If you want to live in Bali long term, you will need these 5 apps. They will make your life much easier.
I live in Bali with my husband. Living in Bali is fun and easy, but it’s totally different than living in Europe. It’s so much easier!
I’ve gathered 5 apps that you need to have on your phone to help you with your daily life. From shopping, ordering taxis, food delivery, buying electricity vouchers, and so much more.
Keep reading to find the apps useful for you to live in Bali long term.
1. Gojek
This is a must-have app on your phone if you decide to live in Bali long-term. It’s a one-stop app for everything! Here’s what you can do with Gojek app:
- Order a scooter taxi or car taxi
- Order food delivery
- Buy “pulsa” or balance for your phone
- Buy electricity voucher
- Order grocery delivery
- Make payment with GoPay
- and many more…
There are many more things that you can do with this app. You can download Gojek app from Google Play and register using your Indonesian SIM card. For payment, you can pay in cash or with GoPay.
How to top up your GoPay?
There are a few ways that you can top up your GoPay balance.
- Top up directly at Gojek driver. Just tell them you want to top up your GoPay (this doesn’t always work, though).
- Top up at Indomaret or Alfamart. These are minimarkets that sell everyday life needs. Very convenient indeed. Just go to the cashier and tell them you want to top up your GoPay.
- At the ATM. When you open the Gojek app, choose top-up GoPay, and then choose ATM. You’ll see a list of ATMs that you can use to top up your GoPay balance. Pick one of them and check the instructions.
- Mobile Banking. This works only with Indonesian banks, so it might not be an option for you.
So far, this app is my favorite in Indonesia. It’s very useful for everyday life. I used it mostly to order taxis or food delivery with cheap fees. If you live in Bali, you’ll be grateful for this app!
2. Grab
The Grab App is similar to Gojek but the company is based in Singapore, while Gojek is an Indonesian company. They started the same: as an online taxi app. Now Grab has also a food delivery service.
The cons with Grab: it doesn’t have its own payment system like Gojek.
The pros: it works not only in Indonesia. You can use Grab also in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and The Phillipines.
In Indonesia, I use only Gojek. Grab is my second option if I can’t find a taxi with Gojek. And I usually pay in cash.
3. Tokopedia
When you live in Bali long term, you’ll need to buy a lot of stuff. And how convenient it is to be able to buy everything online!
There is no Amazon in Indonesia, instead, they have Tokopedia. It’s the same as Amazon but mostly the products are local or from China. So you probably won’t find brands from Amazon in Tokopedia.
But they have almost all the products you need if you live in Bali long term. I find it very convenient to shop here rather than going to the real shop (offline shop, I mean). You just search and scroll and order and voila! It gets delivered to your address in no time!
To use Tokopedia, you need to register first. It’s fast and easy. When you buy anything, you can pay with your credit card. But here’s the good news: now you can also pay Tokopedia with GoPay!
But there is a minus: the app has only Indonesian language. So you need to learn a bit of Indonesian. Well, I do recommend that you start learning the language. It will surely come in handy if you visit some remote places.
4. Shopee
Another app that you can use to buy stuff online in Bali is Shopee. While Tokopedia is based in Indonesia, Shopee is an online marketplace based in Singapore.
You’ll find so many products from China, sometimes even stuff that you can’t find in Tokopedia.
You can download the app from Google Play Store or visit their website. Registration is needed before you can use the app, but it’s easy. You can also register with your WhatsApp number.
The Shopee app on my phone is also in Indonesian language, but if you open it on your browser or desktop, you can choose English language. I like the interface on the desktop too. It makes it easier to search for a product. I feel that the app is too overwhelming sometimes.
5. OLX
This app has a weird name, but it’s extremely useful. It started as a marketplace for selling second-hand stuff, right now you can find anything from a used phone to a rental room or house. Because admit it, you don’t need to buy new stuff every time.
I used this app many times to buy things from mobile phones, iPod, books, bags, and many more. Nowadays, I also check this app to find long-term accommodations.
Tips: don’t transfer the payment before you see the product.
For safety, it’s better to ask the seller to meet in person and pay directly or COD (cash on delivery).
What’s Next?
If you want to live in Bali long term, you need to adapt to the culture and the local ways. Check out my article What is Disrespectful in Bali to know more about what you should or shouldn’t do in Bali!
