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Indonesia is an archipelagic country of 17,508 islands, of which 6,000 are inhabited. The country’s strategic sea-lane position fostered international trade, and the boundaries of Indonesia represent the 20th century borders of the Dutch East Indies. The country covers 1,904,569 square kilometres, making it the 15th largest country in the World.
It has 300 distinct ethnic groups who collectively speak 742 languages and dialects. The largest ethnic group are the Javanese, who make up 42% of the population. Indonesia is home to approximately 258 million people (the 4th most populous globally). The vast majority of the population are Muslim.
Climate
Tropical, with two distinct monsoonal wet and dry seasons. Humidity is general high, although the wettest regions tend to be the mountainous areas of West Sumatra, West Java, Saluwesi and West Papua.
Currency
Indonesian Rupiah
(IDR)
Communications
Modern, high quality system, especially in urban areas. The international code is +62 and the internet code is .id
Medical services in Indonesia are less developed than in Thailand and Malaysia. Whilst major cities and tourist centres have public and private Hospitals, the standard of treatment is below what is available in Australia. More information is covered in our healthcare section.
About Jakarta
Indonesia’s capital is located on the Northwest coast of Java, the World’s most populous island. Jakarta is home to over 10 million people (with 28 million in the greater metropolitan area). It is the country’s economic, political and cultural centre.
Getting there
The city is served by two airports, one international, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK), the other domestic, Halim Perdanakusuma Airport (HLP). Whilst Australia has regular direct flights to Jakarta, the main gateway for most Australians to Indonesia is through Denpasar, on the Island of Bali.
Garuda and Qantas fly from Sydney directly to Jakarta around 4 times a week. Garuda fly from Melbourne and Perth directly 4 times a week. All other Australian cities access Jakarta indirectly.
Bali
One of Australia’s favourite tourist destinations is increasingly becoming a favoured place for retirement. Retirees have the full spectrum of options, whether it’s a sea change along a multitude of glorious beaches to a tree change in the cultural heartland of Ubud.
Bali covers an area of 5,780 square kilometres, and is home to over 4.2 million people. Over 83% of the population adhere to Balinese Hinduism, followed by 13% Muslim and around 2% Christianity.
80% of Bali’s economy is tourism related, which has made it one of Indonesia’s wealthiest regions.
Denpasar (DPS)
The Balinese capital has a population of around 800,000 people and is the island’s commercial hub. It is the primary gateway for Australians into Indonesia, who arrive through Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS). The surrounding tourist areas, which hug the coastline, are home to a vast array of resorts, hotels, restaurants and entertainment. For those retirees who dream of a beach lifestyle close to the action, there is a multitude of options. To the north there is Kuta, Legian and Seminyak. To the east there is Sanur and to the south, the newer developments of Nusa Dua and Pecatu.
The popularity of Bali means that Australians have a broad selection of transport alternatives. Garuda, Air Asia X, Virgin Australia and Jetstar have daily direct flights from Sydney to Denpasar. Garuda, Tigerair, Jetstar and Air Asia X fly from Melbourne daily. Virgin Australia and Jetstar fly daily from Brisbane. Tigerair and Jetstar fly daily from Adelaide. Jetstar and Indonesia Air Asia fly from Darwin approximately 3 times a week. Jetstar flies 3 times a week from Cairns and Townsville, Virgin Australia fly once a week from Port Hedland, and finally, Jetstar, Garuda, Indonesia Air Asia and Tigerair have daily flights from Perth.
Ubud
Ubud is located amongst rice paddies and steep ravines in the central foothills of the Gianyar regency. Approximately 24kms from Denpasar (a 1-hour drive), it has a population of 30,000 people and is a highly popular tourist destination, based not only on its beautiful surroundings but also on culture and spirituality. The town has developed active art and craft community, and the cooler mountainous environment makes for a wonderful tree change retirement.
Lombok (LOP)
Lombok is an island that forms part of the Lesser Sunda Islands, with the Lombok strait separating it from Bali. It has a total area of 4,514 square kilometres and a population of 3.3 million people. The west coast is home to most tourist destinations and its beautiful beaches, culture and mountains make it a favourite amongst more adventurous retirees.
The island has regular flights between itself and Denpasar (40 minutes), plus Fastboat services and Public Ferries to Bali.
When considering retirement to another country, you want everything to go smoothly and know your finances are being managed in a way which maintains your retirement lifestyle.
You also want to know that you have a team you can work with to make your dream a sustainable reality. Bali offers a broad range of lifestyle choices, and Retire to Asia recommends that you explore the country to see and feel what’s right for you. Sometimes retirees will begin their retirement in major expat locations, such as the beaches around Denpasar or perhaps further north at Ubud, before moving into lesser known areas.
The cost of living in Bali is significantly cheaper than in Australia. Quite simply, your money goes so much further, providing you with the opportunity to have a quality of life which is typically only available to the wealthy in Australia. This is one of the key motivations for retiring to Asia.
The exact savings will vary on where you decide to retire, and the type of lifestyle you choose to live.
For example, it is generally cheaper to live in Lombok and Legian. Similarly, you average grocery bill will be less if you buy local products rather than foreign imported foods. However, all things being equal, the ‘cost of living’ savings when compared to Australia are very significant.
In this table, Retire to Asia compares the average percentage saving a retiree can expect on a range of products & services in popular Bali locations with the cost of those products & services in Sydney:
| Item | Bali |
|---|---|
| Consumer Price | -58% |
| Meal for 2 (3 Courses) | -82% |
| Beer (Domestic) | -70% |
| Coffee | -29% |
| Bottle of Water | -83% |
| Groceries (Local) | -52% |
| Transport (Local – Various) | -95% |
| Utilities (Electric/Water/Garbage) | -47% |
| Mobile (Pre-Paid) | -84% |
| Internet (Unlimited Cable/ADSL) | -33% |
| Cinema Ticket | -76% |
| Rent | -73% |
Whilst it’s exciting to retire to a dream location, either temporarily or permanently, there are a number of tasks that need to completed, and arrangements that need to be made.
Retire to Asia provide a broad range of services to assist you with this exciting move. These services include the following:
We’re always here to help
Retire to Asia provides ongoing support and advice over the phone, or through our website and newsletters. We are here to assist you.
If you’d like more information or have any questions, please feel free to call 1800-961-377 or email in**@re**********.au and let the team at Retire to Asia help make your dream lifestyle a reality.
The Indonesian government offers treatment to all nationals. However, this treatment can be of a poor quality in local hospitals, and of very poor quality to non-existent in very rural areas.
Whilst a short stay in an Indonesian public hospital should pose no problem for simple health related problems, serious or critical medical emergencies may pose greater problems due to a lack of technology, facilities and trained medical workers at many publicly run facilities.
Therefore, Retire to Asia strongly recommends retired expats in Indonesia are located in or near an urban area that has access to better medical care. It is also recommended that expats have international private medical insurance, or access to a pool of funds that is able to cover the cost of more serious medical treatment, which may include evacuation to a better medical facility in a different country.
For routine complaints you can find small medical clinics in most towns. These clinics are usually walk-in however you should expect long wait times and be aware that communication will probably be an issue with most medical staff not being able to speak English.
Medial facilities in Indonesia are divided into public and private sectors (including ‘group practice medical clinics’). Typically, public hospitals are avoided by those that are able to afford the treatment of a private facility, with many Indonesians with means heading to either Singapore, Malaysia or even Australia for more serious medical treatment
Government run hospitals and facilities do not pay their medical staff well, which in turn lead to difficulties in attracting quality health workers.
In the major centres such as Jakarta and Bali the public hospitals are of a better quality. It is recommended that expats go to these better local facilities should they have a more severe medical emergency and a private facility is not an option.
Public facilities and specialists are open to all foreigners. But if you do go to a public hospital you will need to either pay up front or before you leave the hospital. If you do have international private health insurance, please check with your provider whether they cover the treatment at the chosen facility. Due to the lack of foreign speaking medical professionals working in the public system, it is recommended that you take a local interpreter with you should you need to attend a local facility.
Private hospitals and clinics are the best options for expats when looking for the best healthcare in Indonesia. This however, comes at a cost that is usually significantly higher than the public medical system.
While the private facilities allow patients to pay out of pocket, they will usually expect a full payment of services before the patient leaves. As with the public health facility, if you have international private health insurance please check that the provider will pay for the treatment at the facility chosen.
Please contact Retire to Asia for more information on International Private Health Insurance’.
In major centres such as Jakarta and Bali, expats mostly utilise the group practice medical clinics as their primary medical facility for all minor medical outpatient needs. As they cater to ex-pats and middle-class Indonesians, they provide a very high standard of care to their patient’s needs and either charge an annual membership fee, or you may pay on an ad-hoc basis as services are needed. These clinics are less expensive than private hospitals and are often at the same standard of care for minor to moderate medical procedures.
The goal of these facilities is to provide comprehensive medical care. They have a wide range of specialists and facilities usually extend to laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, dental, physiotherapy, ambulance and emergency room service.
If you have any concerns or questions about healthcare in Indonesia? We are here to answer your questions and take you one step closer to making your dream lifestyle a reality.
If you’d like more information or have any questions, please feel free to call 1800-961-377 or email in**@re**********.au and let the team at Retire to Asia help make your dream lifestyle a reality.
The Bali retirement visa is a straightforward visa that is easily attainable.
The Indonesian retirement visa is called ‘KITAS’. It is valid for 1 year, with the ability to extend up to a total of 5 years. It is a multi-entry visa allowing you to come and go as you please.
After 5 years you will be eligible to apply for a ‘KITAP’ which is a permanent stay permit.
The Bali retirement visa is unique compared to other countries, in that as part of the application process you are required to provide a letter from a local sponsor, documentation indicating the hiring of an Indonesian worker and a 1-year minimum lease agreement.
This can be quite simple to sort out if you are already living in Bali. But for most people retiring to Bali initially, this can be quite daunting especially if you are still back in your home country.
A good local Visa agent will not only guide you through the application process and lodge the application on your behalf, but they will also provide all necessary documentation to complete your retirement visa application.
Retire to Asia has partnered with an experienced and reputable Bali Visa agency that will answer any further questions, and help you obtain the retirement visa when the time comes.
If you’d like more information or have any questions, please feel free to call 1800-961-377 or email in**@re**********.au and let the team at Retire to Asia help make your dream lifestyle a reality.
Foreigners cannot individually own property in Bali.
Typically, under the nominee system the following documents will be signed:
This is extremely risky. The local nominee potentially can take over the property as they have legal ownership and there is little a foreigner can do to protect their investment.
A foreigner may hold both ‘Leasehold’ (Hak Sewa) and ‘Right to Use’ (Hak Pakai) solely under their own name.
Under the ‘Leasehold’ (Hak Sewa) you will be limited as to your options with the property. It is usually the simplest and cheapest way to use and control property. Lease term is up to 25 years but can be legally extended up to 80 years.
It is considered a bit riskier to lease under this option due to the owner of the property being able to hold onto the title certificate throughout the lease term.
The ‘Right to Use’ (Hak Pakai) is similar the ‘Leasehold’ (Hak Sewa). The term initially is up to 25-year term, extended legally to 80 years. However, the title owner is supposed to surrender the title to the land office. The land office then issues a ‘Right to Use’ (Hak Pakai) certificate to the purchaser (foreigner) for the duration of the lease.
To be eligible for a ‘Right to Use’ (Hak Pakai) under an individual name you need to reside in Indonesia or have Indonesia as your domicile. A long-term retirement visa is suitable for this purpose.
This allows foreigners to 100% own an Indonesian investment company without needing an Indonesian partner.
This regime is highly regulated, and the contracts entered into are internationally recognised.
The ‘PT PMA’ can own a ‘Right to Use’ (Hak Pakai) title without the foreign owner either residing in or having Indonesian domicile.
A ‘PT PMA’ is required for a foreigner to own a ‘Right to Build’ (Hak Guna Bangunan) title. This is the highest title a foreigner can own. Having a ‘Right to Build’ (Hak Guna (bangunan) title allows your ‘PT PMA’ name to be on the land certificate held at the Indonesian Land Office. Therefore, under the ‘PT PMA’ you receive full freehold ownership, unlike if you use the ‘nominee’ option.
If you’d like more information or have any questions about renting or buying property in Bali, please feel free to call 1800-961-377 or email in**@re**********.au and let the team at Retire to Asia help make your dream lifestyle a reality.
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