Bestest place to live on Bali

My personal choice is Ubud as it is the cultural center of Bali and less ruined by tourism than some other places. It is also relaxing if you can find a secluded area. But Ubud does not have the beaches, so that is the only negative.

The rent for a villa varies much but if you look at the Bali Advertiser website you may find something interesting. It is good to come and search as I did.

Good luck in your move.

I agree with Saintjean about Ubud...which btw, is far more than just the town of Ubud.  All around the central town are numerous small villages which are secluded, quiet and delightful in their own unique way.

Before you commit to any area, on your next trip you might plan for a two week road trip all around Bali to get a good feel of the entire island.  Each area of Bali is very unique. 

Good luck with your plans!

I have yet to visit that island, but I understand from posters that live there it's almost like two places, one ideal for the party crowd, the other for people looking for a quieter existence, perhaps soaking up local culture and having a generally nice time.
Assuming that's true, perhaps you could specify your preference.

Perhaps you can get out of your home sometimes. You cannot understand or appreciate Indonesia fully until you have been to Bali. Reading about it is not the same as experiencing it.

Reading about Bali is not the same as experiencing it, but Bali is very different in many ways to all other regions of this wonderful country.
I'm far too humble to offer specific advice about the island, simply mentioning something that seems to be pretty much common knowledge amongst people who have lived there for many years, mentioned on this forum by those people many times, but missing from this thread.
As a side note; understanding Bali will give a person very little understanding of Java or Lombok as they are very different places, even though they are so close together.
Bali's history is very much different to any other part of Indonesia and Bali has its own specific issues that are unique to the island, in this case the international tourist areas that simply don't exist in most other parts of Indonesia.
One person might well love to live in a red hot party zone, whilst another would far sooner absorb the local culture and/or want to live a quiet life, perhaps painting or reading and generally relaxing.

Thus my comment is not only informative, but possibly essential for anyone considering a long term rent.

Fred wrote:

Thus my comment is not only informative, but possibly essential for anyone considering a long term rent.

A very humble response 

Thank you Jean. I'll definitely checkout Ubud. Sounds like a cool place. Thanks too Ubudian the road trip is a great idea. I know Bali a little but not from the standpoint of living there so your advice is super.

I would def say Ubud to. It's not only centrally located but very peaceful and tranquil just outside the centre. A lot of places to stay for example guesthouses. And ofcourse very friendly people. Good Luck, I have the same dream