The Great Expat Shift: Why Australians Are Turning To Bali & Lombok — And The Tax Structures They Need To Get Right
By Jamie McIntyre, Political Commentator, Founder of Australian National Review
There’s a quiet migration underway. Not loud, not chaotic… but steady, deliberate, and accelerating.
Australians are not just holidaying in Bali anymore.
They’re relocating, diversifying, and in many cases, escaping.
And it’s not just Australians.
Europeans, Middle Eastern expats, and even high-net-worth individuals exiting Dubai are now looking toward Bali and Lombok as their next base.
What was once a tropical playground is fast becoming something else entirely:
A global safe haven for capital, lifestyle, and freedom.
⸻
WHY AUSTRALIANS ARE LEAVING — OR AT LEAST HEDGING THEIR BETS
Australia has become one of the most expensive places in the world to live.
Now layer on top:
•Rising fuel costs
•Supply chain pressures
•Increasing food prices
•High interest rates
•Growing concerns of a global downturn or even another GFC
The financial pressure is no longer theoretical. It’s hitting households weekly.
For many, Bali represents a kind of economic reset button.
In places like Bali and Lombok:
•Living costs can be 50–70% lower
•Domestic staff and services are affordable
•Lifestyle quality is often higher, not lower
•Visa pathways are becoming easier
Indonesia has also introduced and expanded:
•Visa on Arrival (VOA)
•Second Home Visas
•Investor KITAS residency options
At the same time, the Indonesian government has openly stated ambitions to position Bali as a future financial and business hub comparable to Dubai.
⸻
THE “GLOBAL REFUGEE CAMP” EFFECT
According to Jamie McIntyre, what we are seeing now is not the peak.
It’s the early phase.
He describes Bali as becoming:
“a global refugee camp… not in the traditional sense, but for capital, entrepreneurs, and families seeking freedom, affordability, and lifestyle.”
Post-COVID, the trend began as a trickle.
Remote work, digital businesses, and online income streams removed the need to stay in expensive Western cities.
Now, with geopolitical tensions rising and economic uncertainty increasing, that trickle is turning into a flood of relocation capital.
⸻
DUBAI WEALTH NOW LOOKING EAST
Dubai has long been one of the world’s largest expat hubs.
But recent reports suggest:
•Rising living costs
•Geopolitical proximity concerns
•Market saturation
…are pushing some high-net-worth individuals to explore alternatives.
And Bali is ticking boxes:
•Neutral geopolitical positioning
•Strong tourism economy
•Growing international flight connectivity
•Cultural familiarity for expats
⸻
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR PROPERTY PRICES
When migration meets limited supply, prices don’t creep — they jump.
Bali has already seen:
•Significant land price increases post-2020
•Strong rental yields driven by tourism + expats
•Increasing scarcity in prime areas like Seminyak and Canggu
But here’s where it gets interesting…
Part 2 next….
