Payments in Bali: GoPay, OVO, Foreign Cards, and Cash

Bali is one of the most popular destinations for remote workers and long-term travelers. The payment landscape here is not like everywhere else, and it takes a couple of days to figure it out.

What Works

Visa and Mastercard at larger establishments. Modern hotels, Western restaurants, tourist cafes, and shopping malls (Beachwalk in Kuta, Plaza Renon in Denpasar) typically accept cards. Virtual cards work as well.

QRIS – the Indonesian QR system. The standard for payments in Indonesia. Any POS, any store, and many street warung cafes accept QR codes. It is linked to a local wallet: GoPay, OVO, Dana, ShopeePay.

Cash (Indonesian Rupiah, IDR). The standard for warungs, taxis, excursions, markets, and small establishments. Often it is the only acceptable method.

Local Wallets

GoPay. Part of the Gojek ecosystem (ride-hailing, delivery). Useful for tourists to use Gojek and pay via QRIS. Registration for foreigners is possible with a local phone number and an Indonesian bank account.

OVO, Dana, ShopeePay. Alternative wallets. Less relevant for tourists.

Opening an Indonesian Bank Account

Without a KITAS (residence permit), it is difficult. Banks usually refuse guests on tourist visas. A solution for long-term stays is obtaining a KITAS through an employer or an investment visa.

An alternative is Wise or a similar EMI that offers an IDR account (Wise has supported Rupiah since 2024). You can receive transfers to the IDR account, withdraw cash using the Wise card, and link it to GoPay (sometimes works).

Withdrawing Cash

ATMs are plentiful in Bali, but fees are noticeable:

• Local bank fee: 25,000–50,000 IDR per withdrawal.
• Your issuer's fee: usually 1–2% of the amount or a fixed fee.
• DCC offer: always decline and choose IDR.

Recommendation: withdraw large amounts (3–5 million IDR at a time). This dilutes the fee.

Tricks and Scams

Currency exchange rates. Most exchange offices in tourist areas are honest, but in Kuta and Seminyak there has been a wave of "tape tricks" for years: during counting, the cashier deftly hides some bills. Only exchange at large official exchange offices (PT Central Kuta, Dirgahayu) or at banks. Count the bills yourself.

ATM skimming. Cases occur. Use ATMs inside bank branches, not street-side ones.

Tipping. In restaurants, 10% is often included. Additional tips are at your discretion. For guides and drivers, 10–15% is customary.

What to Carry

On a typical day in Bali, it is reasonable to have: 500,000–1,000,000 IDR in cash, a virtual card for larger payments, and a phone with ride-hailing apps (Gojek, Grab). This covers all standard scenarios.