How many people live in Bali?
There is no single figure, because three official counts measure slightly different things. The September 2020 census found 4,317,404 people. The civil registry (Dukcapil) listed 4.34 million in mid-2024. The statistics agency BPS projects about 4.46 million for 2025.
A registry records where people are registered, which isn't always where they live. We use the census as the anchor, the registry as the low case and the projection as the high case.
| Source | Date | Residents |
|---|---|---|
| BPS census | September 2020 | 4,317,404 |
| Civil registry (Dukcapil) | Mid-2024 | 4.34 million |
| BPS projection | 2025 | About 4.46 million |
Source: BPS Bali, 2020 census release, January 21, 2021; Katadata, Dukcapil data for mid-2024; Katadata, BPS projection for 2025
Is Bali's population growing?
Yes, but more slowly than before. The island grew by 1.01% a year between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, adding about 426,650 people in the decade. BPS projects growth of about 0.6% for 2025 over 2024.
The projection also shows a young population. The three largest age groups are 25 to 29 (332,100 people), 20 to 24 (331,800) and 30 to 34 (330,100). Men make up 50.1% and women 49.9%.
Source: BPS Bali, 2020 census release, January 21, 2021; Katadata, BPS projection for 2025
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Which regency has the most people in Bali?
Buleleng, in the north, has the most residents: about 820,000 in the BPS projection, some 58,000 more than Denpasar. Badung, home to Canggu, Seminyak and the Bukit, ranks third, and Gianyar, which includes Ubud, ranks fourth.
Counts differ most in the capital. The registry showed 665,330 people in Denpasar in mid-2024, against 762,480 in the BPS projection for 2025, although the years differ too. Check the definition behind a figure before building a demand model on it. The registry reverses third and fourth place: Karangasem 533,740, Badung 530,230.
- 820.5
- 762.5
- 573.7
- 530.1
- 504.6
- 469.1
- 327.7
- 263.2
- 209.9
Source: Katadata, BPS projection for 2025; Katadata, Dukcapil data for mid-2024
What is the population density of Bali?
The island averaged 747 people per km² in 2020, on a land area of 5,780 km². Dividing the 2025 projection by the same area gives about 770, our own arithmetic.
Averages hide the contrast. Denpasar packs in almost 5,700 people per km², more than seven times the island average, while Jembrana in the west has fewer than 400. Regency figures also blend crowded coast with empty highlands, so Canggu or Kuta feels denser than the 1,310 shown for Badung.
| Regency | People per km² |
|---|---|
| Denpasar | 5,676 |
| Gianyar | 1,403 |
| Badung | 1,310 |
| Klungkung | 657 |
| Karangasem | 587 |
| Buleleng | 580 |
| Bangli | 526 |
| Tabanan | 455 |
| Jembrana | 377 |
Source: BPS Bali, 2020 census; Wikipedia, List of districts in Bali, area and census data, 2026
What religions do Bali residents follow?
Bali is the only Hindu-majority province in Indonesia. The Ministry of Religious Affairs counted 3,773,617 Hindus in 2024, or 86.53% of 4.36 million residents. Muslims are the largest minority at about one in ten.
Civil registry figures show 86.40% Hindu and 10.28% Muslim, so the two sources differ by about 0.1 point. By ethnicity, the 2010 census counted 85.97% Balinese and 9.60% Javanese. Religion also sets the island's calendar, from daily offerings to the Nyepi day of silence, which affects rentals and deliveries.
| Religion | Residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hindu | 3,773,617 | 86.53% |
| Islam | 444,905 | 10.2% |
| Protestant | 75,233 | 1.73% |
| Catholic | 36,959 | 0.85% |
| Buddhist | 29,683 | 0.68% |
| Confucian | 593 | 0.01% |
Source: Ministry of Religious Affairs via Katadata, 2024; Wikipedia, Bali, citing Dukcapil figures for 2024 and the 2010 census
Do tourists outnumber residents in Bali?
Over a year, yes. Bali recorded 6,948,754 foreign arrivals in 2025, a record, which is about 1.6 times the registry population of 4.34 million. That ratio is our own arithmetic.
Visitors come and go, so they are never all on the island at once, and domestic tourists aren't in that count. The flow still shapes the south, where most villas sit. Our tourism statistics guide tracks arrivals month by month.
Source: BPS Bali via the Rise Real Bali tourism statistics guide, 2026; Katadata, Dukcapil data for mid-2024
How many foreigners live in Bali?
We found no reliable public count of foreign residents on the island. Visa and permit totals cover entries and approvals, not how many people live here at any given time.
Treat any round number of "tens of thousands" with caution unless it names a source and a date. The long-stay visa options are laid out in our visa guide.
What does the population mean for property buyers?
Residents are only part of demand. Visitors, not locals, drive most short-term rental income, and they cluster in Badung and Gianyar. Those two regencies hold about a quarter of residents in the BPS projection (our arithmetic), yet they hold Canggu, Uluwatu and Ubud, so resident counts understate the pressure on those areas. For area-level choices see our area guide, and for income see the rental yield guide.
Use population numbers as context, not as a forecast of prices.
- Which source and which year a figure comes from
- Whether it counts registered residents or the people who actually live there
- The regency average against what you see on the street in your area
- Residents against visitors
- Whether a claim about foreign residents names a source and a date
What this means for buyers
- Bali has about 4.3 to 4.5 million residents, and the answer depends on which official count you pick.
- Buleleng has the most people, but Denpasar is by far the densest.
- About 86.5% of residents are Hindu, which shapes the calendar.
- Foreign arrivals dwarf the local population over a year, yet no public count of foreign residents exists.
FAQ
What is the population of Bali in 2026?
No official 2026 count is published yet. The latest BPS projection is about 4.46 million for 2025. The 2020 census counted 4,317,404, and the civil registry showed 4.34 million in mid-2024. For planning, use a range of 4.3 to 4.5 million, and check the date and definition before quoting any figure.
What is the main religion in Bali?
Hinduism. The Ministry of Religious Affairs counted 86.53% of residents as Hindu in 2024, and civil registry data show 86.40%. Muslims are about 10%, Christians about 2.6% and Buddhists about 0.7%. Bali is the only Hindu-majority province in Indonesia, and the two sources differ by only about 0.1 point.
What is the population density of Bali?
The 2020 census gave 747 people per km² across 5,780 km². Denpasar is by far the densest at 5,676, followed by Gianyar at 1,403 and Badung at 1,310. Jembrana in the west is the least dense, at 377 people per km². Regency averages blend coast and highlands, so the street feels denser.
Which regency in Bali has the largest population?
Buleleng, with about 820,500 people in the BPS projection for 2025, ahead of Denpasar at about 762,500. Badung is third and Gianyar fourth. Registry counts also put Buleleng first and Denpasar second, though the exact figures differ. Buleleng's lead surprises many people, because the busiest resorts sit in the south.
How many tourists visit Bali compared with residents?
Bali recorded 6,948,754 foreign arrivals in 2025, about 1.6 times the registry population of 4.34 million. Visitors stay briefly, so they are never all present at once, and domestic tourists are counted separately. Our tourism statistics guide breaks arrivals down by month and by country.
How we know this
Census figures come from BPS Bali's 2020 release. The 2025 projection and the registry counts come from Katadata, which republishes BPS and Dukcapil data. Katadata dates the 4.46 million projection to 2025, while Wikipedia lists the same total as a mid-2024 estimate, so we label it as a projection. Religion data come from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and from Dukcapil via Wikipedia. The 2010 ethnic shares come from Wikipedia alone. Ratios and the 770 density are our arithmetic. We found no public count of foreign residents and give none.
- BPS Bali, Results of the 2020 Population Census, January 21, 2021
- Katadata, Bali population projection 2025 (BPS) and Bali population mid-2024 (Dukcapil)
- Katadata, Hindu population of Bali, Ministry of Religious Affairs, 2024
- Wikipedia, Bali and List of districts in Bali, 2026
- BPS Bali foreign arrivals for 2025, as reported in our tourism statistics guide
By Dmitrii Rogov, Rise Real Bali.
Rise Real Bali is a real estate agency in Bali. We write from the deals we handle and from public data, and we name our sources.
This report is published under the CC BY 4.0 license. You may quote, republish and use the figures and text commercially if you credit "Rise Real Bali", name the license and link to this page. Photos and renderings are not covered by the license: their rights belong to the developers and other rights holders.
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