Trip To New Zealand Cost – In the early 2000s, when we first visited, New Zealand was a relatively cheap destination to visit, especially for the British. The exchange rate was between $3NZD and 1GBP and you could easily get by as a traveler on less than 30GBP a day.
Now the rest of the world has woken up to how amazing this destination is and prices have skyrocketed. The New Zealand dollar has also strengthened and, in short, New Zealand has quickly become one of the most expensive places to travel to.
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It is one of the best travel destinations in the world and worth every dollar. Having recently spent three months traveling there, here are the costs of traveling to New Zealand (high season).
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Budgeting is always tricky because it can vary a lot depending on what you want to do. We have not included costs for flights or gas in these calculations. However, they include accommodation, food, some activities and transport.
Sleeper beds can vary in price, but are generally around $20-$30 NZD per bed per night. $100 a day will get you two dorms, some food from the supermarket and a little extra if you want a beer, take public transport or make it cheap. Luckily, walking around New Zealand is pretty incredible!
Side note: If you camp, you can reduce your costs significantly and many hostels have camping in the garden and you can use their facilities. If you are on a very tight budget, this would definitely be the way to go.
The bare minimum budget for a non-backpacker would include a basic ensuite and car rental along with gas, food and low costs (all the big ticket activities like skydiving will set you back hundreds of dollars).
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You can usually get accommodation for around NZD 100 per night if you search on booking.com. We got a private room with amenities on AirBNB for only $65, but the norm is $80 more (and much more in areas like Mt Cook). and Tekapo).
This will get you a room at a nice hotel or motel in a popular area, a rental car, dining options, and some activities. You can also afford to occasionally splurge on big ticket activities or fancy restaurants.
An advanced budget is not really 5*, but it gives you a good hotel, car rental, meals every night and allows you to do whatever you want.
If you’re looking for a top hotel, you’ll want to spend at least NZD 250 per night in places like Auckland and Wellington. There may be more good facilities in Tekapo and Mt Cook.
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One thing to note about accommodation is that if you plan to travel in the high season (summer) you need to book your accommodation in advance.
We made the mistake of leaving our reservation at Te Anu up to two months before we needed it and the most expensive hotel in town was literally the only one! If you don’t book in advance, you can get ripped off and really eat your money.
The introduction of AirBNB in New Zealand has been a huge game changer, significantly reducing the cost of accommodation. With AirBNB we were able to spend on average less than $100 NZD per night and stayed in really comfortable studios with private bathrooms and space. For a little more you get much more luxury 😃
Motels can sometimes be very cheap in rural areas and outside the city, but have generally been around NZD150. In many cases AirBNB is a better option, but sometimes their availability can be quite limited.
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Hotels are the ones that can really fluctuate between seasons. We saw a 3 star hotel in Te Anau for $250 per night. night, but Hermitage Mount Cook (a historic and famous hotel) costs NZD 150 in winter (we paid $360 for the same room in summer). Depending on when you travel has a big impact on the price of your hotel.
The cost of renting a car in New Zealand shows that this industry is popular and has a huge demand. Campers in particular can cost a small fortune per day, but of course save on accommodation costs.
This is the price of a seasonal rental with a company like Thrifty. You may find a local company that offers cars at a lower price if you come, but you run the risk that they won’t have anything available. This happened to my sister in Wellington and we had to wait five days!
Money Saving Tip – Some companies (eg Ezi Car Hire) have the option of renting an older car with high mileage, so if you just need a car and don’t care how it looks, you can get one for around $60 . day.
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Campers are all over New Zealand, so you’ll need to book early to avoid missing out. This will save you money if you plan to always sleep in the RV, but when you can get an old car and an airbnb for the same price (sometimes less), it doesn’t seem as cheap as you might think. However, it gives you much more flexibility and freedom.
If you’re thinking of hiring one, check out this article with lots of tips for motorhome travel in New Zealand.
Interislander is the only way to transport your car between the North and South Islands. You can think of the trip as a semi-cruise as you pass through the stunning Charlotte Sound to get to Picton and the start of the South Island.
Also, petrol in New Zealand is almost twice as expensive as in Australia, costing at least NZD 2 per liter for unleaded fuel.
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Diesel costs significantly less, but every rental runs on unleaded petrol. Since you have to travel quite a distance, your transport costs can add up quickly.
The price of food in New Zealand can vary slightly, with cheaper options in the main cities than in more remote areas. It’s worth noting that some places, like Stewart Island, have to deliver all their food every day, so prices go up to accommodate this.
We tend to find toasted sandwiches the cheapest item on the menu anywhere in New Zealand. Or many places offer pies, cakes and many other foods that are very bad for your waistline but good for your wallet.
Pub meals are reasonably priced and can be of decent quality. If you’re looking for a burger or something simple, you can often pay as little as $15NZD. Everything else (especially meat) will be north of NZD25.
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Eating out can get expensive and even Indian restaurants charge NZD 18 for a curry and then extra for rice and naan. Other types of restaurants will charge NZD 25-40 for a main course.
Coffee in New Zealand is slightly more expensive than in Australia and the price can fluctuate. Just remember that skimmed milk is called three here!
Beer in New Zealand is quite cheap compared to Australia and not too far from European prices. You also get a larger size than Australia – you can often get a pint for that price.
Wine in New Zealand is also quite cheap and you will be able to get some of the best in the world here. We love everything from Marlborough and Central Otago, especially Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Noirs.
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Although traveling in New Zealand is not cheap compared to many places, there are some ways to reduce the overall cost. Here are some of our recommendations:
High season in New Zealand can vary depending on where you go, but it usually starts in November and lasts until March. During this period, prices rise significantly, and without prior reservation you may have difficulties with accommodation and car hire.
Shoulder season and low season (April – October) often have much cheaper prices and greater availability. Winter is of course cheaper in most parts of the country, but there is a risk of road closures and canceled activities due to the weather. Snowy peaks would be beautiful!
You can save by choosing a nearby city instead of one of the more popular destinations. As we wanted to visit Mount Cook and Tekapo, we found accommodation in Twizel and Fairlie (both at least an hour away) to be significantly cheaper.
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You can use Te Anau as a base for Milford Sound (although Milford Sound lodge is great!) and Gibbston Valley as a base for Queenstown.
Walking is the best thing to do in New Zealand and there are thousands of things to do all over the country. Some of the great hikes are also a cheap activity