iPhone prices in Indonesia vs Singapore and Malaysia
Do you need to register your phone in Indonesia?
On a holiday, you don't have to do anything yourself. Registering a phone's IMEI (the number that identifies it on the network) only becomes your job if you're staying long term or bringing a phone in to use here.
- Short trip on your home SIM: nothing to do. Roaming just works.
- Short trip with an Indonesian SIM: the counter that sells you the SIM registers your phone with your passport. You can then use it for 90 days.
- Long stay, or a phone you're bringing in to use here: it goes through customs. Declare it when you land and register it at the customs counter. You can fill in the form beforehand at beacukai.go.id or in the Mobile Bea Cukai app, then show the QR code.
- Do it before you walk out of the customs area. You can still register at a customs office within 60 days, but then you lose the USD 500 tax-free allowance.
How much tax on a phone you import?
Anything above USD 500 is charged 10% import duty, and VAT of about 11% on top. The first USD 500 is free. Pick a phone and where you're buying it, or type in your own price.
Customs uses its own weekly exchange rate, so the final rupiah amount can differ a little. A phone you register late, outside the customs area, pays on the full price.
Buying a used phone in Indonesia? Check its IMEI at imei.kemenperin.go.id first. "Inter" on a listing means the phone was imported outside the official channel. Its IMEI may not be registered, and the warranty may not apply here. "BM" (black market) means it was smuggled in.
Buying an iPhone in Bali
iBox has 11 stores in Bali, including Lippo Mall Kuta, Discovery Mall, Kuta Square and Seminyak Village, plus several in Denpasar and one in Gianyar. The same IMEI rules apply at Ngurah Rai Airport.
Tourists can get the VAT back on a phone bought in Indonesia, but only from a shop registered for the scheme, so ask before you pay. The VAT is 11% of the pre-tax price, about Rp 2 million on an iPhone 17. You qualify on a stay of up to 60 days and claim at the airport on the day you leave. Our Bali money guide has the full steps, and our worldwide iPhone price comparison has the 18 Pro Max in 40 countries.