Bali eSIM vs Spark, One NZ, 2degrees roaming: 2026 cost check
Last updated 15 April 2026 · 3 min read
A Kiwi traveller saves $45-90 NZD on a week in Bali by using an eSIM instead of their home telco’s daily roaming pack.
Bali is the most-booked international destination from Auckland after Australia. But unlike the trans-Tasman hop, none of the three main NZ telcos include Indonesia in any free-roaming zone. You pay daily rates — and they add up fast.
Here’s the maths.
The bottom line
For 7 days in Bali at normal usage (5-8 GB):
| Option | Total cost (NZD) |
| Travelren Bali eSIM (5 GB / 7 days) | $13 |
| Travelren Bali eSIM (10 GB / 30 days) | $22 |
| Spark Travel Pack (Indonesia) | $56 |
| One NZ Daily Roaming | $70 |
| 2degrees Roaming Pass | $63 |
The eSIM is $43-57 NZD cheaper than the cheapest NZ telco option.
How each NZ telco handles Bali
Spark Travel Pack — $8 NZD/day for Indonesia on most plans. You get your domestic data allowance at local 4G speeds. Seven days = $56. Auto-triggers when your phone connects to an Indonesian network.
One NZ Daily Roaming — $10 NZD/day for Indonesia. Uses your domestic allowance with fair-use throttling. Seven days = $70. Auto-triggers on first data use.
2degrees Roaming Pass — $9 NZD/day for Bali. Similar structure: domestic allowance, auto-trigger. Seven days = $63.
All three piggyback on Telkomsel or Indosat — the same Indonesian networks a local eSIM uses. Signal quality is identical. What differs is price and control.
The bill-shock risk
The three NZ telcos auto-trigger roaming charges the moment your phone uses data in Indonesia. That’s convenient when it works. It’s brutal when it doesn’t.
If the pack fails to activate (network glitch, settings issue, plan mismatch) and your phone uses data anyway, you can be charged per-MB rates that run into dollars. A single afternoon of background app activity — email sync, iCloud photo backup, app updates — has produced four-figure bills. Rare, but it happens.
An eSIM is prepaid. When the data runs out, it stops. No surprise bills at the end of the month.
When the NZ telco option is worth it
Three scenarios where paying Spark, One NZ, or 2degrees is reasonable:
1. Short business trips with expense accounts. Your company pays and you keep your NZ number live for client calls.
2. Frequent traveller plans — if you’re on Spark’s top-tier unlimited plan or One NZ’s premium tier, some years include bundled international roaming days. Always check your current plan’s benefits before you fly. They change quarterly.
3. Heavy-SMS users — if your NZ bank (ASB, ANZ, Westpac, BNZ, Kiwibank) sends SMS codes for transactions, keeping your NZ number active matters. But dual SIM solves this without paying for roaming data.
For most holiday travellers, the eSIM wins.
Two-week and longer trips
Over 14 days in Bali:
- Spark Travel Pack — $112
- One NZ Daily Roaming — $140
- 2degrees Roaming Pass — $126
- Travelren Bali eSIM (10 GB / 30 days) — $22
Savings are $90-118 on a two-week trip. That’s a full-day Nusa Penida boat tour and a long lunch at La Lucciola.
What Kiwis specifically should know
Bali isn’t in any free-roaming zone for any NZ telco. Spark, One NZ, and 2degrees all include Australia in free or heavily-reduced tiers. None of them include Indonesia. If you’ve done the trans-Tasman hop cheaply on roaming, Bali is a different cost model — don’t assume.
Check if your phone is eSIM-compatible. iPhone XS (2018) and newer — yes. Samsung Galaxy S20 and newer — yes. Pixel 3 and newer — yes. Most phones bought in NZ in the last four years qualify. Check yours at our device check tool.
Keep your NZ SIM for bank 2FA. ASB, ANZ, Westpac, BNZ, and Kiwibank all SMS codes for certain transactions. Dual SIM (eSIM for data, NZ SIM with roaming off) keeps this working for free. Voice calls and SMS still reach your NZ number.
If you’re on Skinny, Warehouse Mobile, or another MVNO. Skinny (Spark’s prepaid brand) and Warehouse Mobile don’t offer international roaming packs at all. You’d need to switch plans or use an eSIM. Most MVNO customers use eSIMs for exactly this reason — there’s no carrier alternative.
Denpasar flight times matter. Most NZ Bali flights connect through Sydney or Melbourne. If you turn on roaming at the AU layover airport and your phone uses data, you may trigger a separate Australia day pass in addition to the Bali one. An eSIM installed before you fly avoids this entirely.
What to do next
1. Check your phone works with eSIM (60 seconds) 2. Browse Bali plans and pick 5-10 GB based on trip length 3. Install the eSIM on home Wi-Fi before you fly 4. Land in Denpasar, switch data to your Indonesia line, done
If you want the full setup guide with network comparison, data usage breakdown, and install troubleshooting, read our Bali eSIM hub guide.
Travelling to Bali from somewhere else? Australia · UK · US
Frequently asked questions
Does Spark's Travel Pack cover Bali?
Yes, for $8 NZD/day on most plans. Auto-triggers when your phone connects to an Indonesian network. Seven days = $56. An eSIM covers the same week for $13.
Will my New Zealand bank SMS codes still work with a Bali eSIM?
Yes, if you keep your NZ SIM active on a second line with data roaming off. ASB, ANZ, Westpac, BNZ, and Kiwibank SMS codes all still reach your NZ number for free in this setup.
Is there a reason to pay One NZ $10/day when a Bali eSIM is $2/day?
Only if convenience is worth the $50-60 gap over a week. Your NZ number stays reachable either way if you use dual SIM — you're essentially paying for the mental overhead saving.
Do Spark, One NZ, and 2degrees use different networks in Bali?
No. All three piggyback on Telkomsel or Indosat — the same Indonesian carriers a local eSIM uses. Signal quality and coverage are identical. The only difference is price.
What if I'm with Skinny or Warehouse Mobile?
Skinny and Warehouse Mobile don't offer international roaming in Indonesia. An eSIM is essentially mandatory — and because there's no carrier alternative, the savings are even larger relative to your normal spend.