Compare · Bali vs Portugal
Bali vs Portugal for Australians leaving home
Bali and Portugal run the same headline regime, worldwide tax, so the decision turns on the details underneath: what each one does to capital gains, dividends and the Australian income you keep.
The treaty position splits them: Bali has a full Australian tax treaty (tie-breaker plus withholding capped at 15% on unfranked dividends), while Portugal has none, no safety net if both countries claim you.
Bali is the cheaper place to live day to day, roughly 45% of Sydney's basket against Portugal's 65% (indicative, ex-rent), which can outweigh a thinner tax saving over a full household budget.
Personalise this, enter your numbers once and every figure below becomes yours: “your estimated income tax: $14,200”, not “0, 22%”. Open the Country Comparison tool →
| 2 destinations | BaliIndonesia | PortugalPortugal |
|---|---|---|
| Tax | ||
| Regime | worldwide, taxes worldwide income | worldwide, taxes worldwide income |
| Income tax on salary | Progressive 5, 35%. An A$120k income maps to roughly 27% effective, Indonesia is not a low-tax residence on paper. | Progressive 13, 48% plus solidarity surcharge above €80k. A €100k salary pays roughly 37% effective, Portugal is not a low-tax country for salaries. |
| Capital gains | No concessional CGT: foreign gains are ordinary income up to 35%. Indonesian-listed share sales instead pay a 0.1% final tax on proceeds. (30% typical) | 28% flat on share gains (option to aggregate at progressive rates). Short-term gains on assets held <365 days must be aggregated at progressive rates for high earners. (28% typical) |
| Dividends | Domestic dividends: 10% final (0% if reinvested in Indonesia under conditions). Foreign dividends: progressive rates unless the reinvestment exemption applies. | 28% flat on dividends and interest, wherever sourced, with no AU treaty relief. |
| Interest | Taxed locally around 20% | Taxed locally around 28% |
| Crypto | Crypto traded on Indonesian platforms carries small final transaction taxes (income tax of ~0.1% of value plus VAT). Gains realised offshore by a resident are, strictly, worldwide income at progressive rates. | Crypto held under 365 days is taxed at 28% on disposal; gains on crypto held longer than 365 days are exempt for individuals. Crypto-to-crypto swaps are generally not taxing events. Professional trading is business income at progressive rates. |
| Australia tax treaty | Yes, AU withholding capped at 15% dividends / 10% interest, tie-breaker available | No, full 30% / 10% withholding, no tie-breaker |
| Social security | BPJS health and employment schemes apply to formal employees; foreign remote workers typically fall outside them. | Employees pay 11% social security; the self-employed pay ~21.4% on a discounted base. Not included in the calculation above, budget for it. |
| Visa | ||
| Best pathways |
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| Visa ease | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Family on visas | Dependants covered on main pathways | Dependants covered on main pathways |
| Fastest timeline | ~0 months on the quickest pathway | ~4 months on the quickest pathway |
| Money | ||
| Rent (family home, monthly) | $2,500/mo | $4,200/mo |
| Rent (couple, monthly) | $1,500/mo | $2,600/mo |
| International school (per child/yr) | $15,000 | $18,000 |
| Health cover (family/yr) | $5,000 | $4,500 |
| Cost of living vs Sydney | 45% of Sydney (ex-rent) | 65% of Sydney (ex-rent) |
| Relocation one-off | ~$12,000 | ~$22,000 |
| Flights home (return, pp) | $1,100 | $2,600 |
| Life | ||
| Timezone vs AEST | 2h behind | 9h behind |
| Flight from Sydney | ~6.5 hours | ~26 hours |
| English | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Safety | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Healthcare | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Schooling | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Climate | Tropical, 30°C year-round; wet season roughly November to March. | Mild Atlantic climate, warm dry summers, wet 15°C winters in poorly heated homes. |
Costs, rates and visa figures are country-module data marked indicative until individually verified; FX and rental markets move constantly.
Honest downsides, side by side
Every destination hub on this site carries its downsides in the open. Here are both lists together, because the right question is rarely “which is better?” and usually “which set of problems would you rather live with?”
Bali
- Healthcare on the island is adequate for small things and inadequate for big ones, serious cases get evacuated to Singapore or Australia, so insure accordingly.
- Indonesia taxes worldwide income at up to 35%: done legally, Bali is often a worse tax outcome than staying in Australia at middle incomes.
- Infrastructure strain is real: traffic between Canggu and anywhere can be brutal, and rainy-season flooding, power cuts and construction noise are routine.
- Foreigners cannot own land freehold, leaseholds and nominee structures carry genuine legal risk.
- Enforcement culture is unpredictable: long tolerance, then sudden crackdowns (on visas, on unlicensed business, on tax).
Portugal
- No Australia tax treaty: a contested residency year can leave the same income fully taxed in both countries with only messy unilateral credits between you and double tax.
- NHR is gone for new arrivals, the 20% IFICI successor is narrow, and most Australians will face full progressive rates up to 48% plus 28% on investments.
- Salaries and bureaucracy are Southern European: local pay is low, AIMA appointment backlogs are real, and everything official takes months.
- It is the single worst time zone on this list for keeping Australian clients, 9, 10 hours behind AEST means your overlap is their evening.
- Winter housing is genuinely cold and damp; central heating is the exception, not the rule.
Make this comparison yours
The table above shows the general figures. Enter your income and family once and the tax rows become your numbers, “your estimated income tax in Canggu: $14,200”, not a range.