A Travel Price Comparison for New Zealand Taupo vs. Napier for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Pacific / Comparisons /
Jump to  down-arrow

Should you visit Taupo or Napier?

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

Should I visit Taupo or Napier? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Taupo or Napier?

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.

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.

Which city is cheaper, Napier or Taupo?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Taupo is $97, while the average daily cost in Napier is $146. 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 Taupo and Napier in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Taupo $55
    Napier $88
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Taupo $110
    Napier $176
Compare Hotels in Taupo and Napier

Looking for a hotel in Taupo or Napier? 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.

Hotels in Taupo


Hotels in Napier


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: Taupo Hotel Prices and Napier Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Taupo $22
    Napier $26

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 Taupo or Napier?

Prices for flights to both Napier 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Taupo $20
    Napier $32

Typical Food prices in Napier

For Napier, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Casural Lunch
    $9.09

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Taupo $30
    Napier $24
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
    $165
  • Jet Boating
    $62

Tours and Activities in Taupo

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

  • Cruise Kakariki to the Maori Rock Carvings: $30
  • Daily Scenic Maori Rock Carving Cruise Taupo: $26
  • Great Lake Trail Lake Taupo 2-Day Mountain Biking Tour: $175
  • Lake Taupo Maori Rock Carving 2.5-Hour Sailing Cruise: $33
  • Lake Maori Rock Carvings 1.5-Hour Scenic Cruise: $23
  • Maori Rock Carvings Scenic Cruise: $26
  • Self-Guided Geothermal Tour in Orakei Korako: $30
  • Taupo Highlights Tour - Go Explore Scenic: $182

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

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Taupo $11
    Napier $14
Typical Alcohol prices in Taupo

Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Taupo from other travelers:


  • Wine
    $5.52

Typical Alcohol prices in Napier

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Napier are as follows:


  • Wine
    $13

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

About these numbers

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

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.
Sign Up

More City Comparisons
Wellington vs. Taupo
Wellington vs. Napier
Te Anau vs. Taupo
Te Anau vs. Napier
Taupo vs. Paihia
Taupo vs. Nelson
Taupo vs. Mount Aspiring National Park
Taupo vs. Lake Tekapo
Taupo vs. Kaikoura
Taupo vs. Fiordland National Park
Taupo vs. Dunedin
Taupo vs. Christchurch
Taupo vs. Auckland
Taupo vs. Tauranga
Taupo vs. Queenstown
Taupo vs. Arrowtown
Taupo vs. Cromwell
Taupo vs. Rotorua
Taupo vs. Picton
Taupo vs. Aoraki Mount Cook
Paihia vs. Napier
Nelson vs. Napier
Napier vs. Mount Aspiring National Park
Napier vs. Lake Tekapo
Napier vs. Kaikoura
Napier vs. Fiordland National Park
Napier vs. Dunedin
Napier vs. Christchurch
Share This Page
Pin This Page
Taupo vs. Napier Travel Comparison

Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.