Bali, Indonesia, is one of the most popular tourist spots in the world, and could also be called the tourist capital of Southeast Asia. So, if you are a regular traveller, you are bound to find yourself on a Bali trip at some point, if not done already.
A province in Indonesia, Bali, includes the island of Bali and a few smaller offshore islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan to the southeast. The capital of Bali is Denpasar.
In this article, we’ve put together everything you need to know about the currency in Indonesia and all the important tips on how to get the best exchange deal in Bali.
What currency is used in Bali?
The currency used in Bali is the Indonesian Rupiah. The name Rupiah, or IDR, originates from an Indian word. It is derived from the classical Indian word for silver (rupyakam). Before Indonesia’s independence from the Dutch, the Rupiah was known as the Dutch Indies Rupiah.
Bali is the largest of 17,000+ islands that make up Indonesia and IDR is accepted in all of them.
Is Bali currency cheaper than India’s?
Yes, the value of Bali’s currency is lower than that of INR. The Indonesian Rupiah is among the top 10 weakest currencies in the world.
INR 1 = IDR 183.16.
Rupiah comes in notes of 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000 so don’t be surprised if you are charged 10K for a 5-minute taxi ride! In conversion to INR, the taxi ride only comes up to INR 54! To put it into context, IDR 100,000 is roughly worth INR 545 or USD 7, but the exchange rates are always changing so be sure to check the most up-to-date rates before you go.
What currency should I take to Bali from India?
One of the best conversion rates that you’ll get in Bali is of USD. You can always withdraw cash from an ATM, but we are not sure how good the exchange rate will be.
So, what we did was, we carried around IDR 2 million (INR 10,000), and the rest in USD. The IDR was for immediate use such as for taxi, dinner, and the next day’s breakfast as we landed at night in Bali.
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Avoid exchanging currency at Bali airport as their exchange rate is pretty low.
We researched and read Google reviews about various exchange places in Bali. We shortlisted MPB Money Changer in Kuta. Luckily for us, it was at a walkable distance from our hotel as well. On that day, their exchange rate was 1 USD = IDR 15,000.
We spoke to a few people who travelled to Bali before us and they did not get such a good deal. We got lucky to discover MPB Money Changer, who have outlets in two other places in Bali: Sanur and Kerobokan Badung.
How much Rupiah to take to Bali?
This will vary from person to person, depending on their style of travel. Just to be safe, carry at least IDR 1 million, per day.
To find out more about our Indonesia trip, click here.
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