Canggu or Uluwatu: both work, for different investors.
Written by Nacho Jorrín, partner at Agmakina Group, building and managing villas in Uluwatu since 2019 · Reviewed 4 October 2026
It is the most common question from anyone starting to look at Bali. Canggu fills more and charges more per night, and we say so with the source. But filling more is not earning more: what counts is what you keep on what you pay. Here are both numbers, kept apart.
Canggu fills more and charges more per night on average (75-85% occupancy and $250-350, according to AirDNA and Phocuswright) than Uluwatu (68-78% and $200-300). But return is what you keep on what you pay, and Uluwatu is cheaper to enter: a one-bedroom villa starts at €110,000 with a 10-14% net target. And land on the Bukit is limited.
The market numbers, unvarnished
This table is market data, not ours. And the first thing it shows is that Canggu sits above Uluwatu in both occupancy and nightly rate.
| Canggu and Berawa | Uluwatu and the Bukit | |
|---|---|---|
| Average occupancy | 75-85% | 68-78% |
| Average nightly rate | $250 to $350 | $200 to $300 |
| Who books | Digital nomads, creators, honeymooners | Surfers, wellness, Australians |
| Feel | Cafés, coworking, nightlife | Cliffs, beaches, quieter |
| Land to build on | Heavily built | Limited by the limestone plateau |
Why Canggu fills more
It is the centre of young, connected Bali: there is year-round demand from people working remotely, which fills calendars midweek. It is an excellent market and some developers do very well there. We built in Canggu ourselves before focusing on the Bukit.
What Uluwatu has that the table does not show
- Genuinely limited land. The Bukit is a plateau that drops into the sea: you cannot keep building. That supports value over the long term.
- A different guest. Surf, wellness and longer stays. A market that complements Canggu rather than competing with it.
- A lower entry. An off-plan one-bedroom villa starts at €110,000.
- Management matters more than the area. Our Uluwatu portfolio runs above 80% occupancy, above its area average. That is past data, not a promise.
Who each one suits
- Canggu suits you if you want the highest occupancy and nightly rate, you like an urban feel and you are fine with a market with a lot of new supply.
- Uluwatu suits you if you value land that cannot be multiplied, a surf and wellness guest, and a lower entry managed by someone who operates there.
What people ask us most.
Which is better, Canggu or Uluwatu?
On occupancy and nightly rate, Canggu: 75-85% and $250-350 on average, against 68-78% and $200-300 in Uluwatu (AirDNA and Phocuswright). On return on what you invest, Uluwatu: entry is lower (from €110,000 off-plan) and the target is 10-14% net. And our Uluwatu portfolio runs above 80% occupancy.
Why do you invest in Uluwatu and not Canggu?
Because it is the area we really know: we live and build there, and land on the Bukit is limited. Not because Canggu is worse: we built there first.
Is Uluwatu cheaper than Canggu?
To get in, yes: an off-plan one-bedroom villa in Uluwatu starts at €110,000. Nightly rates are also somewhat lower, which is why the fair comparison is the return, not just the entry price.
The other guides.
Want it with your own numbers?
We show you the villas available, what each one earns today and what would be left for you, with our real figures in front of you. You talk to the developer, not to a salesperson.