Living in Ubud as an expat family means choosing accommodation on a completely different set of filters than a solo nomad uses: enclosed outdoor space, a second room that can absorb a working parent, a manageable school run and quick access to a clinic matter far more than walkability to cafés. Ubud Nomad Living arranges long-stay housing in and around Ubud specifically for families and remote-working parents, with the whole search handled by our team over WhatsApp.
What makes a property genuinely family-friendly in Ubud?
The single most common mistake families make is booking the photogenic open-plan villa that works beautifully for a honeymoon and terribly for a household with young children. Ubud’s signature architecture — open living pavilions, unfenced pools, steep garden steps and jungle-edge plots — is exactly what a family needs to inspect most carefully before signing for six months.
- A pool that can be fenced, gated or supervised, rather than one that opens directly onto the living area
- At least one fully enclosed, air-conditioned room for naps, homework and late calls
- A functional kitchen rather than a token kitchenette, because feeding a family entirely from restaurants gets expensive fast
- Level, walkable garden space rather than tiered terraces with unprotected drops
- Reliable connectivity in a room with a door, so a parent’s video call is not competing with the household
- Parking and a road that a car can actually reach, not a footpath-only access lane
Which Ubud areas suit families best?
Ubud is not a single neighbourhood but a cluster of villages spread across the Gianyar highlands, and the practical difference between them is measured in daily minutes of driving. Families almost always trade a little of the central buzz for space, quiet and a shorter school run.
| Area type | Suits families who want | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Central Ubud | Walkable errands, cafés, markets, short trips | Traffic, noise, smaller gardens, higher rates |
| Northern villages | Rice-field outlooks, quiet, larger plots | Everything requires driving |
| Eastern and southern approaches | Easier road access towards the coast and airport | Less of the classic Ubud atmosphere |
| Village edges near schools | Short school run, other expat families nearby | Fewer premium villa options |
We shortlist across all of these based on where your children will actually be spending their weekdays, then confirm each property’s current condition before you commit to anything.
What about schooling and childcare?
Ubud has been a base for internationally mobile families for years, and the area supports several independent, international-curriculum and alternative-education schools, along with nannies, tutors and children’s activity programmes. We are not affiliated with any school and we do not act as an admissions agent, so we will not quote you their fees, term dates, curriculum details or availability — those change and must come from the school itself.
What we do is practical: we tell you which residential areas keep the drive to your chosen school under a reasonable daily limit, we help you time property viewings around your admissions visits, and we introduce trusted local contacts for childcare and household help. Every school detail should be confirmed directly with the institution before you commit to a lease.
How long should a family commit for?
Three months is the shortest period at which a family stay stops feeling like a permanent unpacking exercise, which is why most families start with a quarter and extend. Our 3-month base stay package is built around exactly that rhythm and can be scaled to a family configuration with a larger property and a second workspace.
Families planning six months or a full school year usually move to a direct long lease on a villa, which lowers the effective monthly rate but reduces flexibility. The ubud villa long term selection covers that tier, while families who prefer housekeeping and laundry handled for them often prefer the serviced apartments route for a first season.
How does the family search work?
You brief us once, and we do the filtering. The brief we need is short but specific: arrival date, length of stay, ages of children, whether a school is already chosen, whether you need a car-accessible property, and how many adults need call-capable rooms at the same time.
| Stage | What we do |
|---|---|
| Brief | Collect family requirements, school location and working pattern by WhatsApp |
| Shortlist | Return matched properties with candid notes on safety, noise and access |
| Verify | Check condition, connectivity and pool access in person before you commit |
| Quote | Issue one written quotation covering the stay and agreed inclusions |
| Land | Airport transfer, orientation, introductions to household help and local contacts |
| Live | One WhatsApp contact for the whole stay, including maintenance and extensions |
Rates are quoted per request rather than published, because family-sized properties in Ubud vary widely by season, plot size and length of commitment.
What should families sort out before flying?
Immigration status is the item that most often catches families out, because each family member’s situation is assessed individually and the requirements differ by nationality, age and intended activity. Confirm your family’s position with official Indonesian immigration sources or a licensed agent before booking non-refundable travel or a long lease; a visa strategy call with us is orientation and general information, not legal advice.
Beyond that, arrange comprehensive travel and health cover that includes children and any planned activities, and identify the clinics and hospitals nearest your chosen area in advance. Ubud has clinics for routine care, while more complex cases are typically referred toward larger facilities in south Bali, so knowing your route before you need it is simply sensible planning.
Frequently asked questions
Are Ubud villas safe for young children?
Safety varies enormously by property, so it is assessed individually rather than assumed. The recurring risks in Ubud villas are unfenced pools, open-sided living pavilions, steep garden terraces and unrailed steps. We flag every one of these during the shortlist stage and can prioritise properties where the pool can be gated or the layout is enclosed. Ask us directly and we will send photos of the specific hazards rather than the marketing angles.
Can we find long-stay housing with a kitchen suitable for cooking daily?
Yes, but you must specify it, because many Ubud villas are built for short holidays and include only a minimal kitchenette. Apartments, family villas and purpose-built long-stay properties generally have full kitchens with an oven or a proper hob. Tell us at the brief stage that daily cooking matters and we filter for it before you see the shortlist.
Do we need a car rather than scooters?
Families with young children generally end up with a car or a regular driver, because Ubud’s roads are narrow, often wet in the rainy months, and carrying children on a scooter is not a reasonable daily plan. Many families combine a car for the school run and errands with one scooter for a single adult. We introduce rental and driver contacts, and recommend confirming your own insurance position before driving.
Is there a community for expat families in Ubud?
Yes. Ubud has hosted internationally mobile families for long enough that parent groups, children’s activity programmes, weekend markets and family-friendly cafés are a normal part of the town’s fabric. New arrivals typically find that connections form through the school and through neighbourhood networks within the first few weeks. We point you toward the current gatherings rather than guessing at schedules that change season to season.
Plan your family’s long stay in Ubud
Send us your dates, the ages of your children and where they will be studying, and we will return matched, verified options with a written quotation. Message the team on WhatsApp at https://wa.me/6281139414563 or email bd@juaraholding.com.