overview
If you've ever wanted to become a multimillionaire, Bali is your place. Literally, everyone is a millionaire here. Prepare a big wallet if you want to carry more cash; the European ones may not be built for it. However, as you'll learn in this Guide, there's almost no need for big wallets and a lot of cash. Getting familiar with money before you arrive in Bali is very useful. You won't be surprised by their value or design, and there's much less chance of falling for any scammers in the exchange offices, which we recommend avoiding.
This Guide is divided into the following sections:
Banknotes & Coins
Indonesian Rupiah banknotes in circulation are in denominations of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, and 100,000 and come in several issuance options. They differ not only in size but also in color and design. The 2016 issue is currently the most represented, followed by the older issues from 2005 to 2011 (the designs in this interval are more or less the same), and then there is the upcoming 2022 graphic design.
2022 Emission
It is the upcoming issue with the new look of the banknotes with the light stripe on the left. This issue has significantly greater variation in the width of the notes for each denomination. The 1,000 value note is the widest, and up to 100,000 value, the notes become progressively narrower. The notes are about 1 cm shorter compared to the previous ones.
100 000 banknote 2022 emission
50 000 banknote 2022 emission
20 000 banknote 2022 emission
10 000 banknote 2022 emission
5 000 banknote 2022 emission
2 000 banknote 2022 emission
1 000 banknote 2022 emission
2016 Emission
Currently, it is the most common issue in circulation. The difference in the width of the banknotes is not so noticeable; dimensionally, they are almost identical to the previous issue.
100 000 banknote 2016 emission
50 000 banknote 2016 emission
20 000 banknote 2016 emission
10 000 banknote 2016 emission
5 000 banknote 2016 emission
2 000 banknote 2016 emission
1 000 banknote 2016 emission
2005 - 2011 Emissions
Older banknotes are slowly disappearing from circulation. They are often in poor condition and have faded colors compared to newer issues.
100 000 banknote 2014 emission
50 000 banknote 2011 emission
20 000 banknote 2011 emission
10 000 banknote 2010 emission
5 000 banknote 2015 emission
2 000 banknote 2009 emission
Size Comparison
The photo of the 2,000 rupee note from all three emissions gives you an idea of the difference in size between the notes. The 2022 issue is much shorter; the notes' widths are identical.
2 000 banknotes size comparison
There are also other banknotes in the denomination of IDR 75,000 from 2020, which were issued to mark the 75th anniversary of Indonesia's independence. Still, these are mostly collector's notes and will not be seen in regular circulation.
75 000 banknote 2020 emision
Coins
The coins in circulation are in denominations of 100, 200, 500 and 1000.
There are coins with a value of IDR 50, but you will no longer see these in practice. Similarly, there are various annual collector coins with denominations ranging from 10,000 value to 850,000 value, but these are also not found in regular circulation.
1000 coin
1000 coin older emission
500 coin
200 coin
100 coin
Exchange Rate
The Indonesian rupiah (IDR) exchange rate has been around IDR 15,000 per USD 1.0 for a long time. Over the last five years, it has fluctuated between IDR 13,800 and IDR 15,700. The current exchange rate can be found in the table below.
💡 Tip: For a quick approximate conversion to USD, you can use the following procedure: subtract four zeros from the rupee amount and 30% of the remaining value.
Example: Price IDR 1,500,000, subtract four zeros = 150, subtract 30% = 100. The resulting value in USD of IDR 1,500,000 is 100.
Current price of 100K IDR
Currency converter
Cash Import Limits
The Indonesian central bank prohibits individuals from bringing cash in foreign currencies into Indonesia over the equivalent of 1 billion rupiahs, or about USD 68,000. Indonesian customs authorities can seize the excess amount if someone brings in more cash.
⚠️ Warning: Cash imports exceeding IDR 100,000,000 (USD 6,185) must be declared at customs clearance and reported on the immigration form to be filled out upon entry into Indonesia.
Debit & Credit Cards
Payment cards are commonly accepted in supermarkets, larger shops, hotels, and restaurants near tourist attractions.
Visa and MasterCard are the most frequently used cards. American Express is more marginally accepted. Card payment fees are still a reality; retailers charge between 1 % and 3 %; in the case of Amex, the upper limit is usually 3.5 %. Fortunately, many shops and restaurants have recently removed the card payment fee.
The contact payment method prevails, where the person takes the card, inserts it into the terminal, and asks you to enter a PIN. Contactless card payments are also accepted, so you can pay with your phone or watch in Bali, but it is a rare practice.
Payment terminals in Bali store
On the other hand, you can't pay by card at local small shops, food and goods stalls, and markets, and for services such as parking, guides, etc. You can also not use the card in remote parts of the island, restaurants, or mountain accommodations. Bali is not a "cashless" location; carrying at least one million rupiahs (approx. USD 70) in cash is always wise.
Bali ATMs
There are ATMs in every village in Bali. Practically from one to another, it will not take you more than 5 minutes on a scooter. The distances may be longer in the mountains, but you will come across ATMs even there.
We'll give you two valuable tips:
💡 Tip 1: If the ATM "swallows" your card or you accidentally lose it, make sure you get a second one for the account you plan to withdraw from before you leave for Bali from your home country.
💡 Tip 2: Set up a second account with your bank, including a debit card (ideally two), where you always send money via online banking just before withdrawing cash.
Locations
ATMs are located directly in bank branches, supermarkets, or grocery stores. There are also stand-alone ATMs, usually in small air-conditioned buildings with glass doors. These booths are often located near shops, petrol stations, ports, markets, or other places with more inhabitants.
ATM outside of the Bank branch
Group of stand-alone ATM booths
Stand-alone ATM booth
ATMs right next to the grocery store
⚠️ Warning: Avoid ATMs in remote locations with apparently low usage. In the past, ATMs like this have been the target of skimming, where fraudsters have drained funds from your account after scanning your card. Nowadays, these cases are not so common, but unfortunately, they cannot be eliminated.
💡 Tip: The safest ATMs are those in bank buildings. There is virtually no risk of fraud. Alternatively, choose very busy ATMs, where locals also withdraw.
Withdrawal Limit
ATMs vary in the maximum amount of rupees you can withdraw per withdrawal. The most common maximum withdrawal is IDR 2,500,000. Some ATMs can dispense 3,000,000 or up to 3,500,000, but these are rare. Here it depends on the particular bank to which the ATM belongs or the ATM provider if it is not the bank itself.
💡 Tip: Always withdraw the maximum amount (ideally 2.5 million IDR) to spread the cost of each ATM withdrawal.
ATMs also differ according to the banknotes they dispense. Either they are with a value of 100,000 or 50,000 banknotes. ATMs with 50,000 notes usually have a single withdrawal limit of IDR 1,250,000.
ATM with sticker 100.000,- shows which banknotes it has
You can withdraw from one ATM more than once in a row. Here, it depends on the amount of cash in it or the limits of your card at your bank.
ATMs often have a technical problem and do not dispense money after you enter your PIN. You usually have to try again, sometimes more than once. Just afterward, we recommend checking with your bank that the unissued money has yet to be deducted from your account. Alternatively, look for another ATM from a different provider.
Fees
ATM withdrawal fees are set not only by your bank but also by the bank operating the ATM. If you withdraw from an account with your local currency, your bank determines the conversion rate + the fee for the withdrawal itself. The ATM's operating bank may charge an additional withdrawal fee. When you withdraw, you are always informed of this fee on the display and must confirm it. If you do not agree to the fee, you can cancel the transaction free of charge. We recommend that you withdraw from ATMs where you do not pay an additional withdrawal fee from the ATM operator.
If you're traveling to Bali for an extended period and plan to make more ATM withdrawals (which we recommend), check with your bank how much they charge for ATM cash withdrawals abroad (or in Indonesia). For example, some banks charge a standard fee per withdrawal. Still, they also offer a service that costs a certain amount to withdraw abroad, which usually pays off already during the second monthly withdrawal.
⚠️ Warning: Most ATMs in Bali dispense cash first and then a credit card. In Europe, it is usually the other way around. So people in Bali often leave and forget their card at the ATM after withdrawing money.
Exchange Offices
You will find currency exchange offices in Bali quite often. They are less common than ATMs, but in areas where there are tourists, you can find quite many of them. If you plan to use the services of a currency exchange, choose only those with a zero exchange fee, i.e., a "0 % commission fee". Exchange offices always have the current exchange rate prominently displayed inside or outside on a sign, and they usually have a sufficient supply of Indonesian rupiah.
However, if you plan to exchange rupiah for dollars/euros or other currency in larger quantities, for example, they may not have enough, and you may have to make an appointment for the next day or find another exchange office.
⚠️ Warning: As you take the money from the cashier, count it slowly and ensure it matches the rate the merchant promised you. Once you leave the exchange, no one will deal with your complaint.
Stand-alone ATM booth
Example of currency exchange office we would not trust
💡 Tip: We recommend not using currency exchange services unless necessary. You have to carry extra money with you unnecessarily physically. There's another entity involved in the exchange process (risk of miscalculation, fraud, etc.) that doesn't do it for free, and usually, you'll pay an exchange fee or a higher rate than the bank would give you when you withdraw from an ATM.
💡 Tip: If a money changer scams you, there is nothing you can do about it, and you can't get justice in practice. Suppose someone misuses your card at an ATM. In that case, you can immediately complain to your bank, which will refund your money (in our own experience, Czech bank Česká spořitelna returned the stolen funds, about CZK 30,000 (approx USD 1,400), after scanning the credit card within 24 hours of the report).
Our Approach
How do we approach money and payments in Bali daily, and what are our reasons for doing so? We have lived in Bali for several years, and the following has worked well for us:
We use accounts with Czech banks; we don't have a local account with an Indonesian bank and have never needed one. We have two accounts in the same bank. One is where we keep most of our money, and the other is where we transfer money before we withdraw from the ATM, or we keep about 10 000 CZK (approx. USD 470) there. We have debit cards for both accounts (and a spare one for each of them). When we need cash, we withdraw from ATMs that don't have additional withdrawal fees (Mandiri, BNI, etc.)
We only pay cash where there is no other option, such as laundry, fruit stalls, small restaurants, deliveries of some food and coconuts, petrol, etc. These are, therefore, small transactions up to IDR 200,000 (USD 14).
We pay with a card or contactless with Google Pay wherever possible, for example, in supermarkets, restaurants, food deliveries via GoJek, etc.
More significant expenses, such as quarterly or yearly house rent payments, are transferred from our bank to an Indonesian bank; fees are about USD 7/transaction (Revolut Bank). This is more efficient than withdrawing several times from an ATM and paying fees for individual withdrawals.
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