Lombok

Lombok lies just east of Bali, across the strait in West Nusa Tenggara. It is the quieter, cheaper neighbour: predominantly Muslim and Sasak, culturally distinct from Hindu Bali, and roughly 20 to 40 per cent less expensive to live in. Mataram is the provincial capital, Senggigi the established resort town, and the south around Kuta Lombok and Mandalika the fastest-changing part of the island.

Getting there

Zainuddin Abdul Madjid International Airport (LOP) at Praya is a 25-to-30-minute hop from Bali. International service is expanding but still modest against Bali's: Scoot flies daily to Singapore, Lion Air daily to Kuala Lumpur, and TransNusa opened a Darwin route in early 2026. Fast boats run from Bali's Padang Bai, Serangan and Sanur to the Gili Islands, and the ASDP car ferry crosses Padangbai to Lembar in four to five hours. See Getting Around.

Mandalika and the south

Mandalika is a Special Economic Zone built around the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit, contracted to host MotoGP until at least 2031 (the 2026 race runs 9 to 11 October). It has pulled in foreign resort money, but also well-documented land-rights disputes.

Living here

Mataram has the best healthcare, led by Siloam Hospitals Mataram; serious cases are referred to Bali or Jakarta, so carry international insurance. Fibre reaches Mataram and parts of Senggigi and Kuta, but connectivity is patchy elsewhere, so test it before signing a lease. The smaller Gili islands remain infrastructure-poor: Gili Meno has run short of clean water since 2023.

Foreign nationals cannot own freehold land anywhere in Indonesia; you work through leasehold, Hak Pakai, or a PT PMA company. Lombok has a long record of land fraud, so use independent legal counsel and settle your visa and work rights first with Okusi Associates. See also our Immigration and Bali guides.

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