Should you visit Paihia or Fiordland National Park?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Paihia and Fiordland National Park. 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. 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.
Fiordland National Park
One of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, Fiordland National Park is New Zealand's largest park, as well as one of the largest in the world. Although it may be the largest, it is the least explored park in the country. The park takes up the southwest region of the south island. The Department of Conservation manages the park (like all of the other parks in the country) and they try to keep development minimal in efforts to protect the environment and manage human activity. When visiting the park, prepare for rain as the park as over 200 days of rain per year.
Which city is cheaper, Fiordland National Park or Paihia?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Paihia is $65, while the average daily cost in Fiordland National Park is $83. 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 Paihia and Fiordland National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Paihia, $58 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Paihia, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $29, such as in a hostel.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $82 in Fiordland National Park For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
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Accommodation
Hotel or hostel for one person
Paihia $29
Fiordland National Park $41
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Accommodation
Typical double-occupancy room
Paihia
$58
Fiordland National Park
$82
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Paihia than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $10 on transportation in Paihia on average per day.
To get around in Fiordland National Park, the average visitor spends $36 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
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Local Transportation
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
Paihia $10
Fiordland National Park $36
Is it cheaper to fly into Paihia or Fiordland National Park?
Prices for flights to both Fiordland National Park 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
Paihia food costs typically run travelers around $23 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
The average traveler spends about $20 per day in Fiordland National Park for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paihia
For Paihia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Bay of Islands 3-Hours Sailing & Gourmet Dinner Burger Buffet:
$74
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3 Hour Bay of Islands Sailing Cruise with Gourmet Dinner:
$89
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Paihia, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $30 per day, per person.
In Fiordland National Park, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $17 per person, per day.
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Entertainment
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
Paihia $30
Fiordland National Park $17
Tours and Activities in Paihia
For Paihia, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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6 Hour Cruise with Island stop over- Gourmet lunch cooked aboard:
$113
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90 Mile Beach Bike Tour:
$170
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Bay of Islands Cruise & Island Tour - Snorkel, Hike, Swim, Paddleboard, Wildlife:
$84
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Bay of Islands Day Wildlife Cruise:
$110
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Bay of Islands Half-Day Private Tour:
$152
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Bay of Islands Highlights Tour - With Glow Worm Caves:
$137
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Bay of Islands Waterfall Cruise Kayak or Paddle board:
$50
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Bay of Islands and Hole in the Rock Scenic Helicopter Tour:
$198
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Bay of Islands: Bay Discovery Cruise with Island Stop-Over:
$92
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Bay of Islands: Late Afternoon Sailing Cruise:
$46
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Cape Reinga - 90 Mile Beach Tour:
$104
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Cape Reinga and 90 Mile Beach Tour from Bay of Islands:
$119
Tours and Activities in Fiordland National Park
For Fiordland National Park, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Cruise & Kayak Milford Sound:
$142
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From Te Anau: 1-Day Milford Sound Coach & Cruise:
$115
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From Te Anau: Milford Sound Small Group Bus Tour and Cruise:
$99
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Milford Sound Coach, Cruise, and Walk from Te Anau:
$113
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Milford Sound Cruise:
$54
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Milford Sound Flight and Cruise:
$295
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Milford Sound Nature Cruise on Premium Glass-Roof Catamaran:
$67
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Paihia spend on average $19 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typically, people visiting Fiordland National Park spend on average $6.94 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Paihia
Also in Paihia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Bay of Islands Craft Beer & Wine Tour:
$93
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Private Wine Tour in a Mustang or 4x4:
$148
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Private Shore Excursion: Bay of Islands Tour with Wine Tasting:
$236
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Private Tour: Bay of Islands Tour with Wine Tasting:
$236
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Paihia and Fiordland National Park, we can see that Fiordland National Park 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 Fiordland National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Fiordland National Park than you might in Paihia.
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