Thailand vs Bali — Where Should Australians Retire?

Two Very Different Places

Thailand and Bali both show up on every "best places to retire in Southeast Asia" list. They're both warm, affordable, and popular with Australians. But anyone who's spent serious time in both will tell you they're quite different places to live.

The Visa Situation

This is where Thailand wins clearly.

Thailand has a proper retirement visa (Non-OA) for anyone over 50. It's renewable annually, well-established, and understood by Thai bureaucracy.

Bali (Indonesia) doesn't have a true retirement visa. Indonesia introduced a "Second Home Visa" in 2022 requiring proof of funds of around $130,000 USD — a much higher bar. The visa situation in Bali is genuinely more complicated and less stable than Thailand.

Cost of Living

Thailand offers a wider range of price points. You can live comfortably in Khon Kaen or Chiang Mai for $1,500–$1,800 AUD/month.

Bali has become noticeably more expensive in recent years, particularly in popular areas like Seminyak, Canggu and Ubud — now $2,000–$3,000 AUD/month for a comfortable expat lifestyle.

For pension-only retirees, Thailand is the more financially viable option.

Healthcare

Thailand wins here — and it's not particularly close. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Hua Hin all have excellent private hospitals with English-speaking staff.

Bali's healthcare is improving but significantly behind Thailand. For anything serious, expats in Bali typically fly to Singapore, Bangkok, or back to Australia.

The Honest Assessment

For most Australian retirees — particularly those relying wholly or partly on the Age Pension — Thailand is the more practical choice. Better visa, better healthcare, more affordable, better infrastructure.

That said — visit both before you decide. No comparison article can tell you where you'll be happiest.

Use our pension calculator to compare what your Australian pension buys you in different Thai cities.