One of the islands in Indonesia that many vacationers and travelers like to see, Bali attracts many expats in the place for several decades now. Many factors like climate, tax system, and government lure expats in Bali. Aside from these, the state of medical care, real estate, and shopping contribute to the increase in the number of migrants in this island. Furthermore, people are encouraged to assess the cost of living in the area before they decide to stay in Bali for years.

Climate and Government

Bali is one of the places in Indonesia that is close to equator so everyone should expect that the climate in this area is commonly hot. For those who want to tour the place, the best time to visit is during the summer time, which runs from May until September. On the other hand, expats in Bali should prepare for the winter season, which occurs from December to March. Meanwhile, to communicate well with the people in the place, tourists and expats should know that mostly Muslims control its local government since 90 per cent of the population of the area is Hindu.

Tax System and Medical Care

Expats in Bali should also know how tax system works in the place. The rates of taxation in this island are more expensive than in other places in Asia. The percentage of income tax rates in Bali range from 30 per cent to 35 per cent. Meanwhile, for expats who want to enter the entertainment industry in the place, they should know that tax rates in this work range from 35 per cent to 75 per cent. Aside from these, the local government also implements value added taxes on daily purchases made by people residing and visiting the place. Another factor that people should consider before going to Bali is its medical care sector. There are a lot of clinics and health facilities that they can visit if they have minor illnesses like fever or cold. However, for those who need major surgeries, they need to leave Bali since there are no medical centers that can accommodate or assist them.

Real Estate and Shopping

Foreigners in Bali are not allowed to purchase land in the place. Because of this, expats in Bali should allot money for their house rentals, which are costlier, compared to other countries and islands in Asia. For expats who want to do some shopping in this place, they can always check out a superstore named Makro since it features almost all their basic needs. Meanwhile, for those who do not want to spend much on shopping, they can check the small specialty shops and commercial markets in the rural areas of the island.

Cost of Living

Expats in Bali should prepare at least $1,000 a month in order to have a comfortable life in the place. Of course, the bulk of this budget goes to their accommodation. For those who will only stay in the island for a short time, they can stay in pension house or dorms for at least $10 a night.

Peter Garant has written many articles for Expat Bali for a recently launched website called Expat Philippines http://www.expatintelligence.com/expat-philippines.shtml.