Moving to Bali at 60 or older is straightforward if you settle three things early: a visa (usually the E33F Retirement KITAS or E33 Second Home Visa), honest budgeting of around USD 2,350 to 3,450 a month for a comfortable couple, and a legitimate leasehold home near good healthcare, which points to Sanur.
Key takeaways
- Three visa routes matter: E33F Retirement KITAS (1 year, renewable), E33E Silver Hair (5 years) and E33 Second Home (5 or 10 years, no age limit).
- A comfortable retired couple budgets USD 2,350 to 3,450 a month in Sanur, per bali.com's 2026 guides.
- Foreigners buy leasehold, not freehold; nominee arrangements are illegal and unenforceable.
- The Bali International Hospital has been open in Sanur since 25 June 2025.
- All 25 answers below are self-contained, so skip straight to the ones keeping you up at night.
These are the 25 questions we hear most from people over 60 planning a move to Bali, answered directly. For the full narrative version, start with the complete 2026 guide to retiring in Bali.
Which visa lets you retire in Bali?
Indonesia offers three relevant routes: the E33F Retirement KITAS for over-60s, the E33E Silver Hair Visa for over-60s with capital, and the E33 Second Home Visa for any age with a larger deposit. The right one depends on your age, your funds and how long you want certainty for. The deep dive is in our Bali retirement visa guide for 2026.
| Feature | E33F Retirement KITAS | E33E Silver Hair Visa | E33 Second Home Visa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 1 year, renewable | 5 years | 5 or 10 years |
| Age requirement | 60+ (official line) | 60+ | None |
| Financial test | USD 3,000/month income, ~USD 2,000 bank statement | USD 3,000/month income, USD 50,000 deposit in a state-owned bank | IDR 2 billion (~USD 125,000) deposit in a state-owned bank |
| Sponsor or agent | Usually via a licensed visa agent | No sponsor needed | No sponsor needed |
| Path to KITAP | After 3-4 years of renewals | Long-stay certainty built in | After 3 years |
| Work allowed | No | No | No Indonesian-source income; remote foreign work tolerated |
1. What visa do I need to retire in Bali at 60 or older?
The standard route is the E33F Retirement KITAS, a 1-year renewable stay permit for people aged 60 and over, applied for via evisa.imigrasi.go.id and usually arranged through a licensed visa agent. The official requirements include proof of USD 3,000 a month in pension or passive income, a bank statement showing around USD 2,000, proof of accommodation and health insurance. Requirements as applied by agents can vary, so confirm current practice before you apply.
2. What is the E33E Silver Hair Visa?
The E33E Silver Hair Visa is a 5-year, multiple-entry retirement visa for people aged 60 and over. It requires a USD 50,000 deposit in an Indonesian state-owned bank within 90 days of entry plus proof of USD 3,000 a month in income, and it needs no sponsor. It suits retirees who want five years of certainty instead of annual renewals.
3. What is the E33 Second Home Visa and who is it for?
The E33 Second Home Visa grants 5 or 10 years of residence with no age limit, making it the main option for people under 60. It requires IDR 2 billion (about USD 125,000) held in the applicant's name at an Indonesian state-owned bank such as Mandiri, BNI, BRI or BTN, placed within 90 days of approval and maintained for the visa's life. Property can substitute the deposit only if it is worth USD 1 million or more and held under Hak Pakai title.
4. Can I get permanent residency in Indonesia?
Yes, over time. After 3 to 4 years of consecutive Retirement KITAS renewals you can apply for KITAP, Indonesia's permanent stay permit, and Second Home Visa holders become eligible after 3 years. KITAP removes the annual renewal cycle and is the closest Indonesia comes to settled status for foreign retirees.
5. Can my spouse and family join me?
On the Second Home Visa, yes: a spouse, children under 18 (or up to 25 if unmarried students) and parents can join on dependent E31 permits, and one deposit covers the whole family. On the Retirement KITAS the treatment of an under-60 spouse varies in agents' practice, so confirm the current arrangement with a licensed agent before committing.
How much money does a Bali retirement take?
Two numbers govern the move: the visa's income test of USD 3,000 a month, and a realistic living budget of USD 2,350 to 3,450 a month for a comfortable couple in Sanur, per bali.com's 2026 guides. Most couples with a paid-off home country property or solid pension clear both. The line-item version is in our Sanur cost-of-living breakdown.
6. How much monthly income do I need to qualify?
Both retirement visas use the same benchmark: proof of USD 3,000 a month in pension or passive income. The E33F Retirement KITAS adds a bank statement showing around USD 2,000, while the E33E Silver Hair Visa adds a USD 50,000 bank deposit. The Second Home Visa has no monthly income test but requires the IDR 2 billion deposit instead.
7. What does living in Sanur cost a retired couple?
A retired couple in Sanur lives comfortably on roughly USD 2,350 to 3,450 a month, according to bali.com's 2026 cost-of-living guides, covering housing, food, transport, help at home and entertainment. A premium lifestyle with frequent dining out and more travel runs around USD 4,000 to 6,000. Most couples find this sits well below their costs in Australia or northern Europe.
8. Will I pay tax in Indonesia?
If you spend 183 days or more in Indonesia in a year you generally become an Indonesian tax resident. Rental income is taxed at a 10 percent final rate on gross rent for residents, and at a 20 percent final withholding for non-residents, per PwC's Indonesia tax summaries, with tax treaties able to reduce the latter. How your pension is treated depends on your home country's treaty with Indonesia, so take proper advice before you move.
9. Can I work or earn money in Bali?
Not on a Retirement KITAS: employment is not permitted. The Second Home Visa bars Indonesian-source income, though remote work for foreign employers is tolerated in practice. Passive rental income from property is fine on either route provided the correct Indonesian tax is paid.
10. Can I rent out a property I buy?
Yes. Owning and letting property is treated as passive investment income rather than work, so retirees can legitimately earn from a leasehold home, and many part-year residents do exactly that. Use professional management and register for the correct final tax on rent rather than letting informally.
Can you actually own a home in Bali?
Not as freehold, but yes in every way that matters for a retirement: leasehold contracts, Hak Pakai title for residence permit holders, and company structures for rental businesses are all legitimate and long-established. The pricing context lives in how much a villa in Sanur costs in 2026.
11. Can foreigners own property in Bali?
Foreigners cannot own freehold (Hak Milik) land, but three legitimate routes exist. Leasehold (Hak Sewa) is the standard, a contractual right needing no visa; Hak Pakai (Right to Use) title is available to KITAS or KITAP holders for 30 years extendable to 80 in total; and a PT PMA company can hold Right to Build title for rental businesses. Most retirees buy leasehold.
12. Is buying through an Indonesian nominee safe?
No. Nominee arrangements, where an Indonesian citizen holds freehold on your behalf, are illegal and unenforceable, and the person named on the certificate is the legal owner no matter what side agreements say. Anyone marketing nominee freehold to you is selling a structure that fails exactly when the property becomes worth fighting over.
13. How much does a home in Sanur cost?
July 2026 listings put freehold villas near Sanur beach at roughly USD 300,000 to 800,000, with leasehold villas starting from around USD 175,000. Apartments and lofts in managed complexes typically cost less than standalone villas in the same location. Leasehold is the band that matters for foreign buyers, since freehold is not available to them.
14. What happens when my lease ends?
The property reverts to the landowner unless you exercise an extension, which is why lease length and extension clauses matter more than any other contract term. Typical Sanur leaseholds run 25 to 30 years with negotiated extension options; Sanuuri Residences sells on a 50-year term, which comfortably outlasts most retirement horizons and leaves value for heirs or resale.
15. Should I rent before I buy?
Usually, yes. Renting in Sanur for a season tests the town, the wet season and your own routine before you commit capital, and it sharpens your sense of which streets and formats suit you. Buyers who have lived a wet season locally negotiate better and regret less.
Is the healthcare good enough at 60+?
Healthcare is the question that decides most moves, and Sanur now has the strongest answer in Bali: the Bali International Hospital opened here on 25 June 2025 inside KEK Sanur, a 41.26-hectare health special economic zone carrying around USD 620 million in projected investment under Government Regulation 41 of 2022. BIMC and the JCI-accredited Siloam Hospital Bali cover the island's south.
16. Is Bali's healthcare good enough for retirees?
For most needs, yes, and Sanur is the strongest location on the island for it. The Bali International Hospital opened in Sanur on 25 June 2025, inaugurated by President Prabowo, and sits inside Indonesia's first health special economic zone. BIMC and the JCI-accredited Siloam Hospital Bali serve the island's south, while complex or highly specialised treatment still sends some patients to Singapore or home.
17. Do I need private health insurance?
Yes, twice over. Health insurance is a requirement of the retirement visa process, and it is also the practical answer to paying for private hospital care in Indonesia. Expect premiums to rise with age and shop for policies designed for expats resident in Indonesia rather than travel cover.
18. Will Medicare or the NHS cover me in Bali?
No. Australian Medicare does not cover treatment in Indonesia, and the NHS does not fund care abroad either, so your cover in Bali is whatever insurance you hold plus your own funds. Australians should confirm their position with Services Australia before departing, since long absences can also affect other entitlements.
19. What happens in a medical emergency?
You call an ambulance or go directly to a hospital emergency department, and in Sanur the Bali International Hospital is minutes away rather than across the island. Serious cases that exceed local capability are evacuated to Singapore or home, which is exactly the scenario insurance with evacuation cover exists for. Retirees in Sanur carry a shorter emergency chain than almost anywhere else in Bali.
20. Can I get my regular medications in Bali?
Pharmacies (apotek) are widespread and many common medications are available over the counter or on local prescription, often at lower prices than at home. Bring a documented supply for your first months plus copies of your prescriptions, and check specific medicines in advance, as some substances are restricted in Indonesia.
What is daily life really like at 60+ in Sanur?
Walkable, sociable and unhurried, which is why Sanur keeps winning the over-60 vote against every flashier corner of Bali. Bali drew 6.9 million foreign arrivals in 2025, up 9.7 percent on 2024 according to BPS Bali, yet Sanur's rhythm stays residential. Whether it fits you specifically is the subject of is Sanur a good place to retire.
21. Will I be lonely in Bali?
Not in Sanur unless you choose to be. The town has one of Bali's densest communities of retired expats, with walking groups, cycling groups, clubs and volunteering built around the promenade and cafés. Australians are Bali's largest visitor group, around 1.63 million arrivals in 2025 according to BPS Bali, so a familiar accent is never far away.
22. Do I have to ride a scooter?
No. Sanur is the most walkable town in Bali: it is flat, compact and organised around a 7 km car-free beach promenade, so daily life works on foot or by bicycle. For everything else, Grab and Gojek ride apps and inexpensive private drivers cover the island without you ever mounting a scooter.
23. Is Sanur safe for older residents?
Sanur is regarded as one of Bali's calmest and safest areas, with a settled residential population and little of the nightlife friction of Kuta or Canggu. Sensible precautions still apply: petty theft happens, bag-snatching from scooters occurs island-wide, and traffic on the bypass demands care. Most long-term residents report feeling safer walking Sanur at night than their home cities.
24. What is the weather actually like?
Warm and even: roughly 27 to 31 degrees Celsius year-round, with a dry season from about April to October and a wet season from November to March. Wet season means humid afternoons and heavy bursts of rain rather than weeks of grey, and Sanur's east-coast position gives it calm, dry mornings for much of the year. There is no winter to plan around, which is rather the point.
25. Can I bring my dog or cat?
Sometimes, but treat it as a serious project rather than a formality. Indonesia applies strict animal import rules, driven by rabies control, and requirements change, so engage a specialist pet relocation agent and check the current rules many months before you plan to fly. Some owners conclude the kinder option is rehoming with family, so start this conversation early.
Sources
- Directorate General of Immigration, Republic of Indonesia (evisa.imigrasi.go.id), E33F, E33E and E33 visa provisions, 2026
- bali.com, cost of living guides for Bali, 2026
- PwC, Indonesia tax summaries, 2026
- BPS Bali (Statistics Indonesia, Bali Province), foreign arrivals 2024 and 2025
- Government Regulation 41 of 2022 establishing KEK Sanur (health special economic zone)
- Sanur property listings survey, July 2026