Should you visit Dunedin or Picton?
Should I visit Dunedin or Picton? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second largest city on the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the southeast coast and is largely Scottish in its heritage. It is part of the Otago region and has mild temperatures during the spring and summer, but extremely cold temperatures during the end of fall and winter. Dunedin is a university town; The University of Otago is the oldest in New Zealand, established in 1869. The students make up over a tenth of the entire city's population.
Picton
Picton, New Zealand is located in the picturesque Marlborough Region on the South Island. With beachfront access in a central location and near the Marlborough Sounds, Picton is an ideal place for anyone looking for both adventure and relaxation in one of the most naturally beautiful countries in the world.
The weather in Picton is fairly mild, ranging from the low fifties to high sixties, Fahrenheit, throughout the year. Their summer months are December through March, this is when you'll find temperatures in the high sixties. During the winter, June through August, Picton experiences averages of fifty degree Fahrenheit. This means you can visit any time of the year without having to worry about weather inhibiting any of your outdoor activities!
Which city is cheaper, Picton or Dunedin?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Dunedin is $93, while the average daily cost in Picton is $79. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Dunedin and Picton in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $47. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Dunedin the cost is $94 on average.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $68 for a double occupancy room in Picton.
Food
In Dunedin travelers spend around $26 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
While meal prices in Picton can vary, the average travelers spends about $18 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Picton should cost around $7.20 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Picton is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Dunedin $26
Picton $18
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $25 per day to get around in Dunedin.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dunedin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dunedin:
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Arrival Transfer: Dunedin Airport to Central Dunedin City Centre Hotels:
$17
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Departure Transfer: Dunedin Central City Centre Hotels to Dunedin Airport:
$17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Picton
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Picton:
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Private One Way Transfer Tour between Picton & Christchurch:
$1,264
Is it cheaper to fly into Dunedin or Picton?
Prices for flights to both Picton and Dunedin change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $16 per person, per day in Dunedin. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $100 per person, per day in Picton. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Dunedin
Here are a few actual costs in Dunedin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Otago Peninsula's remote and craggy coastline driving audio tour:
$5.00
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Dunedin's Renowned OCHO Chocolate Tasting Experience:
$8.89
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Self-Guided Street Art Adventure Game in Dunedin | The Tagger's Influence:
$15
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Self-Guided City Adventure Game in Dunedin | The Tailor's Secrets:
$15
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Self-Guided City Adventure Game in Dunedin | The Temporal Incident:
$15
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Olveston Historic Home Guided Tour:
$18
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Skip the Line: Larnach Castle & Gardens Admission Ticket:
$26
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Otago Peninsula: Royal Albatross Centre Tour:
$35
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Glow Worm Tours Dunedin:
$38
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Forest walk, Natural Heritage - Join us on our URBAN ESCAPE tour:
$46
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A 2 hour Small Group Dunedin City Highlights Tour:
$48
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Private Zoom Tour of World's Steepest Street!:
$50
Tours and Activities in Picton
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Picton are as follows:
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Picton Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$12
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Koru Native Wildlife Centre Tour:
$16
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Ecoworld New Zealand tour from Marlborough Sounds:
$18
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Queen Charlotte Track: Cruise & Self-Guided Hike from Picton:
$63
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Half-Day Cruise in Marlborough Sounds from Picton:
$66
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Marlborough Sounds Cruise & 3-Hour Scenic Walk:
$67
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Motuara Island Bird Sanctuary and Ship Cove Cruise from Picton:
$69
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3 Hour Marlborough Sounds Delivery Cruise:
$72
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Half day Sea Kayak Guided Tour from Picton:
$72
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Queen Charlotte Sound Mail Boat Cruise from Picton:
$76
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Queen Charlotte Sound Mail Boat Cruise:
$78
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Early Bird Eco Cruise:
$79
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Dunedin may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $13 per day on alcoholic beverages.
The average person spends about $32 on alcoholic beverages in Picton per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Dunedin
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dunedin:
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Speight Brewery Small Group Guided Tour from Dunedin:
$19
Sample the Local Flavors in Picton
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Picton:
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Hop on Hop off Wine Tours Marlborough:
$53
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Half-Day Wine Tour from Picton:
$80
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Full-Day Wine Tour from Picton:
$110
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Picton Shore Excursion : Marlborough Wine Tour:
$113
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Picton Shore Excursion: Wings of Omaka and Marlborough Wine Tour:
$129
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Full-Day Marlborough Wine Tour from Picton or Blenheim:
$144
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Marlborough Sounds Icons: Wine Tour and Seafood Cruise:
$156
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Marlborough Wine Tour and Cruise from Picton or Blenheim:
$163
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dunedin and Picton, we can see that Dunedin is more expensive. And not only is Picton much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Picton would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Picton and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Dunedin would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dunedin than you might in Picton.
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