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RUMoney in Bali: rupiah, ATMs, cards and exchange rate
In short. The currency in Bali is the Indonesian rupiah (IDR). In tourist areas cards work in hotels, larger restaurants and supermarkets, while warungs, markets, scooter rental and small services usually run on cash only. ATMs are everywhere, but bank fees and limits differ, so it pays to withdraw larger amounts and to use machines inside bank branches.
Cash or card
Visa and Mastercard are accepted in hotels, villas run by a management company, larger cafes and supermarkets. Beyond that the island lives on cash: a warung, a market, parking, a local repairman, scooter rental from a private owner, small clinics. A practical rule is to keep two or three days of cash on you and top it up in advance, not on the day it runs out.
Worth knowing: Indonesian notes come in 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000 rupiah. ATMs mostly dispense 50,000 and 100,000, so small notes are worth collecting in advance - they are often missing when you need to pay for parking or a small purchase.
ATMs and fees
The difference between ATMs in Bali is visible, and it is not in the exchange rate but in the local bank fee for a foreign-issued card.
- BCA and BNI have historically been the friendliest to foreign cards: usually no local fee, with a limit of about 2.5 million rupiah per withdrawal.
- Bank Mandiri introduced a fee for foreign-card withdrawals in February 2026, roughly 50,000 rupiah, with a limit of about 3 million rupiah per transaction.
- CIMB Niaga and BRI charge a percentage of the amount, which makes them the least attractive for withdrawals.
These are working market ranges for the 2026 season, not official bank tariffs: the machine shows the fee and the limit on screen before you confirm, and it is reasonable to cancel where the fee looks too high.
Two rules that save noticeably more than hunting for the perfect ATM:
- Withdraw a larger amount at once. Your home bank fee is usually fixed per operation, not a percentage, so one large withdrawal is cheaper than three small ones.
- Always choose to be charged in rupiah. If the ATM offers to charge you in your own currency, that is double conversion at a poor rate. Choose "continue without conversion", charged in IDR.
ATMs inside bank branches, in shopping malls and in the airport arrivals hall are safer than street machines: skimming is reported more often on standalone machines outside shops.
Currency exchange
Exchange money at licensed money changers with a displayed rate and a receipt, not at street stalls and not at a hotel, where the rate is clearly worse. The airport is convenient but almost always loses to changers in Canggu, Seminyak and Ubud. Before exchanging, check your bank's rate in its app so you know whether it is worth walking further.
The rupiah moves every day against the dollar and the euro. Our exchange section shows the current direction of the market, and we confirm the exact rate at the moment of the exchange.
Banking for everyday life
For a long stay, multi-currency cards are convenient: they convert at the payment network rate and let you pay by card in cafes and supermarkets. Villa utilities, the deposit and the rent are usually paid by bank transfer or in cash, and a local bank account is not opened straight away: it requires a local stay permit (KITAS) and a tax number (NPWP), so a tourist on a visa on arrival will not get one.
What this means for renting a villa
Bali villa rent is usually paid monthly or for the whole stay, plus a deposit. The deposit is returned after check-out if the villa is left in the same condition. Some villas accept a card, others ask for cash or a transfer, so we agree the payment method in advance and put it in the contract.
Available villas with prices and payment terms are listed below.
Villa catalog with current prices: Canggu, Seminyak, Ubud and other areas.
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