mornings. Most cafes along the main beach road have decent WiFi and are nomad-friendly during off-peak hours. Expect speeds of 10-50 Mbps at cafes; peak-hour congestion is real at smaller spots.

The Real WiFi Situation

Sanur is not Canggu, and that works in its favor. Residential fiber is widely available and landlords routinely include it, or you can arrange a Telkom IndiHome connection yourself. Coworking spaces offer genuinely reliable speeds. Mobile data (Telkomsel or XL) is fast and cheap and covers most of the town well enough for a backup connection.

Getting Around

Sanur is one of the few parts of Bali where you can legitimately walk. The Sanur Beach Boardwalk runs several kilometers along the coast, connecting hotels, cafes, and restaurants on foot. The town center is flat and compact enough that you can reach most daily needs without transport.

That said, you will want a scooter or app-based ride for anything beyond the center. Grab and Gojek both work well in Sanur (note: they cannot legally pick up at Sanur Harbour due to local taxi arrangements, so walk a block before booking). Short rides cost IDR 15,000-40,000. Scooter rental runs IDR 700,000-900,000 per month and gives you full flexibility.

Airport to Sanur: Ngurah Rai International Airport is 30-40 minutes away in light traffic, up to 60 minutes in rush hour. A Grab ride costs roughly IDR 100,000-150,000 (USD 6-9). Official airport taxis charge more. Private transfers arranged in advance cost USD 15-25 and are the stress-free option on arrival.

Bicycles are a genuine option in Sanur; rentals start around IDR 20,000 per hour or IDR 60,000-100,000 per day. Several hotels and guesthouses provide them free to guests.

Visas and Staying Long-Term

Citizens of over 90 countries can enter Indonesia on a Visa on Arrival (VoA), valid for 30 days and extendable once for an additional 30 days, giving you a maximum of 60 days per entry. The VoA costs IDR 500,000 (around USD 30) and can be purchased online before arrival (eVoA) or at the airport. A small number of nationalities, including ASEAN countries and a handful of others, receive a free 30-day visa-free entry.

For longer stays, Indonesia introduced the E33G Remote Worker Visa (KITAS), a formal digital nomad visa allowing a 12-month stay. Requirements include earning at least USD 60,000 per year (with documentation), a passport valid for 18 months, and proof of accommodation. The official fee is around IDR 7,000,000 (USD 430), with total first-year costs typically USD 600-1,000 when using a visa agent. The visa is currently non-renewable, meaning you would need to reapply from outside Indonesia.

A Social Visa (B211A) is another option: it allows stays of up to 180 days with multiple 30-day extensions handled in-country. Many long-term nomads use this route. Always confirm current requirements with official Indonesian immigration sources before applying, as regulations change.

Best Time to Visit

Sanur sits on Bali's southeast coast, sheltered from the roughest southwest swells, which makes it calmer than the west coast year-round. The dry season runs April to October. Days are warm and sunny (28-31 degrees Celsius), humidity is manageable, and rain is rare. May, June, and September hit the sweet spot: good weather without the peak July-August crowds and prices that spike during school holidays.

The wet season (November to March) brings afternoon downpours, typically lasting an hour or two rather than all day. Temperatures stay warm. Accommodation prices drop significantly and the town is quieter, which some nomads prefer. Internet and coworking continue to function normally. The main practical downside is that beach activities and outdoor work sessions become less predictable.

For remote work specifically, dry season mornings are ideal: cool enough to think clearly, before the heat of the day, with reliable power. Wet season is perfectly workable and cheaper, just factor in staying dry between coworking space and accommodation.

Pros and Cons

• Quieter and more residential than Canggu or Seminyak, genuinely easier to focus
• Walkable beachfront with a paved boardwalk connecting most of the town
• Solid coworking infrastructure including 24/7 spaces with fast fiber
• Good food scene at every price point, from IDR 30,000 waru ngs to beachfront seafood
• Lower cost than Canggu with comparable or better internet reliability
• Family-friendly and safe, with a long-term expat community already in place
• Convenient access to ferries for Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida

• Quieter nightlife: mostly live-band bars; not the place if you want clubs or late-night energy
• Smaller nomad community than Canggu; fewer spontaneous co-working meetups and startup events
• Beach is calm but not spectacular for surfing; Canggu and Uluwatu are better for waves
• Getting anywhere else on the island requires transport; Ubud is about 45-60 minutes away
• Limited coworking variety; FLOW and Livit Hub are excellent, but the scene is small
• Traffic on the main road (Jl. Danau Tamblingan) can be heavy during peak morning and evening hours

Who Sanur Is Best For

Sanur suits nomads who have moved past the hunt for party scenes and want a base that actually supports deep work. If your ideal day involves a morning coffee on a quiet beach walk, a reliable coworking desk, a good lunch under shade, and being in bed by midnight, Sanur delivers that reliably and affordably.

It works especially well for solo nomads settling in for one to three months, couples or families who need calm surroundings and safe streets, and anyone doing client work that demands consistent internet and focused hours. The long-term expat community means you will find functional daily infrastructure: clinics, pharmacies, good supermarkets, and laundry services all within walking distance.

Skip Sanur if you need a large nomad network with constant events and meetups, if surfing is a core part of your routine, or if you want the energy of Canggu's startup culture. It also is not the right base if you plan to explore Bali widely every day: the lack of a central scooter is inconvenient, and Grab is not always available at the exact moment you need it.