Renting your first villa

Most expats arrive in Ubud, stay in a hotel for a week, and then start looking. The first villa you rent will probably be the worst deal you make here. That''s OK — call it the apprenticeship. Here is what we wish someone had told us before signing.

What a villa actually costs

Long-stay rates are roughly half what daily-booking platforms quote. A two-bedroom villa with a small pool that costs IDR 4M per night on Airbnb might rent for IDR 25–35M per month direct. The arithmetic is dramatic, and it''s why nobody who lives here uses Airbnb beyond the first week.

The price spectrum is wide. A simple one-bedroom kost (Indonesian-style guesthouse room) starts around IDR 4M per month. A two-bedroom villa in Penestanan or Nyuh Kuning sits IDR 18–35M depending on pool, view, and finishes. A three-bedroom in a quiet lane with rice-field outlook is IDR 35–60M. Anything north of IDR 70M per month is paying for novelty, not utility.

How to find one

The platforms most expats actually use:

• Walking the lanes. Penestanan, Nyuh Kuning, Pengosekan, Tegallalang, Sayan. Look for hand-painted "for rent" signs. Knock. Phone numbers on the gate are the front door to a different price tier than any platform.
• Facebook groups. Search "Ubud villa rent." Treat the listings as a starting point — half are agents, prices are higher, and the photos are best taken with a grain of salt.
• A trusted referral. Ask in any community we''ve built. Someone always knows a place coming up.
• Agents. The agent fee is typically one month''s rent. They earn it on contract negotiation and the practicalities of getting your deposit back. A good agent is worth using once.

Avoid: Airbnb for anything longer than two weeks, "luxury villa" listing sites that exclusively quote in dollars.

Negotiating

Always counter the first price. Always.

Standard moves that work:

• Pay several months up front. Six months upfront often gets you 10–15% off the monthly rate. Twelve months upfront, more.
• Bring up specific issues. "The water pressure on the upper bathroom is weak" is more powerful than "it''s a bit much." Owners want long-stay tenants and will fix things to keep one.
• Ask what''s included. Pool maintenance, gardener, cleaner once a week, water, internet, electricity. The rate quoted often quietly excludes one or more.

Rough negotiating range: 5–15% off the asking price. Above 20% means either the asking was inflated to begin with or there''s a reason the place hasn''t rented.

What''s normal

• Two months deposit. Returned in full at the end if you haven''t broken anything. Get the deposit terms in writing.
• Electric is metered separately. A villa with a pool, AC, and a hot tub will run IDR 1.5–3M per month in electricity. Without a pool, more like IDR 500K–1M.
• Water is rarely metered. Usually a flat IDR 300–500K per month or included.
• WiFi is rarely included. Plan for IDR 350–500K per month for a real fibre line. The villa''s existing connection is probably not it.
• A handover inventory. Take photos of everything on day one. Damage disputes are the most common deposit issue.

What''s a scam

• A landlord asking for the full year upfront, in cash, with no contract. Walk away. There are reputable landlords doing 12-month deals on contract — the absence of a contract is the signal.
• Photos that don''t match the address. Rare but it happens. Always view in person before paying.
• A "deposit transfer" before viewing. Never transfer a deposit before you have keys in hand and have signed a written agreement.

A short checklist

Before you sign:

1. Visit at three different times — morning, afternoon, after dark.
2. Run every tap. Flush every toilet.
3. Test the WiFi from the bedroom you''ll actually work in.
4. Ask about the road. Some lanes flood in rainy season.
5. Note the morning rooster situation. There''s always a rooster. The question is how close.
6. Get the contract, deposit terms, and inclusion list in writing — bilingual is best.

Paid in rupiah, in cash or by bank transfer, witnessed by your agent if you''re using one. The deal closes when you have keys and a signed contract. Until then, nothing is firm.