Money and payments in Bali: rupiah, ATMs, QRIS and restaurant bills

The currency is the Indonesian rupiah (IDR). Under Bank Indonesia’s regulation on the use of the rupiah, domestic prices must be displayed in rupiah, and a business cannot refuse genuine rupiah for a sum denominated in rupiah. Euros and dollars are not the norm.

Amounts have many zeros, which causes mistakes: IDR 150,000 is a common amount, and one zero too many changes everything. Make a habit of rereading the amount before paying or confirming a code.

• Keep small notes for warungs, car parks and offerings.
• Avoid paying in euros or dollars: the rate applied is rarely favourable.
• To convert, use an up-to-date currency app rather than a figure learned by heart.

A foreign card is useful for hotels, supermarkets and online bookings, but less so for warungs and small markets. It may incur foreign transaction fees, exchange fees and withdrawal fees, depending on your bank. Always keep cash as a complement.

• Hotels, supermarkets, big chains: a card is generally accepted.
• Warungs, markets, small drivers: bring cash.
• Have a second card, kept in a different place, in case of loss or blocking.
• Tell your bank about your trip if it asks, to avoid a block.

To estimate what you will really spend per day and per item, the Bali travel budget guide compares three travel profiles.

The regional restaurant tax is capped at 10%, and many establishments add a service charge of 5 to 10% on top. The bill is then 15 to 22% higher than the displayed prices. A menu marked “++” signals that these charges are added. It is not a scam, but you should plan for it.

• Read the menu: “++” or “plus plus” means tax and service are extra.
• Work out a dish’s real price before comparing two places.
• Service often replaces the tip, but you can leave a small extra if you wish.
• Ask for the itemised bill if an amount surprises you.

For places and dishes to try, see Balinese cuisine. We give no “usual” tip amount: no reliable record exists.

In practice, a dish listed at a round price in rupiah will appear on the bill with the tax and the service charge added line by line. Check that the two lines match what the menu announced. If the menu shows no “++” and no note about taxes, ask before ordering whether the prices include them: the question is normal and nobody will take offence.

The same reasoning applies when comparing places. A simple warung without “++” and a restaurant with “++” are not compared on their displayed prices alone, but on the total you will really pay, once the 15 to 22% have been added where they apply.

The simplest approach is to combine three means of payment: a card for hotels and bookings, cash in rupiah withdrawn at a branch for daily life, and a backup card kept separately. This combination avoids needless fees and protects you from a blocked card or a broken machine.

1. 01Before departure: check your bank’s foreign withdrawal and payment fees, and your card limit.
2. 02On arrival: withdraw a first sum at a branch ATM, and keep the receipt.
3. 03During the stay: withdraw what you need for a few days in one go, to limit fixed fees.
4. 04Before leaving: spend your last cash rather than reconverting it, as every conversion has a cost.

Separate your means of payment: one card and a little cash in the day bag, the rest in the accommodation’s safe. If you travel alone, the solo travel in Bali guide gives more habits of caution.

After each withdrawal, check the statement in your bank’s app while you are still in Bali. You will spot a double charge or an unexpected fee at once and can contact your bank during the trip, rather than hunting for it after you return. Finally, keep a record of your large expenses. A screenshot of the amount paid is enough to contest a billing error, whether at the hotel, the restaurant or online.