A Travel Price Comparison for New Zealand Paihia vs. Dunedin for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Paihia or Dunedin?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Paihia and Dunedin. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Paihia

Paihia is a town on the North Island of New Zealand in the Bay of Islands region. It is about a three hours north of Auckland by car. For those visiting the Bay of Islands, it is the main town in the area and is located near the town of Russell and Kerikeri. There is a wharf in town where most ships depart from if you are planning on going out to explore the Bay of Islands. Paihia is a very small town with a population of about 1800 people. There is a fair climate all year round with temperatures ranging from sixty to seventy degrees Fahrenheit.

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.

Which city is cheaper, Dunedin or Paihia?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Paihia is $63, while the average daily cost in Dunedin is $86. 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 Paihia and Dunedin in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Paihia $29
    Dunedin $43
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Paihia $58
    Dunedin $86

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Paihia $10
    Dunedin $23

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dunedin

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dunedin:

  • Departure Transfer: Dunedin Central City Centre Hotels to Dunedin Airport: $17
  • Arrival Transfer: Dunedin Airport to Central Dunedin City Centre Hotels: $17

Is it cheaper to fly into Paihia or Dunedin?

Prices for flights to both Dunedin and Paihia 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Paihia $22
    Dunedin $24

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paihia

For Paihia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Bay of Islands 3-Hours Sailing & Gourmet Dinner Burger Buffet: $74
  • 3 Hour Bay of Islands Sailing Cruise with Gourmet Dinner: $89

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Paihia $29
    Dunedin $14

Tours and Activities in Paihia

For Paihia, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Skip the Line: Waitangi Treaty Grounds Experience Pass: $37
  • Sundowner Evening Cruise: $46
  • Bay of Islands: Late Afternoon Sailing Cruise: $46
  • Bay of Islands Waterfall Cruise Kayak or Paddle board: $50
  • Parasailing Adventure Over the Bay of Islands: $78
  • Bay of Islands Cruise & Island Tour - Snorkel, Hike, Swim, Paddleboard, Wildlife: $84
  • Dolphin Cruise to the Hole in the Rock with Island Stopover - Afternoon Cruise: $89
  • Dolphin Cruise to the Hole in the Rock with Island Stopover - Morning Cruise: $89
  • V8 Trike Tours 30 minute Bay of Islands Thriller Tour - 2 Passengers: $91
  • V8 Trike Tours - Bay of Islands 30 minute Scenic Tour (x 2 Passengers): $91
  • Bay of Islands: Bay Discovery Cruise with Island Stop-Over: $92
  • Waipoua Forest: Giants and Glow Worms Full Day Tour: $100

Tours and Activities in Dunedin

Here are a few actual costs in Dunedin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • 1 Day Private Tour with Basic Landscape Photography Around Dunedin: $341
  • 5-Day Stewart Island Tour with Small Group from Dunedin: $2,666
  • A 2 hour Small Group Dunedin City Highlights Tour: $48
  • Carbon-free transport and tour through Orokonui Ecosanctuary: $96
  • Culture in Context Tour on the Otago Peninsula: $114
  • Dunedin City Highlights, Otago Peninsula Scenery & Albatross Guided Tour: $178
  • Dunedin City and Coastal Views 3-Hour Small-Group Guided Tour: $72
  • Dunedin City and Otago Peninsula Small-Group Tour: $156
  • Dunedin City, Wildlife and Scenery Tour: $119
  • Dunedin Gardens and City Highlights Tour: $148
  • Dunedin Onshore Cruise Group Tour: $118
  • Dunedin Shore Excursion: Half-Day Wildlife Cruise and Portobello Village: $114

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Paihia $19
    Dunedin $12

Sample the Local Flavors in Paihia

Also in Paihia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Bay of Islands Craft Beer & Wine Tour: $93
  • Private Wine Tour in a Mustang or 4x4: $148
  • Private Shore Excursion: Bay of Islands Tour with Wine Tasting: $236
  • Private Tour: Bay of Islands Tour with Wine Tasting: $236

Sample the Local Flavors in Dunedin

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dunedin:

  • Speight Brewery Small Group Guided Tour from Dunedin: $19

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Paihia and Dunedin, we can see that Dunedin is more expensive. And not only is Paihia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Paihia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Paihia 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 Paihia.

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Paihia vs. Dunedin Travel Comparison

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