It’s a dream destination for many, but how much does it actually cost to visit New Zealand.
Whether you’re looking for an action-packed adventure, a relaxed cultural tour, or anything in between, understanding your trip budget is critical to planning.
In this guide, we’ll cover flights, accommodations, transportation, dining, activities, and more to help you plan your budget for the ultimate trip to New Zealand!
Contents
Introduction
If you’re planning a dream trip to New Zealand and have finally decided that now is the time, you’ll want to figure out one very important thing, how much will my trip cost?
There’s no shortage of articles and guides to read, but as New Zealand’s leading tour operator we have a much deeper knowledge of typical costs and the wide variety of factors that need to be taken into account when planning your budget.
This article is mostly for people who have been dreaming about visiting New Zealand for a long time and want to travel in comfort.
We’ll break down the major items you need to budget for (your flights, accommodation, transport, meals and activities) and give you some real examples of how much you can expect to pay for these.
Most of our readers are in North America, so most pricing is in US dollars.
If you’re someone who has New Zealand on their bucket list and wants to see all the famous places you’ve heard about, enjoy some great food and wine on the way and join the odd guided tour or activity, then read on.
While this is not a budget travel guide to New Zealand, we do cover the basics, but if you want a detailed guide on the costs for a backpacker we recommend this article on the BackPacker Guide website.
Quick Overview of Costs
To save you time, here’s a snapshot of typical costs for visiting New Zealand. These prices are all in USDs and include flights, accommodation, food, transportation, and activities:
We’ve given different estimates based on your travel style:
Budget Travellers 💰
1 Week: $1,200 – $1,800
2 Weeks: $2,400 – $3,600
3 Weeks: $3,500 – $5,000
Mid-Range Travellers 💰💰
1 Week: $2,500 – $3,500
2 Weeks: $5,000 – $7,000
3 Weeks: $7,500 – $10,500
Luxury Travellers 💰💰💰
1 Week: $5,000+
2 Weeks: $10,000+
3 Weeks: $15,000+
Getting here – How much does an airfare to New Zealand cost in 2024?
This is the first (and probably most important) part of your New Zealand trip, you need to get here.
As many of you will know, airfares can vary greatly, depending on things like:
- When you make a booking
- Where you are flying from
- The time of year you wish to fly
- How far in advance you make your booking
So while it’s hard to give an exact guide to prices that will be accurate, we’ve chosen a couple of dates and done some searches on Expedia for options.
in 2024, economy return flights from North America typically range from: $1200 to $2,000 USD, while return economy flights from Europe usually cost between $700 and $1,600 USD.
Travelers from Australia will pay much less because Australia is just a 3-3.5 hour flight from New Zealand. Flights will typically be priced between $200 and $600 USD (NZ$300–NZ$950).
These flights costs are for return travel, for 1 adult for a 14 day stay. We’re showing the most direct route, ie, a nonstop flight where there is one or the minimum number of stops otherwise.
Prices shown are all in USDs for travel to Auckland in peak season (Dec/Jan/Feb)
Here’s a break down of what you can expect to pay from different regions.
✈️ From Los Angeles
Economy: $1,594
Business: $9,274
✈️ From San Francisco
Economy: $1,734
Business: $9,334
✈️ From Vancouver
Economy: $1,772
Business: $5,900
✈️ From Houston
Economy: $2,126
Business: $10,220
✈️ From Chicago
Economy: $2,126
Business: $11,223
✈️ From New York
Economy: $2,364
Business: $12,400
✈️ From Honolulu
Economy: $945
Business: $6,497
The flights we present here are direct. You can find cheaper flights if you travel on a multi stop itinerary, but who really wants to spend endless hours managing stop overs etc
See this article for a handy guide on flight times from North America to New Zealand.
MoaTrek Tip: Booking early and using flight trackers can help secure lower fares, particularly during New Zealand’s peak tourist season, which is December to February.
The purpose of this information is to give you an idea of the range of costs. We recommend looking for yourself on a booking site like Expedia or talking to your travel agent when you’re ready to start planning your trip.
Please note that when you book a MoaTrek tour, we can put you in touch with one of our trusted partners who can arrange flights for you.
Where to stay – How much does accommodation cost in New Zealand?
New Zealand offers a wide range of accommodations to suit any budget. Firstly, here’s an overview of the typical costs you can expect to pay.
- Budget Travellers: Hostels and shared Airbnbs, $20 – $80 USD per night.
- Mid-Range Travellers: Comfortable 3-4 star hotels and motels, $100 – $200 USD per night.
- Luxury Travellers: Boutique lodges and high-end hotels, $300+ USD per night.
MoaTrek Tip: Accommodation in cities like Auckland and Queenstown will be more expensive, so book early during the high season.
Here’s, a quick explanation to what accommodation is available in New Zealand. if you’re coming from North America it’s going to be pretty similar to what you’re used to back home, with one notable difference.
Hotels in New Zealand
Hotels are hotels are hotels. We all know what hotels are, word association probably conjures up large buildings with lots of rooms. Hotels in New Zealand are similar to hotels in North America, but the rooms are probably a bit smaller. There are international brands like Holiday Inn, Hilton and Hyatt here in New Zealand, so you know what you’re getting.
See a sample of our favourite New Zealand hotels here.
Motels in New Zealand: Not What You Expect
Our motels may be a little different than you’re expecting. If you’re in the USA and you think of motels, you might think of a strip mall type place or a Motel 6, maybe not the kind of place you’d stay on a dream vacation.
Motels in New Zealand can be really nice! Some of them are even rated 5 star, and the rooms are beautifully appointed and often larger than hotel rooms.
The main difference is that motels in New Zealand don’t usually have an onsite restaurant, they will often provide breakfast or have a simple breakfast restaurant but for a full service dinner you’ll have to go off the premises.
The origin of Motels in New Zealand is the same as in North America, “Motor Hotels”, so they are set up for people driving themselves. Often motels have really convenient access from carparks to rooms, which can be much appreciated if you are travelling with a bit of gear or never quite master the art of the perfectly packed suitcase and find yourself using your car as extra storage!
Don’t be put off by the word “motel” in New Zealand, check the pictures and reviews and make your own decision.
Serviced Apartments in New Zealand
Most people are familiar with serviced apartments and you’ll find these in all the main cities and traveller destinations in New Zealand, but not in smaller destinations.
To give you an example, you’ll find serviced apartments in cities like Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown, but not in places like Te Anau or the West Coast of the South Island.
Serviced apartments are usually in larger buildings and are similar to hotels, except for a couple of key differences.
Serviced apartments always have kitchen facilities but there may not be a restaurant on site. Services like reception and room service will be at a lower level than hotels.
For detailed price breakdowns, view this guide by Budget Your Trip.
Getting around – How much does transportation cost in New Zealand?
The third “must have” of any trip is transport, you need to get around from A to B to C, so what are your choices and how much do they cost?
Your options for travelling around New Zealand are public transport (mostly Intercity buses but some rail), driving yourself or taking a tour.
You can also fly domestically too, we’ll add a bit more info about that below.
Rental Cars
The typical cost of a rental car is $40 – $100 USD per day, with additional fuel costs. Prices will vary, depending on factors like:
- Car make/model
- Length of hire
- Time of year – peak season is more expensive
- One way or return hire
For up to date pricing and availability check out these rental car companies:
The other option is to take a tour around New Zealand and leave all the driving and planning to someone else, like MoaTrek!
How much does flying domestically in New Zealand cost?
New Zealand has so many interesting little places to poke your nose into that most people want to travel overland and do lots of exploring.
We definitely recommend this too, but we know sometimes we don’t always have as much time as we like on holiday and if this is the case then taking a domestic flight or two during your trip can really help.
Cost of domestic flights in New Zealand
Expect to pay anywhere from $50 – $200 USD per person, per flight for travel between key cities. Note this can vary widely, depending on the exact route and time of year.
It’s quite common for the airlines to offer discounts at different times of the year, so it may be worth signing up to email alerts from the likes of Air New Zealand and Jetstar.
Equally it can be expensive to fly domestically during the New Zealand school holiday periods, when demand is high.
For up to the minute prices take a look at either Air New Zealand or Jetstar.
Common domestic air routes
The domestic air routes in New Zealand fall within two main groups, on the main trunk line and off the main trunk line.
The main trunk line (as us locals call it) is made up of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown and Dunedin).
These are the main towns and cities and there are lots of flights between these airports operated by both Air New Zealand and Jetstar. There are more flights to choose from and (some) price competition on the routes.
Outside of these main centres there is less competition and fewer flights to choose from, which means it’s more expensive, for example, places like Nelson, Napier, Whanganui and Taupo. We call this the regional network.
How to keep costs down
To make it easier when you’re here, we recommend you stick to flying the main routes, this means you’ll keep prices down and in the event of weather related delays or cancellations (not uncommon in New Zealand) you’ll have more alternatives to keep you on your way.
As you would expect, flight prices change a lot depending on the normal factors.
How much does rail travel in New Zealand cost?
Many visitors are surprised to learn that there isn’t an extensive rail network in New Zealand, it’s not like Europe for example, where trains go almost everywhere and it’s really easy to travel all over the country on trains.
But there are some wonderful rail journeys in New Zealand and they’re easy to include in your trip, here are the main ones.
The Northern Explorer – Between Auckland and Wellington:Tickets cost from $145 USD
The Coastal Pacific – Between Picton and Christchurch:
Tickets cost from $130 USD
The TranzAlpine – Between Christchurch and Greymouth:
Tickets cost from $145 USD
If you trace these journeys on a map you’ll see that they take you across a good part of the country and include many of the places you probably want to visit.
They combine nicely with the Interislander ferries too so if driving is not your thing take a train. For more information on rail travel in New Zealand visit the Great Journeys of New Zealand website here.
These are indicative fare costs and would involve travelling over several days to get from Auckland to Christchurch, for example.
Dining and Food Costs in New Zealand?
As you would expect, there’s options aplenty when it comes to food.
Breakfast at a café or restaurant typically costs $15 to $25 USD (NZ$25–NZ$35), while lunch prices range from $20 to $40 USD (NZ$30–NZ$50).
Dinner at a standard restaurant is usually $30 to $50 USD per person (NZ$50–NZ$80), excluding drinks.
When you’re a traveller, either in your own country or overseas, you are almost always required to spend quite a bit of money on food. Travelling can be hungry work so your daily meals and snacks are an absolute must.
We’ll include some updated information in this article and add some of the staples you need while travelling, like bottled water and chocolate. These are travel essentials, we’re sure you’ll agree!
The Global Big Mac Index (USD 2024)
A Big Mac in New Zealand in 2024 costs $6.42 USD
Here’s how that compares with other countries:
🍔 USA: $5.69 USD
🍔 Australia: $5.06 USD
🍔 UK: $5.78 USD
🍔 Canada: $5.46 USD
A selection of common food costs in New Zealand in 2024
Item
Cost
12 inch Subway
Fish and chips
Breakfast in a cafe
Lunch in a cafe
NZD $25 – $25
Do I need to Tip?
Tipping isn’t customary in New Zealand, but it’s appreciated for exceptional service. We have a detailed article about the ins and outs of tipping in New Zealand, here.
In another article, we covered the cost of eating out in New Zealand and included our favourite restaurants in Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, Queenstown and Christchurch for you to try.
A selection of grocery items from a typical New Zealand supermarket
How do these prices compare with what you’re used to back home? For many visitors to New Zealand it’s these everyday items that seem expensive.
Sure, paying high prices for luxury or once in a lifetime experiences is one thing, but for things you need it can sting.
Item
Price in NZD
See more
Chocolate
Insect repellent
Money-Saving Tips for Your New Zealand Trip
- Book Flights in Advance: Early bookings often come with discounts.
- Use Public Transport: Affordable and convenient for city travel.
- Self-Catering: Save money by preparing your own meals, especially for long stays.
- Explore Free Activities: Hiking trails, beaches, and public parks are free to enjoy.
- Buy what you can before you leave home, but only if it’s light!
- Stock up on essentials in the main centres, places like Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch have more choice and generally lower supermarket prices than places like Queenstown and the West Coast.
- Share items with travelling companions. If you can split an item between a few of you, that’s a great way to save. Something like sunscreen is a great example of this.
- Bring a water bottle. Tap water (faucet) is good to drink all over New Zealand and a cheaper alternative to buying bottled water. Not to mention reducing plastic waste too!
How much do activities in New Zealand cost?
We’ll leave the best till last. All the other items we’ve covered so far are the “essentials” of your trip, the basics you need to make your trip happen.
For many people, coming to New Zealand is all about having amazing experiences in our wonderful countryside, we’re world famous for activities like bungy jumping, jet boating, glacier hiking and wine tasting. (Yes, we consider wine tasting an activity in New Zealand!)
We looked at the most popular activities in Auckland, Rotorua, Queenstown and Christchurch, and a few other favourites to give you an idea of how much activities cost.
Cost of popular activities in New Zealand
Activity
Adult Price
Waiheke Island Food & Wine Tour from Auckland
Auckland Half Day Sightseeing Tour
NZD $290 full day tour
NZD$140 half day tour
Bungy Jump Queenstown
NZD $320+
Free and Low-Cost Activities:
Many of New Zealand’s best experiences, like its stunning landscapes, are free.
Enjoy hiking or walking in national parks, visiting scenic beaches, and exploring cultural sites and museums.
Soaking up the amazing views in places like Queenstown are considered by many to be priceless!
See our recommendations for activities to guests on our Kakapo 21 Day North and South Island Tour.
From Dolphin and Whale Spotting in the North to Jetboating and Glacier Hiking in the South, there’s something for everyone.
Summing up . . .
We hope you found this guide useful preparation for your trip to New Zealand as we know figuring out a travel budget can be tricky.
Just researching all the options for your trip is time consuming and often leads to more questions than answers. One of the things lots of people on our small group tours tell us is that they love having everything taken care of with just one booking!
We know how valuable your time is, so let us take care of all the bookings and hassles and you just start looking forward to your trip.
More New Zealand travel articles you will find useful
Do I need to tip in New Zealand?
