How much spending money do I need for New Zealand?
If you have a trip to New Zealand coming up - as a tourist, to visit friends and family, for work or for any other reason - it’s important to know how much spending money is needed based on your plans. This guide looks at the prices in New Zealand for tourists, including some budgeting tips and ideas, for luxury and budget travel alike.
How Much Money Should You Take to New Zealand?
So - your question might well be: how much do I need in NZD (New Zealand Dollar) for a week in New Zealand?
We'll break down how much money you should take to New Zealand by different spending types later - but first, an overview. Here are some handy estimates to give you a flavour, looking at the costs of accommodation, food, transport and sightseeing, so you can start to budget, and decide how much money to bring to New Zealand, based on your spending for a day or for a week.
| Travel Style | Average Daily cost | One Week cost |
|---|---|---|
| Budget (Cheap) | $52 NZD 92 | $364 NZD 644 |
| Mid-range | $139 NZD 246 | $973 NZD 1,722 |
| High-end (Luxury) | $399 NZD 706 | $2,793 NZD 4,944 |
How Much Cash Should You Take to New Zealand?
Let's kick off with some key points when it comes to deciding how much cash to take to New Zealand.
While cash is still used in New Zealand, many stores, restaurants and hotels would prefer card payments. Plus, taking a card to spend with instead of carrying lots of cash is more convenient and secure. You’ll still be able to use your card whenever you need to, to make ATM withdrawals - handy for when cash is easier, like for tipping or small purchases.
Bear in mind that some ATMs may charge extra fees for foreign cards - and your own card issuer might have fees including foreign transaction fees and out of network ATM costs. Using an international travel debit card from a provider like Wise can make overseas spending cheaper.
Wise travel card
Order a Wise travel card to buy, hold and exchange 40+ currencies. You’ll be able to spend conveniently in New Zealand - and all currency exchange uses the mid-market rate with no markup.
Card holders get some free ATM withdrawals available every month, and there’s no annual or monthly fees to pay, and no minimum balance requirement.
Is New Zealand Expensive to Visit (in 2024)?
Ultimately, the cost of visiting New Zealand varies depending on your plans, and how you like to enjoy yourself when you're abroad.
Overall, New Zealand is rated as a "moderately priced" place to visit by BudgetYourTrip. Accommodation, food, and activities are all available to suit any budget - but you'll need to plan your time to make sure you're making the most of both your time and your money while you're away.
What Currency should I take to New Zealand?
The official local currency used in New Zealand is the New Zealand Dollar-NZD. If you plan to take cash with you to spend while you're away, you'll need New Zealand Dollars.
The currency symbol is $, which is what you'll see in stores and on restaurant menus.
| New Zealand Dollar | |
|---|---|
| Currency name | New Zealand Dollar |
| Currency symbol | $ |
| Currency code | NZD |
| Exchange rate today | 1 USD = 1.77007 NZD 1 NZD = 0.56495 USD |
How to Save Money in New Zealand - Traveller tips
No matter what you're planning on doing during your trip to New Zealand, you want to make sure your money goes as far as possible.
Here are some top tips to save money in New Zealand:
- Book your hotels or accommodation in advance to secure the best available deals
- Use public transport where possible, or approved taxi and ride hailing operators
- Use Google maps and reviews to find good restaurants. You'll often find better food and more reasonable prices away from the most touristy areas of town
- Look online for recommendations of free or low-cost attractions and activities in New Zealand - blogs and travel magazines are a great place to start
- Use travel cards that offer fair exchange rates with transparent fees such as Wise, to keep down the costs of currency conversion and ATM use while you're away
Get a free multi-currency account and card to buy, hold, convert and send over 40 currencies. Fast, secure, easy and cheap transfers at the commercial exchange rate.
Get a Revolut account that supports 30+ currencies and cards to buy, store, send and receive money. Safe, reliable and cheap transfers at the real exchange rate.
Costs and Prices in New Zealand for Tourists
Let's move on to the typical prices in New Zealand for tourists. Below we've got a handy overview of prices for accommodation, food and services for tourists in New Zealand. Use this along with your own research to figure out the likely costs and prices you'll come across during your visit.
Accommodation Costs in New Zealand
Accommodation is usually one of the biggest costs on any trip abroad - but what you pay in the end will depend a lot on the accommodation type you pick. Below is an example of accommodation costs in New Zealand based on two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room.
| Types of accommodation | Prices per night |
|---|---|
| Budget | $26 NZD 46 |
| Mid-Range | $71 NZD 126 |
| Luxury | $214 NZD 379 |
Daily Food Costs in New Zealand
Food is an important feature of a trip abroad for many of us - but what you spend can vary significantly depending on where you purchase your meals in New Zealand. As you might expect, buying food from local markets and stores can be one of the cheapest options, or you could choose to eat at mid-range restaurants, or sample some high-end establishments.
Here's an example of how much a meal costs in New Zealand based on different restaurant types.
| Types of Meal | Average Daily Cost |
|---|---|
| Budget | $13 NZD 23 |
| Mid-Range | $32 NZD 57 |
| Luxury | $79 NZD 140 |
Cost of Drink & Beverages
Let's move on to the cost of beer, wine, water and other beverages in New Zealand:
| Drink & Beverages | Prices |
|---|---|
| Beer (bottle) | $4 NZD 7 |
| Wine (bottle) | $10 NZD 17 |
| Can of Coca-cola /Pepsi | $2 NZD 4 |
| Mineral water (1.5L bottle) | $2 NZD 4 |
| Coffee, Cappuccino, Hot Chocolate | $3 NZD 6 |
Travel Costs in New Zealand
Once you've arrived in New Zealand you still need to figure out how to get around. The cost of travel can be different depending on your preferences - and how much of a hurry you're in. Using public transport is often our cheapest choice, but getting a taxi or hiring a car could be faster and more flexible, depending on your budget.
Some common ways to save money on transport in New Zealand include:
- Where possible use airport shuttles on arrival to get to the city centre
- Use buses, metro, trams or other public transport where you can - Google Maps can help you navigate more easily
Plan activities to limit the travel needed by covering the popular sites in one area before exploring the next, to avoid excess travel time
Use known taxi operators and approved ride-hailing companies.
Tourist Attractions Costs in New Zealand
New Zealand has many tourist attractions and beautiful places to visit.
The average daily cost for visiting attractions and entertainment in New Zealand is $65 New Zealand Dollars ($37).
| Top Tourist Attractions | Information |
|---|---|
| Milford Sound | A breathtaking fjord in the South Island, known for its towering cliffs, waterfalls, and wildlife. |
| Rotorua | A geothermal area known for its geysers, hot springs, and Maori culture. |
| Tongariro National Park | A UNESCO World Heritage site, known for its volcanic peaks, including Mount Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom in 'The Lord of the Rings'). |
Data Roaming, Internet, Local Sim Cards
Having easy access to your phone while you're away is important - not only to keep in touch with your friends and family, but also to navigate, look up good places to eat or visit, and to translate if needed. Make sure you don't get stuck without your phone - or with a big roaming bill - when you're in New Zealand with these tips:
- Turn off your data roaming if you're concerned about running up excess fees, and only use your phone on secure wifi networks while you're away
- Check the roaming costs with your mobile operator - you may be able to add a roaming data package to your normal plan for a fairly low price
- Consider getting an international eSIM if your phone is compatible with eSIMs - these can be low hassle ways to keep access to your data, without needing to install a physical SIM card
- Check the SIM card price for tourists in New Zealand, before travelling - you'll likely find people trying to sell you a local SIM in the airport when you arrive, so knowing the price you should pay can help you avoid scams
How Much Should You Tip in New Zealand?
Tipping etiquette can vary a lot between countries, and naturally depends a lot on the type of establishment you're in, or service you've received. Generally, tipping around 10-15% of the bill when you are happy with the service is in line with expectations.
Bear in mind that in some places a service fee - which is a percentage of the amount you spend - is already added to the bill, and means you don't need to add an additional tip unless you really want to. Check your bill before you pay - or just ask if the tip has already been included or not.
Shopping and Souvenirs
Take away something to remember your trip to New Zealand with - or as a gift to someone back home.
Maori Carvings and Manuka Honey are the most popular souvenirs to buy from New Zealand. While you can pick up these and many other souvenirs and gifts at the airport, you'll normally save money by buying them from local shops instead.
How to Get the Best Exchange Rate for New Zealand Dollars
Naturally you want to get the very best USD to NZD exchange rate. However, bear in mind that you'll also need to pick a secure and reputable provider when you exchange money. Black market money changers may look like they're offering great rates but they're not safe or reliable. Look out for the USD - NZD exchange rate online or at the currency exchange office.
Always seek out official exchange companies that offer fair rates and transparent fees. Or, consider getting a travel money card, such as Wise, to ensure your transactions are secure and convenient. Use your Wise card to pay where card transactions are supported, or to get cash from the ATM whenever you need it during your visit to New Zealand.
The live exchange rate today is:
1 USD = 1.77007 NZD
1 NZD = 0.56495 USD
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