Shopping In Indonesia
Tired of spending your last $5 on that overpriced latte? Go to Indonesia, where your dollars go further. According to Airtreks.com, total daily expenditures for a frugal tourist in Indonesia clock in at $24! looking at the Big Mac index, the typical price of those sandwiches in the USA is $3.58, vs. only $2.24 in Indonesia. And if you travel outside of Bali, the capital of Indonesia, your expenses can drop even further. Check out these prices in Indonesia for comparison to typical US or European prices.
You can get a four star hotel in Bali starting around $60 USD if you watch the sales. Five star ones start around $120 USD. Hostels are a much more affordable way to go. In Jakarta, the next major city in Indonesia after Bali, hostels start at just $11.50. And this $11.50 is for a bed and breakfast in a converted mansion in the old section of the city! A search in any hostel directory for Indonesia turns up several such bargains, along with a Yelp! type rating and review system so you can know what you’re getting into.
Moving along to food, an Aussie-style steak, sides, and a big mug of Bintang beer will run you $5 US at the Warung Totemo in Bali. A grilled whole fish will run you 20.000 Rp, or about $2.50. As with many local businesses, they still love the American dollar and encourage you to pay with your US money, rather than convert it into the local currency and then spend it. It saves you the hassle of conversion and the storekeeper gets to keep some money in a solid currency and away from the taxman. Street food or cafe food is another great bargain in Indonesia – most serve a full meal with a drink for under $4 USD. Check with the hostel or hotel you’re staying at – the employees there can steer you to some great eats for just a few dollars.
Other great bargains in Indonesia abound. Factory outlet stores are very popular, just as they are here in the States. They’re usually called asli-palsu stores, which roughly translates as “real fakes”. Depending on how cynical you are, these stores either sell tons of factory excess, or they live up (down?) to their nickname and sell tons of knockoff goods. There are many true factory outlet stores in Indonesia, so check around and shop at the real deal – you’ll still do very well. Many stores even put the suggested price in the United States – say, $65.00, and then put their price next to it – 45.000 Rp, or about $4.50 USD. Yes, the deals can be this good. Again, the best way to find out about the factory outlets, which ones to avoid and which ones to go to, is to talk to the employees of the place you’re staying.
Now pay down those credit cards so you can light them on fire racking up charges in Indonesia to take advantage of all the great deals over there! You’ll never want to drink another over-priced $5 latte again.
Incoming search terms:
- 60 bed and breakfast directories in indonesia all indonesia
- 60 directories of bed and breakfast in indonesia all indonesia
- asli-palsu bali
- bali hostel
- outlet stores indonesia
- shopping