Should you visit Taupo or Cromwell?
Should I visit Taupo or Cromwell? 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.
Taupo
Taupo is a town located in the center of the North Island, situated on the shores of Lake Taupo, which is New Zealand's largest lake. It is also the caldera of the Taupo Volcano. It has a population of 23,700 people and is visited by many people interested in fishing, boating, and other water activities. There are many hiking and biking trails that take you around the water as well.
Cromwell
Cromwell is a town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated between two of the main highways on the South Island and is close to Queenstown and Wanaka. Luckily, the town is surrounded by Lake Dunstan, which is good for those who love being near water as Cromwell is the furthest point from the sea in the entire country.
Which city is cheaper, Cromwell or Taupo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Taupo is $101, while the average daily cost in Cromwell is $74. 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 Taupo and Cromwell in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $57. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Taupo the cost is $114 on average.
Travelers usually pay around $70 for a double occupancy room in Cromwell If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Taupo food costs typically run travelers around $21 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.
While meal prices in Cromwell can vary, the average travelers spends about $24 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Cromwell should cost around $9.60 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Cromwell is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Taupo $21
Cromwell $24
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Taupo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Taupo.
-
Queenstown Skyline Gondola and Luge Ride with Optional Buffet Lunch or Dinner:
$47
-
Taste Auckland Group Food Tour:
$98
-
Auckland Harbour Dinner Cruise:
$102
-
Sunset / Night Kayak to Rangitoto Island with BBQ Dinner:
$138
-
Queenstown Wine and Food Tour:
$141
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cromwell
For Cromwell, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Queenstown Skyline Gondola and Luge Ride with Optional Buffet Lunch or Dinner:
$47
-
Taste Auckland Group Food Tour:
$98
-
Auckland Harbour Dinner Cruise:
$102
-
Sunset / Night Kayak to Rangitoto Island with BBQ Dinner:
$138
-
Queenstown Wine and Food Tour:
$141
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Taupo is $23 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Cromwell than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $22 on transportation in Cromwell on average per day.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taupo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Taupo:
-
Private Transfers to Cardrona Ski Field or Treble Cone Ski Field:
$629
-
Private Luxury Transfers to The Remarkables:
$445
-
Private Return Transfers from Queenstown to The Remarkables:
$431
-
Private Return Transfers from Queenstown to Coronet Peak:
$389
-
Private Luxury Transfers to Coronet Peak:
$375
-
Taupo Tandem Skydive with Rotorua Transfer:
$258
-
SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium Entry Ticket and Auckland Airport (AKL) Express Transfer:
$40
-
Shared and Private Auckland Airport (AKL) Transfers to/from Auckland CBD:
$18
-
Shared and Private Rotorua Airport (ROT) Transfers for Rotorua CBD:
$16
-
Shared and Private Dunedin Airport (DUD) Transfers for Dunedin CBD:
$14
-
Shared and Private Christchurch Airport (CHC) Transfers for Christchurch CBD:
$13
-
SkyBus Auckland Airport (AKL) Express Transfer Ticket:
$11
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cromwell
Also for Cromwell, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium Entry Ticket and Auckland Airport (AKL) Express Transfer:
$40
-
Private Luxury Transfers to Coronet Peak:
$375
-
Private Luxury Transfers to The Remarkables:
$445
-
Private Return Transfers from Queenstown to Coronet Peak:
$389
-
Private Return Transfers from Queenstown to The Remarkables:
$431
-
Private Transfers to Cardrona Ski Field or Treble Cone Ski Field:
$629
-
Shared Queenstown Airport (ZQN) Transfers for Queenstown CBD:
$11
-
Shared and Private Auckland Airport (AKL) Transfers to/from Auckland CBD:
$18
-
Shared and Private Christchurch Airport (CHC) Transfers for Christchurch CBD:
$13
-
Shared and Private Dunedin Airport (DUD) Transfers for Dunedin CBD:
$14
-
Shared and Private Nelson Airport (NSN) Transfers for Nelson CBD:
$7.09
-
Shared and Private Rotorua Airport (ROT) Transfers for Rotorua CBD:
$16
Is it cheaper to fly into Taupo or Cromwell?
Prices for flights to both Cromwell and Taupo 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
Taupo's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $32 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing expenses in Cromwell, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $15 per day, per person.
Typical Entertainment prices in Taupo
Here are a few typical costs in Taupo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Bungy Jumping
$172
-
Jet Boating
$64
Tours and Activities in Taupo
Here are a few actual costs in Taupo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
4WD-U Drive Experience:
$232
-
Hobbiton Movie Set Day Tour from Auckland:
$140
-
Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves Tour from Auckland:
$211
-
Kaituna Whitewater Rafting Experience :
$84
-
Kaituna Whitewater Sledging Experience:
$91
-
Milford Sound Vista Day Tour from Queenstown or Te Anau:
$127
-
Mt Tarawera Volcanic Crater Hiking Experience:
$131
-
Putt and Glow Indoor Mini Golf Experience in Queenstown:
$12
-
Queenstown Scenic Cruise - Spirit of Queenstown:
$28
-
Queenstown Tiki Tour:
$70
-
Rotorua Day Tour from Auckland:
$188
-
Ultimate Queenstown Highlights Tour:
$77
Tours and Activities in Cromwell
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Cromwell.
-
Time Tripper Queenstown Virtual Journey Through Time Experience:
$7.09
-
Te Papa Museum Ticket in Wellington:
$11
-
Devonport Ferry Tickets in Auckland:
$11
-
Putt and Glow Indoor Mini Golf Experience in Queenstown:
$12
-
Waikite Valley Thermal Pools Entry Ticket:
$14
-
Hamilton Gardens Guided Walking Tour:
$14
-
Auckland Zoo Ticket:
$16
-
3D Trick Art Gallery Entry Ticket:
$16
-
SheepWorld Admission Ticket:
$16
-
Puzzling World Ticket in Wanaka:
$17
-
Rotorua Heritage Farm Tour:
$17
-
Waitangi Treaty Grounds Experience Pass in Bay of Islands:
$18
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Taupo may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $12 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Cromwell, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $8.30.
Typical Alcohol prices in Taupo
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Taupo from other travelers:
Sample the Local Flavors in Taupo
Also in Taupo, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Sip Marlborough Wine Tour:
$69
-
Wine Tours from Queenstown:
$71
-
Gibbston Valley Ride and Wine Tours:
$88
-
Bubbly Grape Marlborough Wine Tours:
$92
-
Afternoon Brewery Tour with Lunch in Queenstown:
$117
-
Wine Tasting Sampler Tour from Queenstown:
$119
-
Queenstown’s Original Wine Tour:
$119
-
Taste Marlborough Wine Tour:
$138
-
Queenstown E-Bikes Wine Tour:
$147
-
Spa and Wine Tasting Experience in Queenstown:
$293
-
Queenstown Private Helicopter and Wine Tour:
$672
Sample the Local Flavors in Cromwell
Also in Cromwell, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Sip Marlborough Wine Tour:
$69
-
Wine Tours from Queenstown:
$71
-
Gibbston Valley Ride and Wine Tours:
$88
-
Bubbly Grape Marlborough Wine Tours:
$92
-
Afternoon Brewery Tour with Lunch in Queenstown:
$117
-
Wine Tasting Sampler Tour from Queenstown:
$119
-
Queenstown’s Original Wine Tour:
$119
-
Taste Marlborough Wine Tour:
$138
-
Queenstown E-Bikes Wine Tour:
$147
-
THE TIGER TOUR - Full-Day Guided Wine Tour of the Central Otago Wine Region.:
$186
-
Spa and Wine Tasting Experience in Queenstown:
$293
-
Queenstown Private Helicopter and Wine Tour:
$672
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Taupo and Cromwell, we can see that Taupo is more expensive. And not only is Cromwell much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cromwell would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cromwell 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 Taupo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Taupo than you might in Cromwell.
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