In This Article
Bali has a reputation as an expensive destination — and if you stay at a luxury villa resort in Seminyak and eat at western restaurants, it can be. But Bali is also one of the world's great budget travel destinations. I spent 10 nights there in October 2025 for less than £750 all-in including flights from London, and I stayed in private rooms, ate well every single day and did almost everything on my Bali bucket list.
This guide breaks down every cost honestly — no vague estimates, just real numbers from a real trip — and explains exactly how to replicate it.
✅ Yes, under £800 for 10 nights in Bali is achievable. Including return flights from London. Here's exactly how.
The Real Cost: Is Under £800 Possible?
The short answer: yes, comfortably, if you do three things right — book flights in advance, stay in guesthouses rather than hotels, and eat at local warungs (traditional Balinese eateries) rather than western restaurants.
Here's the high-level budget for 10 nights:
| Category | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Return flights (London → Bali) | £380–£480 | Via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, booked 3 months ahead |
| 10 nights accommodation | £100–£180 | Mix of Ubud and Canggu private rooms |
| Food & drink (10 days) | £80–£120 | £8–£12/day — genuinely achievable in Bali |
| Transport | £40–£60 | Scooter hire, Grab, airport transfers |
| Activities | £50–£80 | Rice terraces, temples, surf lesson, waterfall |
| Travel insurance | £30–£45 | Non-negotiable |
| TOTAL | £680–£965 | Comfortably under £800 with planning |
Flights from the UK to Bali
This is the biggest variable and where smart booking makes the most difference. Direct flights from the UK to Bali don't exist — you'll fly via a hub. The main options:
- Singapore Airlines via Singapore (SIN): Often the best combination of price and quality. Layover in Changi Airport — one of the world's best. Total journey: 16–18 hours. Look for prices from £380–£550 return booked 2–4 months ahead.
- Malaysia Airlines or AirAsia via Kuala Lumpur: Often the cheapest option, from £320–£430. AirAsia is a no-frills low-cost carrier on the KL–Bali leg — fine for a short hop.
- Emirates via Dubai: Comfortable, often good value, and Dubai is an excellent connection point. From £420–£600.
- Qatar Airways via Doha: Excellent quality, often competitive pricing. From £400–£550.
✈️ Best booking window: For Bali flights, 8–14 weeks ahead gives the best combination of availability and price. Set Google Flights price alerts on your target route and be prepared to book quickly when the price drops — good fares don't last long.
With most routes running 16–18 hours door to door, a quality travel neck pillow makes a genuine difference to how you arrive.
Recommended 10-Night Itinerary
- Nights 1–4: Ubud — the spiritual and cultural heart of Bali. Rice terraces (Tegallalang), Monkey Forest, Tirta Empul water temple, cooking classes, yoga. Cool, lush and peaceful.
- Nights 5–6: Uluwatu or Nusa Penida — Uluwatu's clifftop temples and surf beaches, or a day trip to Nusa Penida's extraordinary scenery (Kelingking Beach, Angel's Billabong). Seriously dramatic landscapes.
- Nights 7–10: Canggu — Bali's most traveller-friendly neighbourhood. Great surf beach (Echo Beach), excellent cafés and warung restaurants, co-working spaces, and a relaxed creative vibe. The best base for meeting other travellers.
Accommodation Costs in Bali by Area
Ubud
The best-value accommodation in Bali. Beautiful rice-terrace guesthouses with pools for under £20/night exist throughout Ubud. Book via Booking.com and filter by "Free cancellation" — you can always upgrade once you arrive if something better appears.
Canggu
Slightly more expensive than Ubud but still very affordable. Many hostels have pools, communal kitchens and strong social scenes. Dojo, Tribal Ubud and Nanu hostels are consistently well-reviewed.
Seminyak/Kuta
The most commercial area — more expensive and less characterful. Not recommended for budget travellers who want to experience the real Bali.
Nusa Penida
Basic guesthouses that are improving rapidly. Stay 2 nights to see the island properly without rushing. Worth it for the extraordinary scenery.
Food & Drink Costs in Bali
Food is where Bali's budget credentials really shine. Local warungs serve genuinely excellent Balinese food — nasi goreng, mie goreng, satay, gado-gado — for £1–£2.50 per meal. Here's what you can expect to pay:
| Food/Drink | Warung (local) | Western café |
|---|---|---|
| Main meal | £1–£2.50 | £5–£12 |
| Fresh juice | £0.80–£1.50 | £3–£5 |
| Bintang beer | £1–£1.80 | £2.50–£4 |
| Coffee (kopi) | £0.50–£1 | £2.50–£4.50 |
| Full breakfast (nasi lemak/toast/eggs) | £1.20–£2 | £4–£8 |
If you eat at warungs for all main meals (which you should — the food is delicious), you'll spend £6–£9/day on food including drinks. Allow £12–£15/day if you want a café breakfast and one western meal per day.
Getting Around Bali
- Scooter hire: 80,000–100,000 IDR/day (£4–£5). The way most travellers get around Bali. Learn to ride before you go (or in Canggu where there are quiet practice areas). Wear a helmet — Bali's roads require constant attention.
- Grab (like Uber): Ubiquitous and cheap in southern Bali (Seminyak, Kuta, Canggu, Denpasar). A 20-minute journey costs £1–£3. Note: Grab is banned in Ubud — use a local ojek (motorcycle taxi) or pre-book transport through your accommodation.
- Tourist shuttle buses: Perama and similar operators run fixed-route air-con minibuses between Ubud, Canggu, Amed, Lovina and the Gili Islands. Cost £3–£8 per journey. Book through your accommodation.
- Airport transfer: Official metered taxis from Ngurah Rai airport cost around £7–£12 to Kuta/Seminyak. Pre-book a private transfer online for Ubud (£15–£25) — much cheaper than airport taxi ranks for longer journeys.
Activities & Experiences — and What They Cost
Tegallalang Rice Terraces, Ubud
FREE (donation)Small entrance donation (~£0.50). One of Bali's most iconic views. Go at 7–8am before tour groups arrive.
Tanah Lot Temple at Sunset
~£3 entryBali's most photographed temple, on a rock island at sea. Worth the tourist crowds for the sunset.
Tirta Empul Holy Spring Temple
~£2 entryActive Hindu water temple where locals and tourists alike bathe in spring-fed pools. Genuinely moving.
Surf lesson in Canggu or Kuta
£12–£18 (2hr lesson)Most beginner surfers are up on a board within 2–3 hours. The most enjoyable first lesson of your life.
Waterfall visit (Gitgit or Sekumpul)
£5–£15 incl. guideHidden rainforest waterfalls accessible via rice fields. Sekumpul requires a guide and 45-min hike — worth every step.
Cooking class in Ubud
£18–£28Market visit + learn 5 Balinese dishes + lunch. One of Bali's finest experiences and the best way to understand the culture.
Mount Batur sunrise hike
£20–£35 (guide required)Pre-dawn start, 2-hour climb, breakfast at the crater rim watching sunrise over the volcanic caldera. Extraordinary.
Nusa Penida day trip
£15–£25 (speedboat + local guide)Kelingking Beach, Angel's Billabong and Broken Beach — three of Bali's most dramatic landscapes in one day. Worth the early start.
My Complete 10-Night Budget (October 2025)
Note: I splurged slightly on the flight. With an AirAsia/Malaysia Airlines flight (£320–£380), the total would have been under £730.
10 Ways to Cut Your Bali Costs
- Book your flights 8–12 weeks ahead and use Google Flights price alerts
- Fly via Kuala Lumpur with AirAsia — cheapest option from UK
- Stay in Ubud or Canggu — both have better value and more character than Seminyak or Kuta
- Hire a scooter — it's 80% cheaper than Grab for getting around and gives you freedom
- Eat at warungs for every meal — local Indonesian food is delicious and costs £1–£2.50
- Get a local SIM at the airport — avoid roaming charges (Telkomsel, £4 for 10GB). Also sort a universal travel adapter before you go: Indonesia uses Type C and F sockets, not UK Type G
- Visit temples in the late afternoon (not mid-morning when tour groups arrive)
- Book your surf lesson directly with an instructor on the beach, not through a hotel (saves 30%)
- Travel May–early June or September–October — lower prices, fewer crowds, still excellent weather
- Use ATMs that don't charge fees — Permata and CIMB banks in Bali have no withdrawal fee for foreign cards. Avoid BCA and Mandiri which charge £3–£5 per withdrawal.
🌴 Our Verdict
Bali in 2026 remains one of the world's great budget travel destinations. For under £800 including flights you get 10 nights in a genuinely extraordinary place — rice terraces, ancient temples, world-class surf, jungle waterfalls, and a food culture that puts most European destinations to shame. The investment in getting there is repaid tenfold by the experience.