What does $500,000 to $1 million buy in Bali?
A new three- or four-bedroom villa in Pererenan or on the Bukit, or a prime existing villa with a long term. At this level the structure, the exit and the licence matter more than the finish.
What does USD 500,000 to 1 million buy in Bali? Most of the island. (Working with less? See USD 250,000 to 500,000.) A new three- or four-bedroom villa in Pererenan or on the Bukit, a clifftop plot, or a prime existing villa with a long remaining term. At this level, the money is rarely the constraint. The structure, the licence and the exit are.
What the budget buys
A new three- or four-bedroom villa in a strong area. A worked example in Pererenan:
| Item | Range |
|---|---|
| Land, 4 are (400 m²) at USD 55,000 to 75,000 per are, for the term | USD 220,000 to 300,000 |
| Three-bedroom villa, about 250 m² at USD 500 to 700 per m² | USD 125,000 to 175,000 |
| Pool, standard to premium | USD 15,000 to 50,000 |
| Fit-out and furniture | USD 25,000 to 50,000 |
| Architect, permits, site works and a 10 to 15 percent contingency | USD 30,000 to 50,000 |
| Total, roughly | USD 415,000 to 625,000 |
Plus around 7 percent in transaction costs on the land. See land prices by area and the real cost to build.
Berawa or Uluwatu clifftop. Berawa land runs around USD 82,500 per are, the Uluwatu clifftop USD 40,000 to 60,000. Four are in Berawa is about USD 330,000 before a single wall goes up. Clifftop plots carry the highest nightly rates on the island and the strictest setbacks.
An existing prime villa. At this level you can buy finished, operating villas with long terms and an income history. Ask for audited occupancy, not a projection.
What changes at this level
The exit gets slower. Above USD 750,000, twelve to twenty-four months to sell is normal, and on a lease the term keeps running down while you wait. Plan the exit before the entry. See exit strategy.
The cost of the term is bigger in dollars. On USD 600,000 with 30 years, the lease costs about USD 20,000 a year in lost value. A priced, unconditional extension clause binding on heirs is worth paying for.
Structure matters more. Leasehold, Hak Pakai with residency, or a company holding HGB. Since 22 July 2026, villa and homestay classifications are closed to new foreign-owned companies in Bali, so a new rental operation must be structured carefully. See the July 2026 closure.
Currency moves are larger. Moving USD 600,000 through a bank at a 2 percent spread costs USD 12,000. Plan the transfer route in advance.
Free PDF
The Bali Rental Income Guide
What a Bali villa really earns: the licences you need to rent it out, the tax on rental income, management fees, occupancy, and the yield that is left at the end.
- Licences you need to rent legally
- Tax on rental income, explained
- Management fees and occupancy
- Net yield, not the brochure number
It's yours.
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Does it get you a visa?
Only at the top of the range, and rarely in practice. The Second Home Visa can be based on qualifying property of around USD 1,000,000, but almost everyone uses the deposit route of around USD 130,000 instead. Buying a villa is not an investor visa basis. See does buying property give you a visa.
What it can earn
Prime, well-run villas reach 70 to 85 percent occupancy and 8 to 13 percent net. Generic stock in saturated streets does much worse, because supply grew fast and a mediocre villa no longer fills itself on location alone. At this budget, management, pricing, photography and reviews decide the return more than the building does.
What to check
- Remaining term and extension terms, in the deed itself.
- Zoning, coefficients and setbacks for the exact plot.
- PBG and SLF issued, not pending.
- The licence position and whether it transfers.
- Audited income, not projections.
- No nominee anywhere in the chain.
- Full due diligence, USD 5,000 to 8,000 including survey and contract review. Cheap at this level.
Common questions
What can you get for $500,000 in Bali?
A new three-bedroom villa with pool on land in Pererenan, the Bukit or similar strong areas, built to a good standard, or a quality existing villa with a long lease. In Berawa the land alone takes a large share of the budget.
What does a $1 million villa in Bali look like?
A prime existing villa or a new four-bedroom build on a clifftop or in the most established areas, with a long remaining term. At this level, the structure and the exit matter more than the finish.
Does buying a $1 million villa give you residency in Indonesia?
The Second Home Visa can be based on qualifying property of around USD 1,000,000, but the deposit route of around USD 130,000 is far more common. Buying a villa is not a basis for an investor visa. Check current requirements before you rely on either.
How long does it take to sell an expensive villa in Bali?
Above USD 750,000, twelve to twenty-four months is normal. On a leasehold the remaining term keeps shrinking while it is on the market, which is why the exit should be planned before you buy.
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Kai, Strategic Investment Adviser