Bali Q&A

Where should I exchange money in Bali?

Answered by Alex M., our Bali-based editor · July 30, 2026

Short answerChange money at an authorised money changer holding the Bank Indonesia PVA licence, or withdraw rupiah from an ATM attached to a bank branch. Avoid airport counters, hotel desks and any small booth advertising a rate noticeably better than everyone else - that gap is the bait, not a bargain. Count every note yourself before you leave the counter, and at an ATM always decline the machine's offer to charge you in your home currency.

How the classic trick actually works

The dishonest booths do not argue about rates. They count the stack correctly in front of you, then remove notes during the handover - a note flicked back under the counter, a recount you are hurried through, a calculator that quietly switches numbers, or a commission mentioned only after the money is on the table (Travelfish, The Bali Sun). The published warning sign is simple: a rate several hundred rupiah per dollar above the well-known changers is a rate nobody could actually afford to offer.

What a safe changer looks like

A proper shopfront rather than a hole in a wall, a visible Bank Indonesia PVA authorisation, a printed receipt, cameras, and staff who are relaxed about you recounting slowly at the counter (Travelnata). Do the maths on your own phone before you hand anything over, count the returned stack twice, and do not accept "no commission" as a rate. Bring clean, unmarked, recent-series notes: torn or old foreign bills get rejected or discounted here, which is also why tips are best given in rupiah (how much to tip in Bali).

ATMs, cards and the money you actually need

ATMs inside bank branches or guarded minimarts are the lowest-drama option: you skip cash handling entirely and get a fair interbank rate, at the cost of your bank's fee. Bali machines dispense either 50,000 or 100,000 notes, typically 1.25 million or 3 million per withdrawal, so a few larger withdrawals beat many small ones on fees. Always decline dynamic currency conversion, the "we will charge you in your own currency" screen, because it is a worse rate every time. And you cannot pay in dollars, euros or Australian dollars here - prices are in rupiah, so some conversion is unavoidable. For how much of it you actually need in hand, see how much cash to bring to Bali.

Related guides

Ask your own question

Real questions from readers get researched and answered on this site, marked "asked by a reader". Leave an email if you want a ping when your answer is published - it is optional and never shown publicly.