1 Year in Bali: Pros & Cons, the Realities of Life in Bali as a Foreigner

It's been a year living in Bali, here's our take on navigating the traffic, where & how to set up home, internet connectivity, visa, costs of living (& the realities of being a foreigner abroad), medical & dental, the people here (& meeting new ones!) plus day to day activities.

📹 Videography & Editing ► Vitaly Voronkov & Jean Voronkova

Thanks for watching!

Follow Me 😘

📹 EQUIPMENT I USE 📷

Editing Program: Final Cut Pro X

**Disclaimer: This video is not sponsored. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Some of the links provided above are affiliate links meaning I do make a small commission when you purchase using the link. This does not cost you extra. You can also purchase from the brand’s websites so don’t feel obliged to use my link if you don’t want to. I appreciate your support!

Thanks for joining this community!

#bali2022 #earlyretirement #lifeinbali

[PapaBrianMatthewRaven]

Been in Indonesia for five years now. We fly from Sumba to Bali, often. Two homes if you will. I'm an Australian. I'm living the life... will never relocate back to Australia. Everything in this video is authentically true. Our cost of living is crazy cheap. Laid back yet exciting. You could never be bored living in Indonesia🇮🇩. Go ahead and bungy jump 🥳🏝🐟🇲🇨

[crystaltharrell]

I lived in Bali last year and I was the happiest and most free I had ever been in life for those 6 months. I moved back to the US to finish school but I miss Bali every day 😞 I am glad that I have the chance to finish school but I truly had everything I needed in Bali. It felt like home

[riskibagus]

honestly we are Indonesian feels grateful that many of tourism come to Bali even the situation still not good yet. Because as you know most of Balinese People work in the tourism sector. Industrial sector still not yet develop in this island. Thank you for come to Indonesia especially Bali island.

[ellacroney]

I now want to share something special about the people in Bali. They really live a kind brotherhood, sisterhood, life. They are so welcoming and so gracious I felt the spirit of love around me all the time. When I left I held onto that simple attitude of gratitude and I will forever be grateful for experiencing this from the native peoples. I pray that the influx of foreigners will honor and not tarnish the peaceful Bali culture.

[makasii]

as a Bali lover (the non touristic part of it), I can only highly compliment your work!!! the video is amazing, super professional, very well explained, fantastic content. And thank you for presenting it so down to earth, simple, respectful and friendly - I would just add regarding friendship, that getting balinese friends will make it a lot more enjoyable that staying only between expats (as most bule do, sadly). Balinese are amazingly friendly and helpful. Matur Suksema!!!

[stephenmaher]

The way you’re able to present important information with your calm/comforting voice and all the beautiful scenery in your videos is really a special quality!(second to none)😊

[anshumanjha]

Bali is a place i keep dreaming about, I dont know why but I really really love the vibe of the island, the people, the culture and the amazing way they practice their Balinese Hinduism which is a treat for the soul.I dream about settling down there, open up a clinic and watch my kids grow up in serenity.

[luckydog]

For foreigners Bali is indeed heaven, there are many choices to live there. You can decide how you want to live based on the budget you have.Everyone is comfortable living in Bali compared to their own country, not stressed & not depressed.

[eric_beatrix]

As an Indonesians, who also has been lived 7 year at Bali. I would like to say, thank you for bring a positive vibe and I think you should try to visit North Bali region, there are a lot attractions that have difference architecture than the south region.

[deanpapadopoulos]

Such useful information, well-organized, and delivered very well. The editing has improved exponentially. I like that you’ve moved to a natural speed of spoken expression and that your style is conversational. The amount of development in many areas is amazing and a testament that whatever we do often and with intention improves. Thank you!!!! Thank you for organizing my impressions in Bali. I’m often taken away when I’m there, as it’s a natural and spiritual home for me and to apply cognition to those experiences like organizing and categorizing those experiences is anathema to the energy that those impressions have left on me. I think you have the best channel on Bali.

[tanzilgrace]

@jean voronkova I am Indonesia but living abroad. The herbal drink you drank is called Jamu. They have many variants from varieties of spices. The one that you drank in cup called Beras Kencur. It is made of rice and kaempferia galangal. Usually they will put some ginger, salt, sugar, pandan leaves to make it aromatic dan taste fresh. Jamu is very good for your health and most Indonesian drank it adult and children. They have many benefits for health, beauty, increase appetite, cleansing, etc. Your video is super great. Make me miss my country ❤️

[henryy]

Thank you for promoting Bali with one of the most pleasant way and explaining many things like basic expense, mannerism, how to go there and even to the simplest thing like petrol price! haha thats something you wouldn't find in other vlog, appreciate it so much..
Much love from us Indonesians🙏

[fansmilitan]

Hi Jean, let me tell you a secret if you want to stay in Bali a little more, learn Indonesian and Balinese, the locals will really appreciate you if you use their language, and they will give you prices which are usually cheaper than tourists others (if you shop at traditional markets) 😁

[torianjallen]

This is really helpful. My wife and I have been wanting to give Bali a try. Personally, I’ve been really curious about the Indonesian culture and its people.

[lizfuller]

Just spent three weeks in Bali in June. Absolutely loved it. The people are so charming and really friendly. Accept it is in their interest to be nice to tourists but it is more than that. They are just lovely and helpful.

[rinciel]

I am a Balinese local currently living abroad and missing Bali each day. For some reason the algorithm shows me this video XD everything you showed me makes me miss home even more!
One thing though; the choice between a scooter and a car is a no-brainer; nothing beats motorbikes in Bali. If you need a car for a group travel or during the rain, grab and gocar (gojek) are definitely a great choice than flat out owning a car. I understand families with children often prefer cars but if you're solo or a couple, the scooter literally beats everything.

Lovely work on the video <3

[painter]

One of my favorite videos of yours. Thank you. I’ve been looking for a reasonable survey video on Bali for a long time. You filled the need nicely here.

[rizalukman]

I have been to Bali many Times.When I was in Junior High School, I once visited my relatives who lives there and stayed at his parent's home.We use scooter and travel around Bali in 5 days.Uluwatu, Tanah Lot, Kuta, Sanglah Monkey Forest, Sanur and other Place.It was unforgattable experience of my life

[linagreat]

Thank you for you genuine sharing about our country, wish your channel more successful with millions subs in the future..

[lkd]

Basically, the whole of Bali has become a built-up area in one permanent traffic snarl. All tourist publications, this one included, show scenes of natural beauty and calm. The reality is that, if you're not in your room, you're likely to be in heavy traffic for hours to get to the nice spots which are also crowded. The roads are mostly far too narrow for their motor and foot traffic. For that volume of traffic, an Aussie road would be six times bigger, plus have foot-paths, kerb and guttering, and a big set-back for any buildings, making it much more spacious, orderly and safe. Plus the traffic obey the road rules, which doesn't really exist here.

In this video she shows virtually no traffic, and the fewest people, except when she's showing traffic deliberately to gush about how good it is. The $7-a-night thing has always got some kind of unamenable catch, like it'll be noisy, cramped, smelly, or some other third-world kind of drawback.

Plus the Indos, left to their own devices, revert to type and seem to specialise in the broken, the crumby, the jerry-built, the slovenly, the seen-better-days, the shithouse.

Like today, I opened the curtain, and the whole thing including rod and brackets came away in my hand. When I asked the staff to fix it, they simply poked the screw back into the hole, i.e. not caring that exactly the same thing is going to happen next time. That's Indonesia all over. They don't care that what they're doing doesn't work or make sense. This is one of the biggest cultural differences with the West.

Most accommodation doesn't have a kitchen, which means you've got to walk or drive in the traffic to eat out at their eateries, which is basically rice and noodles. To get decent food with protein costs a lot more.

If they do say they have a kitchen, it will be like a sink and a gas stove with no utensils or fridge. That's what they will call a "complete" kitchen. They just bullshit about everything in a way that westerners do not.

I would say a minimum for a decent place, clean, quiet, near the beach, with a functioning kitchen, with aircon, is about $1, 000 a month min. So say $30 a night, and that's before food is factored in.

Before I came to Indo, I believed Dave who said that it costs him "$500 or $600" a month to live here. That was just complete bullshit. People love to do this it seems.

To live a modest life in a tiny house, eat mostly at home, keep a car, and be charitable, costs about $2500 a month.

But then again, for a one or two week visit and change, then yeah, sure, one can have a fine time doing as she says.

Comments ....?