The day the builder stopped showing up Halfway through building Soma House, my first project in Lombok, my contractor ran out of money and walked off the job. The walls were half up. The money I'd paid was gone. And I was standing on a site in Kuta with no builder, no clear idea what had been spent where, and a business that was supposed to be open already. I'm telling you this because I get messages every week from people who want to buy a plot here and build their own villa

The short answer A PT PMA is an Indonesian company that foreigners can own, and it is the main legal way for a foreign buyer to hold a villa and rent it out. The company holds the land under a Right to Build (HGB) title of up to 80 years in total, and earns the rental income. Since October 2025, a new PT PMA needs IDR 2.5 billion (about USD 150,000) in paid-up cash capital, down from IDR 10 billion. The total planned investment must still reach IDR 10 billion per business lin

The short answer A holiday rental in South Lombok earns about USD 18,000 a year in gross bookings on average, while a well-finished private villa can earn roughly twice that. The average South Lombok listing charges about USD 78 a night at 64% occupancy (Airbtics, Feb 2025–Jan 2026). Private villas on mainland Lombok averaged USD 189 a night at 59% occupancy in 2024 (C9 Hotelworks). What the owner keeps depends on platform fees, management, and running costs, which together c

Bali or Lombok? The short answer Bali is the proven market with the highest prices and tightening building rules. Lombok is the earlier-stage market, where land costs a fraction of Bali's and the south coast is still taking shape. Which one is right depends on whether you want certainty today or room to grow. The two islands sit a 35-minute flight apart, so many buyers look at both. This guide compares them on the things that decide a villa purchase: land prices, tourism, reg

Why so many buyers are looking at Lombok in 2026 Yes, a foreigner can own a villa in Lombok, legally and securely, if it is held the right way. This guide explains how ownership works, what a villa in Kuta costs to buy and run, and the checks to make before you sign. Lombok sits a 35-minute flight east of Bali. It has the beaches, surf and mountains people fell for in Bali twenty years ago, without the traffic. Flight access is growing fast: Scoot has lifted direct Singapore–