What is healthcare in Bali actually like?
Routine care is fine and affordable. Serious care is where people get financially destroyed, and the number is bigger than you think.
Routine healthcare in Bali is better than most people expect and cheap by Western standards. Serious healthcare is where the real financial exposure sits, and it is the thing almost nobody plans for properly.
The hospitals foreigners use
BIMC, in Nusa Dua and Kuta. International standard, priced accordingly. BIMC Nusa Dua was named Medical Tourism Hospital of the Year for Indonesia at the Healthcare Asia Awards 2025.
Siloam, several locations. The common choice for expat families who want good care without BIMC pricing.
Bali International Hospital, opened in 2024 inside the Sanur special economic zone. This is the most significant change to healthcare here in years. It was built specifically so that complex cases would not all have to fly to Singapore or Australia.
English is spoken at all three.
What things cost
| Typical cost | |
|---|---|
| Consultation | USD 40 to 100 |
| Emergency room visit | USD 150 to 300 |
| Standard room, per night | USD 300 to 500 |
| ICU, per night | USD 1,500 to 2,500 |
| Minor surgery | USD 500 to 2,000 |
Without insurance, a standard emergency case runs USD 5,000 to 25,000.
The number that actually matters
Medical evacuation to Singapore costs USD 55,000 to 100,000.
That is the figure that determines whether an accident is a bad week or a life-altering financial event. If local care cannot handle your case, that flight is the difference, and nobody has that sitting in a current account.
What your insurance actually needs
At least USD 100,000 to 250,000 of medical evacuation cover. Not general medical cover. Evacuation specifically, named in the policy.
Direct billing agreements with Bali hospitals. Without this you pay up front and claim it back later, and private hospitals here will ask for payment or a deposit before treating a serious case. Being right about your entitlement does not help you at 2am.
Scooter cover, with the licence condition checked. Many policies exclude motorbike accidents unless you hold the correct licence for the engine size. Given that the roads are the main risk here, an exclusion on that one line makes the policy close to worthless.
What to do before you move
1. Arrange international health insurance before you arrive, not after
2. Confirm evacuation cover in writing, with the limit
3. Confirm the insurer bills your chosen hospital directly
4. Check the scooter clause and the licence requirement inside it
5. If you are over a certain age, check the policy's age limits and how they change at renewal
The honest read
For everyday life, healthcare here is a non-issue and often better value than home.
For the one bad day, you are underinsured unless you deliberately arranged not to be. That is the whole calculation.
What the system looks like
| Provider | Position |
|---|---|
| BIMC (Nusa Dua, Kuta) | International standard, highest cost, used to foreign patients |
| Siloam | Good quality, lower cost, multiple locations |
| Bali International Hospital (Sanur) | Opened 2024 for complex cases previously requiring travel abroad |
| Public hospitals | Inexpensive, variable, language a barrier |
| Local clinics | Fine for minor issues, cheap and quick |
Costs without insurance
| Service | USD |
|---|---|
| Consultation | 40 to 100 |
| Emergency room visit | 150 to 300 |
| Standard room, per night | 300 to 500 |
| Intensive care, per night | 1,500 to 2,500 |
| Standard emergency case, total | 5,000 to 25,000 |
| Medical evacuation to Singapore | 55,000 to 100,000 |
Those last two lines are why insurance is not optional here.
What your policy must include
- Evacuation cover of at least USD 100,000 to 250,000, named explicitly, not implied
- Direct billing with local hospitals, so you are not paying up front and reclaiming
- Explicit cover for motorbike accidents, which many policies exclude entirely, and most of the rest exclude unless you hold the correct licence endorsement
- Adequate limits for children, which are sometimes lower than adult figures
- Clarity on pre-existing conditions, particularly for older applicants
The motorbike clause is the one that catches people. Scooter accidents are the leading cause of serious injury to foreigners in Bali, and they are the injury most policies are written to avoid covering.
What Bali does well
Routine and everyday medicine. Consultations are fast, cheap and English-speaking at the private hospitals. Dentistry, physiotherapy, diagnostics and minor procedures are good value, and many residents deliberately handle these here rather than at home.
What it does less well
Complex surgery, oncology, cardiac intervention and specialist paediatrics. Bali International Hospital was built to close that gap and has improved matters materially, but for the most complex cases Singapore remains the reference point.
The practical plan
Register with a hospital before you need one. Know which one you would go to at 2am, know how you would get there, and keep your policy details somewhere you or someone with you can find them quickly.
For anyone older, or with a family, hospital proximity should factor into where you choose to live. It is a large part of why Sanur suits retirees and families.
Common questions
Is healthcare in Bali good?
Routine care is good and affordable, with English spoken at the main private hospitals. Complex or critical care is more limited, which is why medical evacuation cover matters so much.
What does a hospital visit cost in Bali?
A consultation runs USD 40 to 100, an emergency room visit USD 150 to 300, a standard room USD 300 to 500 a night and intensive care USD 1,500 to 2,500 a night. Without insurance, a standard emergency case runs USD 5,000 to 25,000.
Which hospital should expats use in Bali?
BIMC in Nusa Dua and Kuta for international-standard care, Siloam for good care at lower cost, and Bali International Hospital in Sanur, which opened in 2024 specifically to handle complex cases that previously required flying abroad.
How much does medical evacuation from Bali cost?
USD 55,000 to 100,000 to Singapore. Your policy should carry at least USD 100,000 to 250,000 of evacuation cover, named explicitly.
Do you need health insurance in Bali?
Yes, and it should include evacuation cover, direct billing with local hospitals so you are not paying up front, and explicit cover for scooter accidents.
Common questions
Is healthcare in Bali good?
Routine care is good and affordable, with English spoken at the main private hospitals. Complex or critical care is more limited, which is why medical evacuation cover matters so much.
What does a hospital visit cost in Bali?
A consultation runs USD 40 to 100, an emergency room visit USD 150 to 300, a standard room USD 300 to 500 a night and intensive care USD 1,500 to 2,500 a night. Without insurance, a standard emergency case runs USD 5,000 to 25,000.
Which hospital should expats use in Bali?
BIMC in Nusa Dua and Kuta for international-standard care, Siloam for good care at lower cost, and Bali International Hospital in Sanur, which opened in 2024 specifically to handle complex cases that previously required flying abroad.
How much does medical evacuation from Bali cost?
USD 55,000 to 100,000 to Singapore. Your policy should carry at least USD 100,000 to 250,000 of evacuation cover, named explicitly.
Do you need health insurance in Bali?
Yes, and it should include evacuation cover, direct billing with local hospitals so you are not paying up front, and explicit cover for scooter accidents.
Got a specific situation?
Every deal in Bali has a detail that breaks the general rule. Send me the details and I'll tell you what I'd check first.
Kai, Bali property adviser