Bali is a province of Indonesia and operates under Indonesian national banking law with Bank Indonesia and OJK as regulators. See the Indonesia banking page for the full national framework [1]. This page covers practical items specific to living in Bali.
Foreigner-friendly branches
The following banks have branches in Bali that regularly open accounts for foreigners holding a KITAS or KITAP:
- BCA (Bank Central Asia): several branches in Denpasar, Kuta, Seminyak, Sanur, Ubud and Canggu. BCA is the most foreigner-friendly bank in Bali. English-speaking staff available at the main Denpasar branch on Jalan Gajah Mada and the Seminyak branch on Jalan Sunset Road.
- Bank Mandiri: branches in Denpasar, Sanur and Nusa Dua. Mandiri is the second choice after BCA.
- Bank Permata: limited presence in Bali (a few branches in Denpasar and Kuta). More popular with expats than the local branches fully reflect the parent bank's English capability.
- HSBC Indonesia: one branch in Denpasar. Useful for international transfers.
Practical tips
- Cash is still king in Bali, but digital payments have grown rapidly, especially since COVID. QRIS (QR code) is accepted at most warungs, shops and services. Many businesses that previously had "no card" signs now accept QRIS.
- ATM density: high in South Bali (Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, Sanur, Ubud). Thinner in East Bali (Amed, Candidasa) and North Bali (Lovina). Plan to withdraw cash before travelling outside the main tourist areas.
- ATMs in the tourist strip: many ATMs in Kuta/Legian/Seminyak dispense IDR only. Some BCA ATMs in the airport and larger shopping centres dispense USD.
- Skimming risk: higher than in Singapore or Malaysia. Use bank ATMs inside branches or in well-lit, attended locations. Avoid standalone ATMs on the street in tourist areas.
- Transfer services: Wise works in Indonesia but transfers are denominated in IDR. For EUR to IDR, Wise offers mid-market rates.
Housing-related banking
Many Bali villa rentals are quoted in USD even though the transaction settles in IDR. The exchange rate used is usually the bank's selling rate on the day of payment. Clarify with the landlord whether the rate is fixed for the lease term.
Tax implications
See id/taxes.md. Interest withholding on savings and deposits is the standard Indonesia rate of 20% (with NPWP) or 25% (without NPWP).
This page is not financial advice. Confirm current requirements with the specific bank branch.