Cost of Living in Bali (Canggu)

Accommodation in Canggu ranges from ultra-budget shared rooms to luxury villas, with the 1BR villa with private pool being the classic nomad choice at $750–1,125/month on a direct lease. The most affordable central option is a private room in a shared villa or co-living at $250–500/month. Studios and 1BR apartments run $500–900/month. Prices have risen ~18% year-over-year in 2025–2026.

Canggu has perhaps the most extreme price split in Southeast Asia. A nasi goreng at a local warung costs $1.25–2.00, while an acai bowl at a trendy cafe runs $3.75–6.25 — a 3–4x markup for the Instagram brunch experience. The key to eating affordably is embracing warungs: nasi campur plates for $1–2, mie goreng for $1.25, and full meals with iced tea for under $3.

Grocery shopping in Canggu splits between cheap local options and expensive Western imports. Indomaret and Alfamart minmarts cover staples cheaply: rice $4/5kg, eggs $1.38/10, milk $1.31/liter, bread $0.94. The expat-oriented Pepito supermarket stocks imported products but at steep markups — chicken at $4.30/kg is reasonable, but imported cheese hits $18/kg and bell peppers cost $9.70/kg.

Canggu has no public transit — this is critical to understand. A scooter rental is essentially mandatory at $94–125/month (Honda Vario 125cc) plus $6–9/month for fuel. You need an International Driving Permit with motorcycle endorsement — police checkpoints are common with fines of $19–31 per missing document, and most travel insurance will deny scooter accident claims without proper licensing.

Internet quality in Canggu is the best in Bali, driven by demand from the nomad community. Coworking spaces like Outpost ($15/day, $195/month) offer 50–150 Mbps fiber with backup generators. Budget options include ZIN Cafe (completely free coworking, open till 10pm) and Genesis Creative Centre ($10/day). Villa WiFi ranges from 10–25 Mbps (basic) to 50–150 Mbps (fiber).

Healthcare in Bali is affordable but quality varies widely. BIMC Hospital (Kuta, 25 min from Canggu) is the gold standard for foreigners — GP visits from $40–45, 24/7 emergency, English-speaking staff, direct insurance billing. Local Canggu clinics offer GP visits for $13–15. Public hospitals like Sanglah in Denpasar are 50–70% cheaper but with longer waits and limited English.

Canggu is generally safe — the main risks are scooter accidents and petty theft, not violent crime. Always wear a helmet, get your IDP before traveling, and never ride drunk. Phone snatching while on a scooter is common — avoid bags on your shoulder while riding.