Indonesia guide › Plan your trip to Indonesia
How much does a trip to Indonesia cost?
Allow about US$35 to US$50 a day per person as a backpacker, US$70 to US$110 for mid-range comfort, and from US$170 for a high-end trip, international flights excluded. Indonesia is still one of the cheapest countries in Southeast Asia, but prices vary hugely between a small town in Java and Bali, the Gili Islands, Komodo or Raja Ampat.
Typical prices, to give you an idea:
- Meals: 20,000 to 40,000 IDR (US$1 to US$2) for a dish in a warung (small local eatery), 100,000 to 250,000 IDR (US$5.50 to US$14) in a tourist restaurant.
- Drinks: a 1.5-litre bottle of water about 7,000 IDR; a local beer 30,000 to 60,000 IDR (US$1.70 to US$3.30), much more at a beach bar. Imported alcohol is heavily taxed.
- Accommodation: 150,000 to 350,000 IDR (US$8 to US$20) for a double room in a homestay or guesthouse, 500,000 to 1,000,000 IDR (US$28 to US$55) for a good mid-range hotel.
- Transport: a few dollars for a Grab or Gojek ride in town (ride-hailing apps, like Uber), US$45 to US$65 for a day with a driver, US$55 to US$135 for a domestic flight booked ahead.
What pushes the bill up:
- Domestic flights, unavoidable as soon as you change islands: they're often the biggest expense.
- Tours and entry fees: Komodo boat trips, diving, Bromo or Ijen climbs, the Raja Ampat permit.
- Remote destinations: in the east (Papua, Maluku), everything costs more, starting with boats.
- Your dates: Australian school holidays (especially June–July and the Christmas break), plus July–August for European visitors, push up accommodation prices in tourist areas.
Add these before you even leave: the visa (500,000 IDR, about US$28) and, if you're visiting Bali, the tourist levy of 150,000 IDR (about US$8.50).
Verdict: for three weeks as a couple in mid-range comfort, domestic flights and tours included, budget roughly US$1,700 to US$2,800 per person on the ground, excluding your flights to Indonesia.
Tip: keep an 'unexpected' line of about 10%: a cancelled domestic flight, an extra night in a hotel or an unplanned tour happen more often than you'd think in Indonesia.
Prices checked in November 2026 (US$1 ≈ 18,000 IDR). Check before you travel.
More landmarks in this section
- Do I need a visa for Indonesia?
- What are the entry requirements for Indonesia?
- Is Indonesia safe to visit?
- Should you worry about volcanoes and earthquakes in Indonesia?
- What vaccinations do I need for Indonesia, and is there malaria?
- What currency does Indonesia use and how do you pay?
- Which SIM card or eSIM should you get for Indonesia?
- Do you need travel insurance for Indonesia?
- Indonesia etiquette: what to wear and how to behave
- Travelling in Indonesia during Ramadan: what to know
- Drugs, new criminal code: which Indonesian laws affect tourists?
- What should I pack for Indonesia?