I paid $45,000 upfront to rent this Bali home for 10 years. Here’s what it cost me to retire there.

Debbie Welsch, 57, an American who retired to Bali with her 82-year-old mother.

Business Insider Debbie Welsch moved from Los Angeles to Bali for a simpler, more affordable retirement life.

Welsh's Bali home costs $8,000 annually, drastically reducing her living expenses.

In Bali, Welsch lives on $1,300 monthly, funded by savings and a $550,000 retirement investment.

This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation for our Cost of Living video series with Debbie Welsch, 57, an American who retired to Bali with her 82-year-old mother.

It has been edited for length and clarity.

My 10-year lease for my 1,100-square-foot house in Bali is $4,500 a year — that is $375 a month in rent.

The one caveat: I had to pay my landlord the $45,000 upfront.

I also had to budget around $3,500 a year for renovation costs, totaling $35,000 over 10 years.

In total, my housing costs for a year average $8,000.

The move was 100% worth it.

One of the renovations was the addition of a swimming pool for $7,000.

Business Insider I moved from Los Angeles to Bali with my 82-year-old mom over seven years ago.

Before I moved and retired, I worked as an interior designer, earning $120,000 a year.