Key Points:
- Uluwatu offers a premium surf lifestyle with world-class left-hand waves.
- Budgeting is flexible: you can live locally or enjoy luxury cliffside co-working.
- Reef boots are helpful gear for navigating the sharp coral at low tide.
Uluwatu, Bali | A Digital Nomad Surfer’s Travel Budget (2025)
Built atop the towering limestone cliffs of Bali’s southern peninsula, Uluwatu is the place to be in Bali in 2025.
If you’re looking for an international social scene, you’ll find it here. If you’re looking to surf some of the best left-hand waves in the world, look no further. If you’re in search of a balance of nature, connectivity, and community with a modern flair on the beach bum lifestyle, then Uluwatu is your next great stop as a digital nomad surfer in Bali.
Is Uluwatu the Right Fit for Your Digital Nomad Surf Lifestyle?
If you are someone who craves a slow pace of life with the option of networking, socialising, and speeding up if you desire, then Uluwatu is the surf hub for you. Here, there is a small community of expats and locals who stay long-term, so it is exceptionally easy to see familiar faces in the cafes and lineup, and thus, make friends and build your own community.
The nightlife in Uluwatu is also a big draw, and it’s one of the reasons so many digital nomad surfers choose to base themselves here. You can often find techno events, the occasional afrobeats party, major headliners performing at clifftop venues, and of course, the standard hip hop and R&B playlist at your local bar. And what if you crave a quiet night in with some freshly delivered Italian pizza? This is also a comfortable option when living in Uluwatu.
Surf Conditions for the Digital Nomad
Uluwatu is also the best place in Bali for intermediate and advanced goofy-foot surfers. With some of the best lefts in the world hugging the coastline, Uluwatu is a paradise of long, left-hand barrels. Some of the best waves in the area can be found at Bingin Beach, Impossibles, and Uluwatu. You don’t need a boat to get out to any of the breaks, but you will need to climb down stairs to access the surf beaches.
Bonus tip: Invest in some reef booties, as all of the waves in this area are reef breaks. Unless you exclusively surf on the high tide, these will come in handy for any visits to the reef. If you’re keen to score some barrels, then you will probably find yourself walking over the reef to either get in or out of the water, and for this, reef booties will be a lifesaver.
If you’re a beginner surfer or a longboarder, you can still find some prime moments in between swells on the Uluwatu peninsula. Waves at Thomas Beach, Balangan, or Baby Padang can be a fun option for a mellow surf when the swell is small. Always make sure to check the forecast beforehand, as these spots can turn pretty gnarly fairly quickly as swells fill in.
Uluwatu is one of the best spots in Bali to live and surf, especially for digital nomads. This is because homes, restaurants, co-working spaces, and the surf all rest within a short scooter ride away from each other. Here, you don’t have to invest hours into a surf mission. You can simply end your meeting, hop on your scooter, drive about 5 to 15 minutes to your chosen wave, walk down a couple of stairs, and paddle out to the break. Convenience and accessibility are your best friends when trying to balance your online work and surf life.
The best time of year to live and surf in Uluwatu is between the dry season months of April to September, when the trade winds are blowing. This means offshore waves for all the spots in Uluwatu, and farther up the western coastline. For a broader look at the island’s seasons, check out our guide to surfing and working remotely in Bali.
Co-working, Wi-Fi, and Working Online in Uluwatu
In Uluwatu, you’re completely sorted for surf. So what about online work? As it turns out, this is one of, if not the best, places in Bali when it comes to connectivity. In Uluwatu, you are provided with an abundance of choices for internet cafes and co-working spaces. You can also find co-working spaces that come with extra facilities. These may include gym access, communal workspaces, and private workspaces, with both high-speed wired and wireless internet, such as at Uluwatu Hub.
Depending on your budget, you can choose to work at cute internet cafes or at cliffside restaurants overlooking the Uluwatu peninsula. The freedom of choice is what makes Uluwatu an amazing place to live for remote working surfers. So how much does it all actually cost?
1-Month Budget Breakdown
This is my average breakdown of living in Uluwatu as a digital nomad surfer. It is based off of strike missions and spending several weeks at a time living there. It is a budget breakdown that is not for extravagant living, however it is not entirely focussed on cost-saving. These are based on an average of what I spent living comfortably, yet mostly locally.
| Aspect | Notes | Price in Rupiah |
| Homestay accommodation | Monthly rate. Includes AC, Wi-Fi, shared kitchen, and hot water. | 6,000,000 – 10,000,000 |
| Scooter hire | Price can vary depending on model | 1,000,000 |
| Purchase second-hand scooter | Price can vary based on model, age, and condition. | 4,000,000 – 6,000,000 |
| Visa | Difference varies based on type of visa and intended length of stay | 500,000 – 3,000,000 |
| Local prepaid sim card & plan | XL provides 15GB of data & 20 minutes of local call time. There are different packages available. | 70,000 |
| Co-working space at Uluwatu Hub | A mid-range affordable option that includes access to a gym and swimming pool. | 2,500,000 |
| Discretionary spending | (2,354,000 per week average) Including surf spending, petrol, food & drinks; see below for details. | 9,416,000 |
Bali Travel Costs: What Things Cost in Uluwatu, Bali (2025)
| Vendor | Price in Rupiah | |
| Surfing | ||
| Surf wax “Wacks” | Ripcurl store | 50,000 |
| Feel Good Inc Sunscreen 200ml | Ripcurl store | 450,000 |
| Suntime Zinc 30g | Ripcurl store | 90,000 |
| Transport | ||
| Full tank of Pertalite petrol in scooter | Pertamina | ~ 50,000 |
| Airport transfer (one way) | GoCar or Grab | 200,000 – 300,000 |
| Food & drinks | ||
| Local & seasonal fruit (watermelon, bananas, mango, mandarins, papaya) | Local market | 7,000 to 20,000 per food item |
| Local & seasonal vegetables (water spinach, cabbage, tofu, tempe, tomato, garlic, shallots) | Local market | 2,000 to 12,000 per food item |
| Jay’s Italian herbs seasoning | Popular Supermarket or Pepito | 29,000 |
| Oat milk | Popular Supermarket or Pepito | 43,000 |
| Bertolli Classico Olive Oil 250ml | Popular Supermarket or Pepito | 85,000 |
| San Remo instant spaghetti pasta 500g | Popular Supermarket or Pepito | 28,000 |
| Soy sauce 620ml | Popular Supermarket or Pepito | 28,000 |
| Indomie instant noodles | Popular Supermarket or Pepito | 3,000 |
| Nescafe instant black coffee | Popular Supermarket or Pepito | 9,000 |
| Baccardi rum 750ml | Bottle Avenue | 300,000 |
| Eating out | ||
| Local restaurant | 40,000 – 70,000 | |
| Western-style meal | 60,000 – 200,000 | |
| Coffee | 40,000 – 60,000 | |
| Tap craft beer | 60,000 – 130,000 | |
| Imported liquor cocktail | 120,000 – 200,000 | |
| Local liquor cocktail | 40,000 – 100,000 | |
| Laundry | 15,000 – 30,000 per kg |
Is it Budget-friendly to Live in Uluwatu?
When considering other digital nomad hubs in Bali, such as Sanur or Kuta, Uluwatu can prove to be less budget-friendly in comparison. It is not a surf town that is entirely luxurious or exclusively for the wealthy, however, the lifestyle that Uluwatu offers – parties, restaurants, accommodation close to the beach – makes it attractive to spend a little more than you planned.
Bonus tip: Ungasan is a town further inland from Uluwatu that will offer you cheaper accommodation, as well as an abundance of local food options and a lower overall cost of living compared to Uluwatu. Though you will forfeit the short drives to the beach and the close proximity of comfort, this could be a better option if you’re looking to maximize budget living but still surf daily in Uluwatu.
Other Costs to Budget for Your Bali Stay
- Flights & potential layovers
- Airport transfers in your home country
- Checked baggage and surfboard fees
- Surfboard travel bag & packaging material
- Travel insurance
- International Driver’s Permit (if you plan to drive a scooter or car)
- Hiring a driver (if you do not plan to drive a scooter or car)
- Surfboard ding repairs and replacement gear
The Real Cost of Digital Nomad Life in Uluwatu, Bali
Living in Uluwatu can be as affordable or as premium as you choose to make it. Whether you’re staying in a simple guesthouse, riding your scooter to your favourite wave, cracking open craft beer after sunset sessions, or co-working from a sea-view café, it’s absolutely possible to craft a lifestyle that fits your budget. With a bit of planning, Uluwatu can provide the ultimate sweet spot between comfort, community, and world-class surf for a digital nomad surfer.
