Bahamas vs Indonesia: which nomad visa wins?
Bahamas is easier to qualify for, and Indonesiais cheaper day to day. Here's the full breakdown — then model it with your own income.
Updated November 2026 · figures in USD for a single applicant.
| Metric | 🇧🇸 Bahamas | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Income needed (single) | Flexible | $5,000/mo |
| Tax on foreign income | 0% | 0% |
| Special tax regime | — | — |
| Path to citizenship | No residency path | No residency path |
| Comfortable budget (solo) | $3,517/mo | $1,568/mo |
| Visa length | 1 year | 1 year |
| Safety index | 60/100 | 65/100 |
| Internet | 90 Mbps | 60 Mbps |
| English | Very high | Moderate |
| Region | Caribbean | Asia-Pacific |
See it with your numbers
Set your household, how you earn and your income — both countries recompute live.
Optional — unlocks age- and savings-gated visas (retirement, youth-mobility, golden visas).
Live — adjust who's going, how you earn and your income above and both columns update.
Effective tax at different incomes
Approximate all-in rate for a solo employee who becomes tax-resident.
| Monthly income | 🇧🇸 Bahamas | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| $3,000/mo | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| $6,000/mo | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| $12,000/mo | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Choose 🇧🇸 Bahamas if…
Zero income tax, no income floor and US-aligned hours — the Bahamas is built for high earners who want pristine beaches without a tax bill.
- No income tax and no minimum-income requirement.
- Same time zone as the US East Coast.
- Some of the best beaches on earth.
Choose 🇮🇩 Indonesia if…
Bali finally has a real one-year visa — and it makes your foreign income tax-free, cementing the island's place at the centre of the nomad world.
- Foreign income explicitly exempt from tax.
- Bali's Canggu/Ubud are iconic nomad hubs.
- Low costs and a vast community.
Want the numbers for your income and family, with more countries?
Bahamas vs Indonesia: FAQ
Is Bahamas or Indonesia better for digital nomads?
Bahamas has the lower income bar, tax treatment is similar, and Indonesia is cheaper to live in. Neither nomad visa leads directly to citizenship.
How much income do you need for Bahamas vs Indonesia?
Bahamas requires about $0/mo for a single applicant; Indonesia requires about $5,000/mo.
Do digital nomads pay tax in Bahamas or Indonesia?
Bahamas: Zero income tax for everyone — a classic tax-neutral jurisdiction. — Indonesia: The E33G is marketed as exempting foreign-earned income, but staying 183+ days makes you an Indonesian tax resident — full exemption beyond that can need a separate expertise-based application (PMK-18/PMK.03/2021), so treat 0% as best-case. DGT regulation PER-23/PJ/2025 (effective 9 Dec 2025) adds a substance-over-form 'intent to reside' test alongside the 183-day count, and Article 4(3) explicitly lists an ITAS valid over 183 days — exactly what the E33G issues — as evidence of that intent, which can trigger tax residency before day 183 under Article 3(a)(3). That's the regulation's own text, not just adviser interpretation; how aggressively DJP enforces it against ordinary E33G holders is untested.
Figures are 2026 planning estimates in USD for a single applicant. Confirm details on each country's official source before applying.