How much money to take to Indonesia

Prices in Indonesia are quite affordable and the amount of money needed for a holiday in this country depends only on the level of goods and services that the tourist will use.

The purchase of expensive imported goods, as well as an active excursion program (provided that there are almost no free places to visit), spa treatments and surfing lessons popular at beach resorts can raise the cost of a holiday in Indonesia by several orders of magnitude.

When answering the question about the specific cost of daily expenses during a holiday in Indonesia, you can take into account an amount of $50 per day per person, excluding the cost of accommodation.

What currency to take to Indonesia

When choosing the currency that is preferable to take to Indonesia, you should first of all focus on US dollars. Please note that $100 H series notes issued before 2006 are not accepted in Indonesia, and any notes issued before 1999, as well as dirty or worn out notes, may have problems.

Credit cards in Indonesia

In large hotels, shops and popular resorts in Indonesia, it is common to pay for services in cash, dollars, euros, currencies of Southeast Asian countries, tourist checks, as well as credit cards (Master Card, Visa). Village shops only accept cash.

When going to remote areas of the Indonesian islands, you should remember that many of the tribes living there do not use money - there, as in ancient times, natural exchange reigns.

ATMs are ubiquitous in Bali resorts and other popular tourist destinations. However, many of them have a limit on the maximum amount of currency issued, usually 1-1.5 million ind. Rs. The commission for withdrawing such an amount of cash can also reach a significant percentage.

Many experienced tourists advise that when going on vacation to Indonesia, in addition to the card, you should have a cash supply of at least $1000 per person. Another way to save on bank interest in Indonesia is to get a bank card (n/a Citibank), which has branches in the country.

Approximate prices in Indonesia

• Loaf of bread - 16 thousand ind. rupees (43 rub.)
• Milk 1 l - 14 thousand ind. rupees (38 rub.)
• Bottled water 1.5 l - 8 thousand ind. rupees (21 rub.)
• Rice 1 kg - 10 thousand ind. rupees (27 rub.)
• Eggs 12 pcs - 17 thousand ind. rupees (46 rub.)
• Fruits 1 kg - 10-17 thousand ind. rupees (27-46 rub.)
• Cheese 1 kg - 110 thousand ind. rupees (RUB 297)
• A cup of coffee in a cafe - 28 thousand ind. rupees (RUB 75)
• A pack of cigarettes - 10 thousand ind. rupees (27 rub.)
• Beer 0.5 l - 20 thousand ind. rupees (54 rub.)
• Wine 0.7 l - 130-200 thousand ind. rupees (RUB 351-540)
• Lunch in a restaurant with alcohol 400-500 thousand ind. rupees per person (RUB 1080-1350)
• Entrance to the temple territory - 1 thousand ind. rupees (3 rub.)
• Gasoline 1 l - 6.5 thousand ind. rupees (17 rub.)
• Scooter rental - 50 thousand ind. rupees per day (RUB 135)
• Car rental with driver - 500 thousand ind. rupees per day (RUB 1,350)
• Massage - 80-400 thousand ind. rupees for 3 hours (RUB 216-1,080)
• Towel and umbrella on the beach - 200 thousand ind. rupees (540 rub.)
• Room in a 5* hotel - 1.5 million ind. rupees per day (RUB 4,050)

Currency exchange in Indonesia

Currency exchange in Indonesia can be done at bank exchange offices, which can be found at airports, major train stations and city main streets. Currency exchange is carried out in many large hotels in Indonesia. Another legal (and safe) way to change currency in Indonesia is to use a government-licensed street exchange office, as indicated by the green PVA Berizin (Pedagang Valuta Asing Berizin) logo on the sign or window of such establishment.

Banks in Indonesia

Banks in Indonesia are open from 08:00 to 16:00 from Monday to Thursday and from 08:00 to 13:00 on Fridays. Indonesian banks are closed on weekends. Bank branches located in hotels usually work much longer, and ATMs are open until late in the evening.

Major banks in Indonesia

• Mandiri Bank is Indonesia's largest bank, with over 1,700 branches and over 11,000 ATMs throughout the Indonesian archipelago.
• Bank Rakyat Indonesia is the oldest bank in Indonesia, which began its activities in the 19th century. Today, the bank has more than 4,000 branches throughout the country and is among the largest financial institutions in Indonesia.
• Bank Negara Indonesia is a state-owned Indonesian bank, which also has branches in world capitals such as Tokyo, Singapore, New York and London.
• Bank Pembangunan Daerah Bali is a bank owned by the Bali government and has more than 50 branches throughout the island.

Tipping in Indonesia

Leaving a tip in Indonesia is considered good manners among visitors. They usually make up 5-10% of the total cost of the service. Taxi fares are rounded up to 500 ind. rupees, and the cost of porter services can be estimated at 2-5 thousand ind. Rs. For services officially included in the cost of service (room cleaning, porter services), tips in Indonesian hotels are not accepted.

In restaurants in Bali, tips are often included in the final bill, which is indicated in the smallest letters on the receipt.

Locals often accept tips as payment for the provision of various small services - a short tour of a location, a “fee” for free parking. Usually it is a small amount of 2-3 thousand. Rs.

On the island of Bali, as well as throughout Indonesia, the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) is used as the national currency. The history of its appearance dates back to 1945, during the War of Independence. However, the rupiah did not immediately become a single currency throughout Indonesia. In the period from 1945 to 1949, in addition to the rupee, Dutch guilders and rupees of the Japanese occupation government were in use.

Some regions of Indonesia used their own currency until 1971. We are talking about the Indonesian part of the island of New Guinea and the Riau Islands.

In 1965, it was decided to re-denominate the rupee due to hyperinflation, which in 1965 reached an unprecedented 600%. As a result, the old rupee was devalued at a ratio of 1000:1. The result was banknotes of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 sen and rupiah 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 5000 and 10000.

The “adventures” of the rupee did not end there. During the Asian financial crisis between 1997 and 1998, the Indonesian rupiah depreciated by 80%. From 2000 rupees per US dollar to 16,800. After this, the issue of sen (1/100 rupee) was discontinued. During the financial crisis, Indonesia experienced widespread unrest, which led to the overthrow of President Suharto.

Denomination

Nowadays, coins in circulation are in denominations of 25, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 rupees. Moreover, they are found in two varieties - lightweight aluminum and heavier bimetallic ones. Banknotes exist in denominations of 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000. The following images are placed on the banknotes:

1,000 rupees - on the obverse - captain Pattimura, on the reverse - a boat off the island of Maitara

2,000 rupees - on the obverse - Prince Banjara Antasari, on the reverse - a dance of the Dayak tribe with Fr. Kalimantan (Borneo)

5,000 rupees - on the obverse is the national hero of Indonesia Tuanku Imam Bonjo, on the reverse is a girl weaver in a national costume

10,000 rupees - on the obverse is Sultan Badaruddin II, on the reverse is the Limas House building in Palembang

20,000 rupees - on the obverse, the hero of Indonesia Oto di Nata, on the reverse, tea pickers

50,000 rupees - on the obverse - the national hero of the country I Gusti Ngurah Rai (after whom the airport in Bali and streets on many islands of Indonesia are also named, on the reverse - the water temple of Ulun Danu Bratan on the island of Bali

100,000 rupees - on the obverse - the first President of Indonesia Sukarno and the Prime Minister of Indonesia Hatta, on the reverse - the building of the country's Assembly.

All banknotes are paper and made from wood fibers. Abaca wood fibers are mainly used. However, in 1993 and 1999, polymer banknotes were issued. However, they were later withdrawn from circulation, as it turned out that the counting machines in banks did not work correctly with them.

All coins, except 1000, have the coat of arms of Indonesia - the mythical bird Garuda - minted on the obverse. On the reverse sides of the new coins are:

25 rupees - hazelnut

50 rupees - oriole

100 rupees - palm cockatoo

200 rupees – Balinese starling

500 rupees - jasmine

1,000 rupees - Indonesian musical instrument anklung.

The island of Bali, like the rest of Indonesia, has its own national currency - the Indonesian rupiah.

Currently, in Bali there are banknotes in denominations of 100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 2,000 and 1,000 rupees and coins in denominations of 1000, 500, 200 and 100 rupees.

For those tourists who have just arrived in Indonesia, we advise you to very carefully count the change they give you in the first days of your arrival. Many Indonesian Rupiah bills of different denominations are very similar to each other and it may take some time to get used to them and confidently distinguish between them.

What currency to take to Bali?

Dollars or Euros. You can do both, but usually they take dollars, but it is very important to remember that dollar bills must be issued after 1996, and preferably after 2004, otherwise you may have serious problems with exchanging them, no one will take them, and if he exchanges it, the rate will be very low. This is due to the large number of high-quality counterfeit dollars issued during these years.

What is the dollar to Indonesian rupiah exchange rate?

The rupee to dollar exchange rate is constantly changing, but on average it is 1 USD=9000 IDR.

To quickly estimate how much a product will cost in rubles, you need to divide the price in rupees by a factor of 352 - this will be the approximate cost in rubles.

Where is the best place to exchange currency for rupees?

You will need local money immediately upon arrival on the island, so it makes sense to exchange a small amount right at the airport. It makes sense to change just enough currency to get to the nearest bank.

The exchange rate at Denpasar airport is not favorable. Currency exchange offices located in all tourist areas of the island are also not the best option. It is best to change currency into Indonesian rupees at special points called “authorized money changer” and “no commission”. The exchange rate there is good and safer, but we still advise you to count the bills very carefully.

Of course, you can also get rupees in Bali through an ATM by withdrawing them from your dollar card, but it is worth considering that the bank will charge a percentage for this conversion, which greatly depends on the greed of the banker.

Where else should you not change currency? If, while walking around the island, you see a street money changer offering a very favorable rate, we advise you to avoid him, he will deceive you.

What bank cards are accepted in Bali?

There are several options, but tourists usually use bank cards from the Visa and MasterCard systems. You can use them to pay in any store or shopping center in Bali, or in any other place where it is possible to pay with bank cards.

Tipping in Bali

There is officially no such thing as a “tip” in Bali, but if you liked the service, you can thank the staff by leaving a few dollars on top of the bill.

Indonesian rupiah - Indonesian Rupiah (international designation - IDR, domestically - Rp), nominally equal to 100 sen. There are banknotes in circulation in denominations of 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000 rupees, and coins in denominations of 25, 50, 100, 200 and 500 rupees. Banknotes issued before 1997 are not accepted for payment; they are not valid, but are accepted for exchange in banks.

The rate constantly varies and is approximately equal to 1 $ = 14,000 IDR, although there were fluctuations from 8,400 to 15,000 per dollar. It is better to exchange money in banks or specialized exchange offices.

Credit cards are accepted mainly in expensive hotels, restaurants and shops, but are not convenient for everyday expenses. In places like Kuta, Nusa Dua, Legian, Jimbaran, Sanur, you can always find ATMs where you can always withdraw cash.

When withdrawing cash rupees from an ATM, you should think twice, because the commission will be quite high for you. The fact is that in addition to the commission for withdrawing cash from a foreign bank, you will also be charged a percentage for converting rubles into dollars, and from dollars into rupees. This is what Russian banks do. This is such a long way and naturally not the cheapest.

There were also cases when, when trying to withdraw cash, the card was blocked or the card was blocked after the first use. I won’t say which banks this was connected with, but there were such cases.

This was not observed with VTB24 and Sberbank cards. So before you travel, inform your bank that you are traveling abroad.

Traveler's checks are popular here, especially American express, and are accepted for exchange at all exchange offices and banks.

When exchanging, preference is given to hundred-dollar bills issued in 2000 (the AB/CB series is practically not accepted), and for bills with a face value of less than $50, or with traces of long use, the rate is noticeably lower than for new banknotes. Euros, Australian and Singapore dollars, Yen and other currencies are also accepted.

Banks open from 8.30 daily. Closed: Saturday and Sunday. Exchange offices are open every day, including weekends, until 20.00 -21.00, there is no clear schedule. However, if you need to go on a trip in the morning, for example, you bought a bank card, but you haven’t changed money in the evening, don’t expect that the bank will open exactly at 8.30, rest assured, the opening will definitely be delayed by about half an hour.

You can also buy currency in hotels (the exchange rate is quite unfavorable). It is better not to change currency on the street and in the markets, there is a risk of being deceived, but they will deceive you beautifully. Be careful where they offer to exchange currency among all kinds of goods (there is a sign indicating a good exchange rate), they will definitely deceive you, they will “cheat” you cleverly. Read about the experience of such deception in stories about Bali, or rather. Use only specialized exchange offices. By the way, local residents themselves exchange their earned currency at exchange offices.

Major banks and stores accept major credit cards and traveler's checks. The scope of credit cards is expanding every day; non-cash payment methods can be used even in small private establishments, shopping centers and restaurants. On the streets of tourist cities and in shopping centers you can easily find ATMs and withdraw the required amount without any problems. In small villages in the center of the island, it is almost impossible to use credit cards.

Comment:
Recently something happened that we expected, but did not expect - our tourists had their VTB24 card blocked after a one-time payment in the store.

A vacation on a paradise island costs a lot, but no matter how much you pay for a trip, the question always remains of how much and what kind of money to take with you to Bali. The currency throughout the country is the same - the Indonesian rupiah. But it is impossible to calculate the amount of expenses on the spot - everyone has their own needs.

A little history

Over the last century, the currency in Bali has not changed much. Before the Japanese takeover (in 1944), Indonesia used guilders brought from the Netherlands. During the years of occupation they were replaced by rupees, but lasted just over a year. Already in 1945, Indonesia became an independent state and introduced its own rupiah into circulation. For some time, the previous banknotes continued to be used, but the Indonesian rupiah gradually replaced them. Some islands continued to use their own banknotes until 1971.

After twenty years of operation of the Indonesian currency, the need for denomination arose, and the state issued an updated rupiah, replacing the old bills at the rate of 1 to 1000. The last currency collapse occurred during the years of the financial crisis of Asian countries (1997-1998). In just a few months, the rate jumped from 2,000 to 16,800 rupees per US dollar. Subsequently, the value of the Indonesian currency has risen slightly, but it is likely that redenomination may be needed again in the coming years.

What kind of money is there in Bali, and where is the best place to change the brought currency?

As in all other territorial units of Indonesia, on the paradise island all transactions are carried out only in the national currency. In banks and exchange offices in Bali, exchange rates vary significantly. It is most profitable to change money at a bank. In second place in terms of profit are exchangers. The lowest rate is offered in hotels - it is designed for tourists who do not want to leave the hotel premises once again.

If you need rupees immediately upon arrival, then exchange the required minimum right at the airport. It is enough to stock up on payment for a taxi or other transport, and on the way to the hotel, ask to stop at the bank.

What currency in Bali is good for exchanging for local money? This question is difficult to answer, since the situation is constantly changing. Every few months, the rating is topped by American dollars, euros, and Japanese yens.

When you arrive in Bali, use our tips:

• To avoid fraud, contact only official representative offices that issue you a document confirming the transaction. A tempting exchange rate can deprive you of the entire amount prepared for conversion.
• Despite the large denomination, you will receive a lot of bills, so count them carefully - a large wad of cash may be missing several bills. If possible, ask for the amount to be given in large denominations.
• Currency received when exchanging in Bali must be checked for counterfeits! When you count bills at the cash register, look at each one more closely.
• If you use the services of an exchange office, look for one that has a sign stating that there is no commission. In tourist centers they may withdraw a few percent of the exchange amount for the provision of services.
• If you are not sure of the reliability of the exchange office, do not change a large amount. Convert the amount needed at the moment into rupees, and exchange the rest later.

What does the Indonesian currency look like?

After the Asian financial crisis, the exchangeable part of the rupiah, the sen, which was one hundredth of the Indonesian monetary unit, disappeared from use. Now only rupees issued in coins and notes are used. Metal money is becoming less and less common; in general, prices are rounded up so as to use the paper equivalent.

As of 2016, in Bali you can find coins in denominations of 25, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 Indonesian rupiah. The smallest ones are very rare. The front of the coins is stamped with the national coat of arms, the year of issue and the phrase “Bank of Indonesia”. The reverse, in addition to the denomination, is decorated with images of flowers common throughout the country (poppy - on 25 rupees, jasmine - on 500 rupees) and birds (starling - on 50 and 200 rupees, cockatoos - on 100 rupees). On the reverse side of the largest 1000 rupees coin is the anklung, a musical instrument made from bamboo tubes.

Banknotes are printed in denominations of IDR 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000. The banknotes are made using bright colors and a dozen degrees of security: overlapping and hidden images, microtext, rainbow printing, luminescent paint.

The obverse contains portraits of people who influenced the development of the country, and the reverse contains images of Indonesian landscapes, as well as elements from the life of local residents (tea picking, national dance, fishing).

Cashless payments in Bali

Currency made of metal and paper in the country is gradually being replaced by electronic systems. It is much more convenient to have several bank cards with you than to walk around with a pile of bills. Non-cash payments are also gaining momentum in Indonesia: terminals and ATMs are being installed. More and more establishments accept bank cards for payment, mainly Visa, Master Card and American Express systems. By the way, it is better to pay with a card than to withdraw money from an ATM - additional interest is charged for this.

In what ratio does the currency change in Bali?

The exchange rate to the ruble, dollar and euro in August 2016 in Indonesia looked like this:

• 1 USD = 13139 Indonesian Rupiah, or for 1000 IDR you will get 0.076 USD.
• = 14881 Indonesian Rupiah, or for 1000 IDR you will get 0.067 EUR.
• 1 Russian ruble = 205 Indonesian rupees, or for 1000 IDR you will get 4.87 RUB.
• 1 = 522 Indonesian Rupiah, or for 1000 IDR you will get 1.91 UAH.

The rate may vary significantly depending on the chosen exchange location. Don’t forget about the possibility of removing the commission for a financial transaction.