Denpasar (Bali)
Indonesia · Asia · 930K people
Island hub for remote workers, weak public transport, strong surf culture.
Ranked #237 of 303 overall · -8.65, 115.22
Overview
Denpasar (Bali), Indonesia, is home to about 930,000 residents and has built a reputation that goes beyond its size. Denpasar (Bali) is coastal, with the sea shaping daily life and the local economy. It's known for warm, sun-heavy weather for most of the year. People who choose to settle in Denpasar (Bali) tend to point to a genuinely affordable cost of living, a climate most people find easy to live with, and solid infrastructure for remote work as the deciding factors. Against its 76 tracked peers in Asia, Denpasar (Bali)'s 6.0/10 overall score sits 0.5 points below the regional average of 6.5, though a lower average score doesn't rule it out — it depends entirely on which criteria matter most to you. On CityMatch, Denpasar (Bali) scores 6.0/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #237 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is cost of living at 8/10, while public transport is its softest spot at 3/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
One of the more affordable picks in our database.
No particular red flags.
Worth checking seasonal pollution patterns.
Budget for a car or regular rideshares.
A real selling point if climate matters to you.
Healthcare access is average at best.
Covers standard connectivity needs.
Is Denpasar (Bali) right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
At 8/10, Denpasar (Bali) is genuinely easy on the budget — one of the more affordable options for the lifestyle it offers.
Climate scores 8/10 — genuinely pleasant weather is one of the clearer reasons people choose Denpasar (Bali).
Internet and connectivity score 7/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Trade-offs
Transport is the soft spot at 3/10 — plan on a car or regular rideshares rather than relying on public transit alone.
Environment and air quality score just 5/10 — a real consideration if pollution affects you personally.
Is Denpasar (Bali) safe?
Denpasar (Bali) scores 6/10 on safety — solidly average. Nothing here suggests a specific red flag, but the usual big-city precautions (watching belongings, being aware at night) still apply.
At night
Nighttime is fine in most central areas, but it's worth checking which neighborhoods quiet down early versus stay lively and populated.
For tourists
Tourists are generally fine sticking to well-trodden areas; the usual advice about watching belongings in crowds and transit hubs applies.
For families
Families would want to weigh the 5.3/10 average of safety, healthcare and environment carefully against what specifically matters most to your household.
For solo travelers
Solo travel here is broadly fine with standard precautions; it's worth reading recent, specific traveler reports rather than relying on the city's reputation alone.
On public transport
We'd be more selective about late-night public transport here — daytime use is generally fine, but off-peak service and platforms are worth a second thought.
Practical tips
- →Stick to well-lit, populated streets after dark, as you would in most cities.
- →Keep valuables out of sight rather than out of caution about any specific threat.
What's the climate like in Denpasar (Bali)?
At 8/10, Denpasar (Bali)'s climate is a genuine selling point, consistently one of the better-scoring factors on its scorecard.
Seasonal character
Tagged as a warm-climate city in our data — expect mild winters and a long stretch of pleasant, sun-heavy weather rather than a sharp seasonal divide.
Comfort level
Comfort level is high enough that climate rarely dictates day-to-day plans — a rare trait among the cities we track.
Best time to live here
With a climate this consistent, there isn't a single "best" window — most of the year works.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Denpasar (Bali)
Put together, quality of life in Denpasar (Bali) is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: denpasar (bali) doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's worth planning around.
Pace & lifestyle
Denpasar (Bali) doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor time is reasonably pleasant, with environment (5/10) and climate (8/10) scores that don't get in the way, without being a specific draw either.
Getting around
Transport is a genuine weak point (3/10); budgeting for a car or regular rideshares is close to a practical necessity for daily life.
Culture & leisure
Denpasar (Bali) isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Denpasar (Bali) tends to suit people who prioritize cost of living and climate over public transport — see "Who Denpasar (Bali) suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Denpasar (Bali)?
Environment (5/10) points to some real seasonal pollution patterns worth knowing about if air quality affects you personally.
Public spaces
We don't have a dedicated public-space or waste-management score — the environment figure above (driven mainly by air quality) is the best available proxy, and it suggests room for improvement in at least some areas.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Denpasar (Bali) suits
Digital nomad
Digital nomads — remote workers who need fast internet and an affordable, pleasant base (fit score 6.6/10 here).
Freelancer
Freelancers — independent workers balancing cost of living against healthcare access (fit score 6.3/10 here).
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs — founders and small business owners who need reliable connectivity and a livable base without big-city costs (fit score 6.3/10 here).
Young professional
Young professionals — early-career movers who want nightlife and transit within budget, without yet prioritizing healthcare or climate (fit score 6.0/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
With a cost-of-living score of 8/10, Denpasar (Bali) sits among the more budget-friendly options in our database, which matters as much for a short stay as for a permanent move.
Safety
Safety here (6/10) is solidly average: no specific area to avoid categorically, but standard urban awareness applies.
Climate
At 8/10 for climate, Denpasar (Bali) is about as pleasant, weather-wise, as our database gets — a real factor if seasonal mood or outdoor time matters to you.
Quality of life
Quality of life in Denpasar (Bali) is uneven rather than uniformly good or bad — a 6.0/10 average built on a clear high point in cost of living and a clear weak point in public transport. The average across all seven criteria is 6.0/10.
Transport
Public transport is a genuine weak point in Denpasar (Bali) (3/10) — plan on driving or ride-hailing for most of what a metro system would otherwise cover.
Internet & remote work
Denpasar (Bali)'s internet score of 7/10 covers standard remote-work needs without much friction.
Why choose Denpasar (Bali)?
Denpasar (Bali) makes the most sense if cost of living matters more to you than public transport — at 6.0/10 overall, it's a solid rather than perfect pick, and the trade-offs above are worth weighing against your own priorities rather than the headline score alone.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Denpasar (Bali) safe?
Denpasar (Bali) scores 6/10 on safety — generally fine, with the usual precautions you'd take in any mid-sized city.
What budget do I need to live in Denpasar (Bali)?
Denpasar (Bali) scores 8/10 on affordability — one of the cheaper cities in our database. A modest budget covers a comfortable lifestyle here compared to most of the 303 cities we track.
Is Denpasar (Bali) good for families?
Denpasar (Bali) isn't a natural fit for families on paper: the average of safety, healthcare and environment scores (5.3/10) is below what most family-focused cities on our site score.
Is Denpasar (Bali) a good city for students?
Denpasar (Bali) isn't an obvious student pick: affordability (8/10) and transport (3/10) average out lower than the cities we specifically tag for students.
Is Denpasar (Bali) suitable for digital nomads?
Yes — Denpasar (Bali) is one of our tagged digital-nomad destinations, with an internet score of 7/10 and a cost-of-living score of 8/10 to match.
What's the climate like in Denpasar (Bali)?
Denpasar (Bali) scores 8/10 on climate — mild, pleasant conditions for most of the year, one of the better climate scores in our database.
Is Denpasar (Bali) pleasant to live in year-round?
Reasonably — Denpasar (Bali) scores 8/10 on climate and 5/10 on environment, a fair rather than exceptional combination across the year.
Is Denpasar (Bali) a good choice for a first move abroad?
A first move abroad is more demanding in Denpasar (Bali): safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to just 4.8/10, so more preparation and local research is worth doing before committing.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Denpasar (Bali)?
Denpasar (Bali) scores 7/10 on internet — generally fine for remote work, without being a standout choice for it.
Is Denpasar (Bali) a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 6.3/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Denpasar (Bali)?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Phuket and Pattaya are the closest matches to Denpasar (Bali) in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Denpasar (Bali) worth living in?
Reasonably — Denpasar (Bali) scores 6.0/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Denpasar (Bali)?
Based on its score profile, Denpasar (Bali) suits people who value cost of living and climate more than the average mover — see the "Who Denpasar (Bali) suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Denpasar (Bali) walkable, and is public transport good?
Not especially — Denpasar (Bali) scores just 3/10 on transport, so expect to lean on a car, bike or rideshares more than public transit alone.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Denpasar (Bali)?
Cost of living is Denpasar (Bali)'s standout strength, scoring 8/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Denpasar (Bali)?
Public transport is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 3/10 — the lowest of Denpasar (Bali)'s seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.