Living in Bali
Not the brochure version. How you get around, what healthcare is available, who else is here, and what it costs day to day — written about Sanur, where Sanur Breeze Villas is.
Why Sanur
Canggu, Seminyak, Ubud and Sanur attract very different people. Sanur is the one Australians in their fifties and sixties keep coming back to.
Sanur has a peaceful, village-like atmosphere — a town people live in rather than a nightlife strip. It suits anyone seeking a quieter pace of life by the beach.
Ngurah Rai International Airport is 20 minutes away via the toll road, and Bali is a short flight from Australia.
The new Bali International Hospital in Sanur is open, offering medical services to international standards.
Flat terrain, a beachside pedestrian and bicycle path running over 7 km, and low traffic — ideal for morning walks or cycling.
A welcoming hub for Australian retirees, with regular community events, social clubs and familiar faces.
Getting around
The terrain is flat, the beachfront path is car-free, and there are four separate ways to get around that cost very little.
| Option | Where it goes | Price | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Beachfront path, car-free | Free | — |
| Bike rental | Along the beachfront | IDR 25,000/hr or 50,000/day | Mostly cash |
| Electric shuttle | Around Sanur, 6am–10pm | IDR 5,000–10,000/trip | Cash or e-money |
| Trans Metro Dewata | Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar, Tabanan, airport | IDR 4,400/trip | Cashless (e-money, QR) |
| Gojek / Grab | Point to point, on demand | Varies by trip | Card or cash |
Prices as published by Yaran Bali, September 2026. Fares and rental rates change.
Healthcare
For older buyers, healthcare is usually the question that decides whether Bali is viable at all. Sanur is where the answer changed: the new Bali International Hospital is now open, offering world-class medical services to international standards.
For buyers in Seminyak, Siloam Hospital is 10 minutes from de Lagoon. Near Nusa Dua, BIMC Hospital is minutes from the Sawangan site.
After you arrive
Moving countries is the part nobody sells you on. Yaran's Bali team stays your point of contact.
Guides
Retiring in Bali · 11 September 2026
What retiring in Bali actually involves for Australians — the money, the visa, healthcare, how you hold the property, and the questions worth asking before you commit.
Cost of Living · 10 September 2026
What a month in Sanur actually costs against a month in an Australian capital — rent, groceries, power, transport and health cover, with the numbers laid side by side.
Retiring in Bali · 9 September 2026
Medicare eligibility lasts five years for citizens and twelve months for permanent residents, but you cannot use it from Bali. What that means for health cover in Sanur.
Sanur · 7 September 2026
Not the holiday version. What an ordinary week looks like when you live in Sanur — the morning walk, the market, the coffee, the people you end up knowing.
Living in Bali · 6 September 2026
Walking, bike hire, the electric shuttle, the Trans Metro Dewata bus and ride-hailing — what each option costs in Sanur, and how you pay for it.
Sanur · 5 September 2026
A short flight from Australia, a new international hospital, a flat and walkable town, and an established expat community — what makes Sanur different from the rest of Bali.
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