"Affordable" vs. "Cheap": The Real Cost of a Corporate Event in Bali (2025 Breakdown)

By Lia | Founder, Esa Events

Every week, I get an email that asks the same question. It asks for a package price for a corporate retreat for 50 people. I am going to be honest with you. If a corporate event planner in Bali gives you a fixed package price without asking you a single question about your goals, you are about to have a very generic event.

Bali is famous for being affordable compared to Singapore or Sydney. That is true. But there is a massive difference between affordable value and cheap. Cheap in Bali means the sound system cuts out during your CEO's speech. Cheap means the bus air conditioning is broken in 32-degree heat.

I have run businesses here for over a decade, I know exactly what things cost. If you are building a cost estimate for corporate event planning services in Bali, here is where your money actually goes.

The Open Bar Strategy

Let’s be real. A corporate retreat without an open bar is just a long meeting. You want your team to relax and celebrate, so cutting the alcohol budget is usually a mistake that kills the vibe of the event.

However, Indonesia has a steep luxury tax on imported alcohol. If you simply open a tab for "anything and everything," you will burn through your budget fast. We don't recommend cutting the drinks; we recommend curating them.

We build what we call a Signature Bar. We focus your budget on the specific imported spirits your team actually loves; whether that is a specific Single Malt or a grey Goose vodka, and we mix in Bali’s award-winning local craft options. Brands like East Indies Gin have won global awards and taste incredible, or the classic Russian brand, Smirnoff vodka, which is now manufactured locally, and they don't carry the high import tax. This way, you get a premium, free-flowing open bar that looks generous, but you are paying for the quality of the drink, not just the government tax.

The "Plus Plus" Trap

When you look at venue prices online, you see a number. That is rarely the final number. In Indonesia, hospitality businesses add what we call Plus Plus.

This is usually 21%. It consists of 10% government tax and 11% service charge. Some venues even charge higher. If you see a buffet dinner for $50 per person, it is actually $60.50 per person.

Amateur planners often forget to include this in their initial spreadsheet. Then, when the final invoice arrives, you are suddenly 21% over budget. At Esa Events, we calculate the “Plus Plus” in your initial proposal so the number you see is the number you pay.

Production is Not the Place to Save Money

You can save money a little bit on flowers. You can save money on furniture. You cannot save money on Sound and Lighting.

The humidity in Bali destroys electronics. A cheap sound system rental usually involves old, corroded speakers that hiss and crackle. I have seen corporate presentations ruined because the microphone sounded like a dying robot.

Good AV equipment in Bali costs money because the vendors have to maintain it aggressively against the salt air and heat. We only work with production houses that update their gear annually. It costs a little more, but your CEO will actually be heard.

The Hidden Banjar Fees

I mention this often because it is unique to Bali. You do not just pay the venue owner. In many cases, specifically for private villas or outdoor locations, you must pay a fee to the local community, the Banjar.

This is not a bribe. It is an official community fee for security, road access, and noise allowance. If you try to skip this to save a few hundred dollars, the local Pecalang security will simply shut your event down. We list this line item clearly in your budget so you know exactly where the money is going.

The "Rain Stopper" and The Tent

This is the most "Bali" part of your budget, and you need to respect it. It rains here, especially in the tropics. First, you need a marquee or a tent. Clients always try to cut this to save money because they want that open-air dinner under the stars. I always tell them that gambling with the weather is a bad idea. We need a budget for a Plan B structure.

Second, we hire a Pawang Hujan. This translates to "Rain Stopper." It is a spiritual elder who performs a ceremony to push the rain clouds away from your venue.

Look, I am a logical person. I believe in spreadsheets, not spells. Do I understand how a man smoking a clove cigarette can mentally push a storm cloud away? No. But I have lived here 12 years, and I have seen heavy rain stop exactly at the venue border too many times to argue with it. We budget for the tent because of physics, and we budget for the Rain Stopper because, frankly, I am not brave enough to risk bad luck.

Summary

You can absolutely do a spectacular corporate event in Bali for half the price of Singapore, or London, or Sydney. That is the beauty of this island.

But you need to understand the difference between local pricing and cheap pricing. One gets you incredible value. The other gets you a broken bus and warm beer.

If you want a cost estimate for corporate event planning services in Bali that is real, accurate, and transparent, send us a message.

Contact Esa Events. We will build a budget that works as hard as you do.