Which city is cheaper, Tauranga or Napier?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
A Travel Price Comparison for New Zealand Napier vs. Tauranga for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons
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Should you visit Napier or Tauranga?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Napier and Tauranga can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Napier or Tauranga?
Napier
Napier is city on the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Hawke's Bay Region, a famous area for wine vineyards. Napier has a population of 61,000 people and is known for its Art Deco architecture and of course, wine.
Tauranga
Tauranga is a city on the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the western side of the Bay of Plenty, which is on the east coast of the island. Its population of 130,000 makes it the fifth largest city in the country. Tauranga is a Maori word translated roughly to 'a sheltered anchorage'. This makes sense as the town is located near a very large harbor and protected by Matakana Island. Mount Maunganui is at the headland of the town and regarded as a suburb of Tauranga. The beach at Mt Maunganui is a surfing hot spot. The climate is mostly warm and dry because of the town's sheltered position.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNapier $174Tauranga $108
The average daily cost (per person) in Napier is $174, while the average daily cost in Tauranga is $108. 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Napier and Tauranga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNapier $105Tauranga $77
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNapier $210Tauranga $154
Compare Hotels in Napier and Tauranga
Looking for a hotel in Napier or Tauranga? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Napier Hotel Prices and Tauranga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Napier $31Tauranga $7.06
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Napier
Also for Napier, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Transfer: Hawkes Bay Airport to Central Napier City Centre: $21
- Departure Transfer: Napier and Hastings City Centre to Hawkes Bay Airport: $21
Is it cheaper to fly into Napier or Tauranga?
Prices for flights to both Tauranga and Napier 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayNapier $38Tauranga $22
Typical Food prices in Napier
For Napier, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Casural Lunch$8.67
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Napier $28Tauranga $11
Tours and Activities in Napier
For Napier, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Napier Earthquake Self-Guided Audio Tour: $12
- Napier Art Deco Self-Guided Audio Tour: $12
- Napier Prison Self-Guided Audio Tour: $13
- Legacy and Winery Experience: $26
- 75-minute Art Deco City Highlights Tour: $39
- Versatility of the Grape Experience in Napier: $52
- 2.5-Hour Napier Art Deco Tour: $53
- Small Group 2.5-Hour Napier History and Art Deco Tour: $53
- Cruise Ship Shore Excursion: $68
- 2-Hour Guided Bicycle Tour: $71
- Shore Excursion: 4-Hour Discover Hawkes Bay and Napier Tour: $76
- 60-Minute Napier Deco City Tour by Vintage Car: $76
Tours and Activities in Tauranga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tauranga are as follows:
- 3hr Tauranga Sun-downer History Tour COMPLIMENTARY Wine or Beer: $43
- 4hr Shore Excursion - History and Tasting Tour FREE Kiwifruit Ice Cream: $61
- 6hr Hobbiton Movie Set Tour: $133
- Best of Rotorua Tour: $118
- Craft Beer Tour from Tauranga: $122
- Deluxe small group Cruise Day Tour, Rotorua, Tauranga & Mt Maunganui highlights: $83
- Evening Glow Worm Kayak Tour in Tauranga: $100
- Exclusive Rotorua Cultural and Geothermal Experience from Tauranga: $729
- From Half Day Swimming with Dolphins Tour: $102
- Geo Thermal Rotorua Tours: $128
- Half-Day Tauranga Guided Tour by Minivan with port Pickup: $104
- Harley Tour of the Mount 20mins: $30
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNapier $17Tauranga $11
Typical Alcohol prices in Napier
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Napier are as follows:
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Wine$12
Sample the Local Flavors in Napier
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Napier:
- Hawke's Bay Wine Tour Including Pick Up From Napier or Hastings: $78
- Wine Tour - 3 wineries in an afternoon: $81
- Half Day Small-Group Hawkes Bay Wine Tour: $84
- Full Day Small-Group Hawke's Bay Wine Tour: $95
- Napier Afternoon Wine Tour + Optional Beer Tasting: $100
- Napier Gourmet Luncheon including Afternoon Wine Tour: $133
- Small Group Hawke's Bay Premium Afternoon Wine Tour: $144
- Small Group Half-Day Ultimate Wine Tour in Napier: $171
- Hawke's Bay Morning Wine Tour and Te Mata Peak Including Winery Lunch: $175
- Vintage Car & Wine Tasting Experience: $220
- Private Tour & Wine Tasting (90 mins): $293
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Napier and Tauranga, we can see that Napier is more expensive. And not only is Tauranga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tauranga would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tauranga 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 Napier would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Napier than you might in Tauranga.
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Budget Your Trip
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