Brilio.net/en - Once you get a job in Bali, the next first thing you must be worried is a place to stay. There are many accommodation types you can find in Bali almost everywhere. The cheapest, basic room is called kost or kos-kosan which mostly has small kitchen and bathroom inside, like a studio-type apartment. Some has mezzanine story of loft-like that secure the private area upstairs and give more space for guests to visit. Some other can be a house or villa that rented out per room with pool and shared living room. Or it can be service apartment you can find at some hotels. These are some things you must know and be aware on choosing your future abode:
1. How much is your budget?
This would be the first filter on your search. The normal price (by 2016) for an empty 3 x 4 m room with shared bathroom is below IDR 500,000; an empty room with inside bathroom and kitchen is between IDR 500,000 to IDR 1,000,000; an empty room with inside bathroom, kitchen and air conditioner is between IDR 1,000,000 to IDR 1,300,000; a semi-furnished room with all the other facilities is between IDR 1,350,000 to IDR 2,000,000; and hotel-like furnished room is above IDR 2,000,000. Then again, the price at uptown area like Seminyak or Sanur will cost much more than other areas. The higher the price also determines the room dimension and privacy youll get.
2. How close it is to your work place?
Staying closer to your work place will add a many pluses to your work performance and (believe it or not) affect on your happinessboth at work and at home. Check around your work place and find out which area suits your budget best. Also, check the traffic to get to and from there just before and after your working hours to know how long you will need to go to and from office. Trust me, itll matterespecially in a laid-back island like Bali (where youll wait till last minutes to leave your visiting families or the fun hangout with friends)!
3. Is it easy to find food in the neighborhood?
Some areas have more fancy restaurants and some other are full with cheap street food. Whatever your lifestyle is, be sure you are not far from where you can find place (for you) to eat. Make sure you have some favorites (more than 3 is advised in case youll get bored) you can go everyday to, or even know them well enough to just call and have a delivery on your lazy days.
4. Check your neighbors, too!
They said neighbors could be the most important people at emergency times. Before you decide to move in, make sure you can get along with your neighbors even though they dont necessarily need to be in the circle of your friends. If you like a peaceful living, avoid living around young families who have small children. If you dont like living around animals, dont stay in a place where they allow pets. If you want to know more foreigners, increase your budget to find a place with hotel facilities.
5. Now look inside the room
Once you like the surroundings, check the quality of the room and furniture your landlord is providing. Although you can buy yourself the things you dont like from them, decorate the room with your style or ask the landlord for some upgrades, some thingslike watercannot be changed. Water in places that used to be swamp tends to be brackish and it can be hard to live a daily life with that. Water in other places can contain much zinc (but you cant really detect this) or has yellowish element in it. Make sure you test the water by your own hands before you check in.