Compare · Bali vs Singapore
Bali vs Singapore for Australians leaving home
The regimes are genuinely different: Bali is a worldwide tax system while Singapore runs territorial tax, which of your income streams each one actually touches matters more than any headline rate.
Both have a tax treaty with Australia, so either way you get a tie-breaker if the ATO contests your departure, and capped withholding (15%/10% vs 15%/10% on unfranked dividends/interest).
Bali is the cheaper place to live day to day, roughly 45% of Sydney's basket against Singapore's 110% (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 | SingaporeSingapore |
|---|---|---|
| Tax | ||
| Regime | worldwide, taxes worldwide income | territorial, worldwide income not taxed |
| 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 0, 24%. A S$250k salary pays roughly 18% effective. |
| 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) | No capital gains tax for individuals. (0% typical) |
| Dividends | Domestic dividends: 10% final (0% if reinvested in Indonesia under conditions). Foreign dividends: progressive rates unless the reinvestment exemption applies. | Singapore dividends tax-free (one-tier); foreign dividends generally exempt for individuals. |
| Interest | Taxed locally around 20% | Generally untaxed locally |
| 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. | No CGT: investment gains untaxed. Trading as a business is taxable income, frequency and intent matter. |
| Australia tax treaty | Yes, AU withholding capped at 15% dividends / 10% interest, tie-breaker available | Yes, AU withholding capped at 15% dividends / 10% interest, tie-breaker available |
| Social security | BPJS health and employment schemes apply to formal employees; foreign remote workers typically fall outside them. | CPF applies only to citizens/PRs, most expats on passes pay no CPF. |
| Visa | ||
| Best pathways |
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| Visa ease | 7/10 | 5/10 |
| Family on visas | Dependants covered on main pathways | Dependants covered on main pathways |
| Fastest timeline | ~0 months on the quickest pathway | ~2 months on the quickest pathway |
| Money | ||
| Rent (family home, monthly) | $2,500/mo | $9,500/mo |
| Rent (couple, monthly) | $1,500/mo | $5,200/mo |
| International school (per child/yr) | $15,000 | $45,000 |
| Health cover (family/yr) | $5,000 | $8,000 |
| Cost of living vs Sydney | 45% of Sydney (ex-rent) | 110% of Sydney (ex-rent) |
| Relocation one-off | ~$12,000 | ~$30,000 |
| Flights home (return, pp) | $1,100 | $1,400 |
| Life | ||
| Timezone vs AEST | 2h behind | 2h behind |
| Flight from Sydney | ~6.5 hours | ~8 hours |
| English | 6/10 | 10/10 |
| Safety | 7/10 | 10/10 |
| Healthcare | 5/10 | 10/10 |
| Schooling | 6/10 | 9/10 |
| Climate | Tropical, 30°C year-round; wet season roughly November to March. | Equatorial, 31°C and humid every single day. |
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).
Singapore
- No general nomad/retirement pathway: without a job, a business or serious capital, there is no way in.
- The world’s most expensive city on several measures, school fees and rent will eat a big share of the tax saving.
- A 4,000-a-year national day-count habit: many Australians in Singapore drift over 90 days back home. The treaty helps, but only if Singapore residency is solid.
- Employment Pass renewals are policy-sensitive; your long-term security is COMPASS points, not a right.
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.