Thereof, should I exchange money before going to Bali?
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER change money before arriving in Indonesia. Almost all ATM Cards and Credit Cards charge at least a 3 percent "Foreign Exchange Transaction" fee for changing money into Rupiah and for charging purchases which are priced in Rupiah, and this will cut into what you get.
Subsequently, question is, how much cash should I bring to Bali? For spending money we recommend bringing the following, based on your travel budget: Low-cost: IDR200,000 ($19) per person, per day if you plan to eat local and take public transport. Mid-range: IDR530,000 ($50) per person, per day if you plan to dine in restaurants and hire a car or take private transport.
Correspondingly, do you need cash in Bali?
Cash is still an important form of payment in Bali. So make sure you carry enough with you to pay for your small shopping, transportation and food & drinks. Most small shops and street sellers will struggle to make change, so 50,000 and 20,000 Rp notes will be the way to go.
Is it better to withdraw cash or pay on card abroad?
If your card charges a fee each time you use it abroad, use cash, your credit card or prepaid card instead. Withdraw lots of cash at once. If you do it in bits you'll have to pay lots of fees instead of just one. Thus us unless you have a card with no transaction fee for cash withdrawals abroad.
