Student housing in Bali: kos, shared flat or university residence?

As a student in Bali, you have three main options for housing: a room in a kos (the boarding house, furnished or not, very common in Indonesia), a shared flat in a shared house or villa, or the university residence if your institution has one. The kos is the most common solution for Indonesian students; sharing a villa is more frequent among foreign students; the residence, where it exists, remains the cheapest but places are limited.

The market has tightened. According to a BBC News Indonesia investigation published in July 2026, most kos rooms in Bali rent for between 2.5 and 5 million rupiah (IDR) per month, those under a million are almost always occupied, and those over 5 million are often rented by foreigners. It is therefore better to search early and with a realistic budget.

Kos, shared flat or residence: comparing the three options

The kos room

A kos is a building or house divided into rooms rented by the month, often with a private bathroom, sometimes with a shared kitchen. Rates vary a lot depending on location and equipment:

• Under 1 million IDR per month: basic rooms, often unfurnished, in high demand and rarely available, according to testimonies gathered by BBC News Indonesia.
• From 2.5 to 5 million IDR: most of the supply, according to an intermediary interviewed by the BBC.
• Over 5 million IDR: well-located rooms with air conditioning, bathroom, bed and wardrobe, often occupied by foreigners.

The kos offers independence and a month-to-month commitment, but check what is included: electricity, water, internet and cleaning are sometimes billed separately.

The shared house or villa

Sharing a villa or house with several people lets you split a higher rent and have more space. According to Remoters' Bali sheet, a room in a guesthouse or coliving costs from 250 to 400 US dollars (USD) per month, and a villa with two to three bedrooms and a pool from 1,200 to 2,500 USD per month. Split between three or four people, a villa can work out at a price close to a coliving room, with more comfort. In return, you need to find reliable flatmates and agree on how to share the costs.

The university residence

Udayana University, Bali's main public university, says it offers an official residence for its new students, at an affordable cost and close to the campus: the Rusunawa in Jimbaran, in the Badung district. Ask your host institution as soon as you are admitted about the access conditions for a foreign student and the places available.