Off-Plan Costs More Than Ready in Bali. Here's Where That's a Trap

In the various markets in Bali, villas that are being built are advertised at higher asking prices than ready villas which have the same number of bedrooms.

The premium may be due to high demand, the limited availability of new properties, or the characteristics of a new development; it might also be based on rental expectations that have not yet been verified. The asking price by itself does not indicate whether the premium is justified.

The article looks at villa listings in Canggu and Uluwatu for one-, two-, and three-bedroom properties.

Where off-plan asks more than ready

The map shows the average asking prices for two-bedroom properties in those areas where there is sufficient data available for both off-plan and ready-to-move-in properties.

Coral indicates that the asking prices for off-plan properties are higher, while teal indicates that the asking prices for ready villas are higher. Since multi-unit off-plan developments may be shown as a single listing, the actual amount of off-plan supply might be greater than the number of listings appears to show.

For two-bedroom villas, the current averages are:

• Uluwatu: $271k off-plan versus $242k ready, a premium of approximately +12%
• Canggu: $269k off-plan versus $241k ready, a premium of about +11.7%

The premiums look similar. The composition of the stock tells a different story.

Uluwatu vs Canggu: which market looks stretched?

Most of the properties in Uluwatu with one to three bedrooms are off-plan, while those in Canggu are mostly ready.

Ready versus off-plan stock mix for Uluwatu and Canggu, one- to three-bedroom listings.

The contrast between the two markets is significant.

Canggu is a well-established area in which land is scarce and therefore expensive. Few new projects are currently being marketed as yet to be built, and a greater proportion of the properties currently visible have already been completed and are in operation.

There has been a great deal more development taking place in Uluwatu, the market being mostly composed of off-plan projects. The ready supply is more restricted, and a number of the villas currently being marketed have not yet reached their full operating potential.

As a result, the market for Uluwatu becomes more speculative, since buyers are not just paying for the villa itself but may also be paying for expectations regarding future demand, rental performance, and growth in the area.

Monthly average asking price by bedroom, one to three bedrooms, for ready and off-plan villas in Uluwatu and Canggu. Hover a month to read exact averages.

Does the amount asked for the rent justify it?

By each market’s off-plan ask premium we show the average annual rent for properties that have been booked through professionally managed stays at least 40% of the time.

Even if the off-plan properties are more expensive than the ready ones, if the rental prices in the area don’t reflect that difference, it’s better to choose a ready villa that is on offer at a discount and has a genuine USP along with good management. Off-plan buying can still be viable if there is careful planning, clear contracts, and a price that is below that of the ready properties.

Combine this with a look at how to research a Bali villa investment and the factors to consider when deciding between leasehold and freehold before you finalise the type of tenure.

You can see that the annual income in Uluwatu is considerably higher, primarily because of the scarcity of available ready properties, which in turn causes rental rates to be high and yet still maintains above-average occupancy levels. However, this situation is likely to change in the future once the off-plan stock becomes available and can be rented. If more competitors enter the market, then occupancy and the average daily rate should stabilise provided that there is sufficient demand. For more detailed information see Uluwatu villas for sale.

Comparison table

For island-wide context, see the Bali villa sale supply snapshot and how much a Bali villa can earn. For the 2026 investment frame, read is Bali still a good investment in 2026.

FAQ

Would a higher asking price for a villa indicate that it is a better investment?

By no means does it prove that the completed villa is of inferior quality or that the off-plan property will yield better returns; it might be due to new building, the rarity of the location, marketing efforts by the developer, or buyers’ assessments of future rental performance.

Look at the rental averages for recently completed villas in the vicinity, keeping the number of bedrooms the same.

Is it still possible for off-plan villas to make sense?

Yes, off-plan developments can be worthwhile provided that the building plan is clear, the contracts are reliable, the delivery risk is understood, and the price is lower than that of comparable ready villas.

The greatest risk involved is having to pay the price of a ready villa for a property which is not already generating rental income.

What does this snapshot show?

Most of the one- to three-bedroom properties in Uluwatu are off-plan, and the average asking prices for two-bedroom off-plan villas are about 12% higher than those of ready villas.

Canggu has a similar two-bedroom premium, but the majority of its one- to three-bedroom properties are already ready.

What should buyers compare?

Compare the premium asked with the property’s rental performance, construction and delivery risks, future competition, and its particular location and guest proposition.

A villa that is ready and priced lower than similar off-plan villas, having good management and a clear reason for guests to prefer it, is worth looking at more closely than a more expensive villa which is still under construction.

We used the Arthabase MCP server with Arthabase data for this article. Learn more about how Arthabase builds Bali market data.