Moving to Bali With Your Family: A Real Look at the Lifestyle Shift
More and more European and North American families are choosing Bali as their new base. The reasons are rarely about the beaches. They are about something deeper: reclaiming time, redesigning daily life, and giving children an environment that simply isn't accessible back home. This article looks honestly at what changes when a family moves to Bali — and what to plan for before making the jump.
Why Families Are Choosing Bali Over Europe and the US
Sophie left France at 40 with her husband and two kids. Everyone told her she was making a mistake. School. Safety. Stability. Career. Family back home. Two years in, she describes her family life with one word: "reclaimed".
Her story isn't unique. Across Canggu, Umalas, Sanur and Pererenan, you'll find families who made the same move for the same reason: not the scenery, but the lifestyle.
What Actually Changes for a Family in Bali
Time With Your Kids — and Your Partner
In most European or American cities, parents lose 1 to 2 hours per day in commute and another hour to mental load. In Bali, both shrink dramatically. Many families have lunch together. Parents pick kids up by 3 PM. Surf and swim sessions happen after school, not on weekends only.
Help at Home, Without Guilt
A nanny, a housekeeper, and a cook are accessible to middle-class families in Bali — not just the wealthy. For 400 to 800 USD per month, families gain back hours of mental space every week. This single shift transforms how mothers and fathers experience parenting.
Schools That Compete With Top European Systems
International schools in Bali — Green School, Canggu Community School, Sunrise School, Bali Island School, ProEd — follow IB, British, or American curricula and consistently rank well within Asia. Tuition ranges from 8,000 to 25,000 USD per year per child, lower than equivalent schools in London or Singapore.
Childhood Spent Outside
Children in Bali grow up outdoors. They swim weekly, learn to surf early, eat fresh food, spend hours in nature, and live in communities where outdoor play is the default. The contrast with screen-heavy urban childhoods is one of the most common reasons parents cite for staying.
What You Need to Plan Before Moving
Visa: KITAS or second-home visa is the standard route for families staying long term.
Schools: apply 6 to 9 months before move-in. The best ones have waiting lists.
Healthcare: international clinics in Sanur, Denpasar and Canggu are excellent for everyday needs; serious surgeries are typically handled in Singapore or Bangkok.
Housing: pick a family-friendly area like Umalas, Sanur, Pererenan or Berawa — quieter, more residential, walking access to schools.
Insurance: take out a strong international health plan before arriving.
Honest Tradeoffs
Bali isn't perfect. Traffic in Canggu can be intense. Some bureaucratic processes are slow. Distance from grandparents matters for many families. And the wet season tests everyone's patience.
But every family we meet who has made the move describes the same shift: they stopped surviving their week and started actually living it. That is the deeper reason behind the move.
Finding a Family-Friendly Villa
Family living in Bali requires a very different villa than a couple's retreat or a remote worker setup. Garden space, multiple bedrooms with AC, secure entry, distance from busy roads, and proximity to schools all matter. Get My Home's matching system filters specifically for family criteria, so you don't waste weeks visiting villas that were never designed for the way you live.
Find a family-ready villa in Bali matched to your school, neighborhood and lifestyle needs, only on Get My Home.
