Investing in Bali or in Dubai

Bali and Dubai are often mentioned in the same breath as high-return destinations. Once you weigh the criteria that really matter to most international investors, Bali scores stronger on most points.

Dubai has a reputation as a tax haven with freehold ownership, and those points are real. But an investment is about more than taxation alone: entry price, growth potential, the breadth of rental demand and the degree to which you are taken care of determine your actual return over a horizon of seven to ten years.

We develop our projects ourselves and pair them with an international operator such as MĀUA by Swiss-Belhotel. As a result, we achieve a gross return range of 15 to 20 percent on our own projects, while you enter at a fraction of the Dubai entry price. Below we set out the criteria honestly side by side.

Criterion	Bali	Dubai	Advantage
Gross return range	15 to 20% (our projects)	6 to 9%	Bali
Entry price	From €98,400	Usually from €300,000	Bali
Growth potential in emerging areas	Strong, 8 to 10% p/y	Mature, flatter	Bali
Breadth of rental demand	Lifestyle, surf, wellness, digital nomads	Mainly business and luxury tourism	Bali
Hands-off management and operator	Full management, international operator	Arrange yourself or via a manager	Bali
Climate and seasonal spread	Year-round demand	Summers extremely hot	Bali
Legal horizon	Leasehold up to 80 years negotiated	Freehold	Dubai
Income tax on rent	Withholding tax approx. 10%	0%	Dubai
Market maturity	Younger, more upside	35+ years of history	Dubai
Accessibility from Europe	Long journey	Direct flights, shorter	Equal

Conclusion

What suits whom

Market data backs up this picture. According to Airbtics (measured February 2025 to January 2026), the average length of stay in Bali is 10.4 days, against 3.7 days in Dubai, with a net ROI of 8 to 12 percent in Bali versus 6 to 8 percent in Dubai. The average nightly rate (ADR) is comparable (around 140 versus 145 dollars), while the entry price in Bali is considerably lower.

On the criteria that determine the return over the term, return range, entry price, growth and the breadth of rental demand, Bali consistently comes out strongest. Dubai remains attractive for those who value maximum tax benefits and freehold ownership above all else.

Our conclusion: if you are after the highest return at an entry level that is achievable for many more people, Bali is the logical choice. If you want to optimise purely for tax with a large portfolio, Dubai can be complementary. A mixed portfolio across both destinations is the best of both worlds for some investors.

Why Bali Estate Group

Four reasons why investors choose us

Leasehold up to 80 years

We negotiated extension options up to 80 years, where the market standard is 30 years. At the time of writing unique in the market.

Developer and seller in one

No intermediaries. We select the location ourselves, arrange the legal structure and contract the operator.

MĀUA by Swiss-Belhotel

International hotel operator with decades of experience, on our flagship Nova Ocean Resort. Higher occupancy, lower return variance.

Transparent quarterly reporting

Every quarter, insight into revenue, occupancy and net return. Verifiable figures instead of empty promises.

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Experiences

What our investors say

5.0 · 40+ reviews

“We zijn al enkele jaren bezig om te investeren in vastgoed, waarbij we zochten naar een hoog rendement in combinatie met een mooi land om vakantie te vieren. Oorsprokelijk wilde we dit in Spanje gaan doen, maar door licentie beperkingen daar zijn we uitgeweken naar andere landen. Tijdens de zoektocht zijn wij in aanraking gekomen met Bali Estate Group. Vanaf dag 1 hadden wij fijn en intensief contact. We hadden meer dan duizend vragen en Bali Estate Group heeft altijd netjes, snel en professioneel geholpen.”

JJohn

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Where is the return higher, Bali or Dubai?

For the projects Bali Estate Group develops itself, we apply a gross return range of 15 to 20 percent per year. Dubai prime locations usually deliver 6 to 9 percent gross. On returns, Bali is therefore clearly higher, and the entry price is moreover considerably lower.

But what about the tax advantage of Dubai?

Dubai has 0 percent income tax on rent, which is a real advantage. In Bali, Indonesian withholding tax applies: typically a final levy of around 10 percent on rental income from property. Thanks to the much higher return range and lower entry price, the net result in Bali remains highly competitive in practice.

What is the difference in ownership?

In Dubai you buy freehold in designated zones. In Bali you work with leasehold; for our projects we have negotiated terms of up to 80 years, where the market stands at 30 years. For an investment horizon of seven to ten years, that works excellently in practice.

Which suits which investor?

Bali suits those who want maximum return and growth at an accessible entry, combined with lifestyle. Dubai suits those who mainly want to optimise for tax and prioritise freehold. Combining both is also an option.

Knowledge base