Detailed itinerary and expenses of one month in Indonesia

With the hope that I can assist someone out there who may be thinking to visit amazing Indonesia, I have created this post with as much detailed information as I can offer in regards my expenses for one month duration (28 days exactly)

Of course, how much or how little you spend will depend of a big variety of reasons. If you travel with a partner or a friend, ma expenses below will be split into two, which gives you way more budget that I had only for myself.

These are my general expenses determined by the itinerary that I had not planned whatsoever. If I may throw an advice, it would be to go with the flow in Indonesia. By all means, there are some important sights that would be a pity to miss, but other than that, if you have time then I suggest that you try out places and see how you feel. As an example, I did not plan to stop in Pandangaran, however I did and my trip started improving big time from there. This is one of the places that it may be less popular and however is that one place where you can easily hang around for fifteen days doing nothing just enjoying the vibe and simplicity of the place.

I have divided the expenses by:

(Please note that I have paid with different currencies)

MAIN ONES

Visa on arrival for one month: $35.00 (453.000 IDR)

Flight Bali to Jakarta: £42.60 (849.000 IDR)

One luggage to check in in flight Bali to Jakarta: 315.000 IDR

Flight Jakarta to Singapore: £26.00 (very cheap as I bought it when the Air Asia plane just crashed) Not included in my total expenses

Flight London to Jakarta one way: £423.00 Not included in my total expenses

TRANSPORTATION ONLY

Bus Jakarta to Bogor: 55.000 IDR

Taxi Bogor Bus Station to Guest House: 50.000 IDR (the driver was asking me 100.000 because he got lost and took it forever to find it but I refused to pay that)

Bus Bogor to Bandung: 60.000 IDR

Taxi Bandung Bus Station to Guest House: 100.000 (he asked me for much more but I also refused in this case, we pre agreed on 100.000)

Bus Bandung to Pandangaran: 63.000 IDR

Moto Taxi Pandangaran Bus Station to Guest House: 30.000 IDR

Return bus to Cijuland: 40.000 IDR

Minivan transfer from Pandangaran to Train Station and train to Yogyakarta: 150.000 IDR

Train Yogyakarta to Surabaya: 140.000 IDR

Train Surabaya to Probbolingo: 105.000 IDR

Van Probbolingo to Cemara Lawang both ways: 75.000 IDR (35.000 to go and 40.000 to return as the van was not full and they increased our ticket)

Train Probbolingo to Banyuwangi: 70.000 IDR

Ferry to Bali: 8.000 IDr

Bus Java to Denpasar: 150.000 IDR

Minivan to Denpasar Bus Station (as bus dropped at the outskirts of Denpasar for unknown reasons): 20.000 IDR

Minivan from Denpasar Bus Station to somewhere between Denpasar and Ubud (can’t remember the name): 40.000 IDR

Moto Taxi from this “somewhere” to Ubud: 50.000 IDR

Transfer and fast boat from Ubud to Gili Air: 275.000 IDR

Boat Gili Air to Gili Trawagan: 85.000 IDR

Fast boat from Gili Trawagan and shuttle transfer to Kuta: 300.000 IDR

Moto Taxi from Kuta to Airport: 50.000 IDR

TOTAL: 1.916.000 IDR

TRIPS/EXCURSIONS/TOURS/ENTRANCE FEES

Bogor Botanical Garden: 25.000 IDR

Green Canyon/Green Valley Tour on a motorbike: 300.000 IDR

Transfer Burubundur: 70.000 IDR

Entrance Burubundur: 250.000 IDR

Yogyakarta Royal Palace: 7.000 IDR

All day tour by motorbike from Kuta to Bali main temples: 350.000 IDR

Total temple entrances (four in total): 90.000 IDR

Motorbike tour from Kuta to Uluwatu Temple: 170.000 IDR

Uluwatu Temple entrance: 30.000 IDR

TOTAL: 1.292.000 IDR

ACCOMMODATION

Bogor GH (two nights at 125.000 per night): 250.000 IDR

Bandung GH (1 night): 110.000 IDR

Pandangaran GH (four nights at 150.000): 600.000 IDR

Yogyakarta GS (3 nights at 100.000): 300.000 IDR

Cemara Lawang (one night): 150.000 IDR

Bayuwangi (1 night): 100.000 IDR

Ubud (5 nights booked and paid online through Agoda.com): $58.00 (752.000 IDR)

Gili Air (two nights at 150.000 per night): 300.000 IDR

Gili Trawagan (three nights at 150.000): 450.000 IDR

Kuta (five nights at 130.000 each): 650.000 IDR

TOTAL: 3.662.000 IDR

MISCELLANEOUS

Airport departure tax Bali to Jakarta: 75.000 IDR

Lunch/dinner/coffees/biscuits (lots!)/drinks/hygiene products/medication: 80.000 IDR per day

Bike rental for three days in Ubud (40.000 per day): 120.000 IDR

One day bike rental in Gili Air: 30.000 IDR

One day bike rental in Gili Trawagan: 40.000 IDR

Other minor transfers: 41.500 IDR

Couple of dinners with friends: 130.000 IDR

Laundry Ubud: 40.000 IDR

TOTAL: 2.900.000 IDR approx

GRAND TOTAL:

IDR: 11.387.000

$: 878.00

£: 576.00

€: 797.00

(not included flight from London to Jakarta and also flight from Jakarta to Singapore)

Tips to make your trip cheaper:

Instead of flying back from Bali to Jakarta, use public transportation to make your way back or alternatively, purchase your fly ticket early, I did it just a few days before the date I wanted to travel

If you have driving lessons, rent a motorbike instead of renting a motorbike and a driver to take you around (you’ll save lots!!)

Use Coachsurfing from time to time to get more involved with locals, build friendships and let your wallet breathe a little

Walk out of the city centres and look for local Warungs where the locals eat, delicious and very cheap!

Get your coffee for 5.000 IDR from local women sitting on the street selling goodies. The have terms and can prepare you a delicious coffee in two seconds for pences

Accommodation for expensive places such as Ubud, is better to pre book it online, it will save you money and stress

If the bus dropped you in a bus terminal in the middle of nowhere, always pre confirm the taxi price before heading off to a hostel and stick to what you agreed. Said that, Blue Bird meter taxis are the best as long as they put the meter on but they are not always around (except for Kuta, they are everywhere!)

HAPPY TRAVELS!