Should you visit Te Anau or Napier?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Te Anau and Napier can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Te Anau
Te Anau is a town on the South Island of New Zealand, best-known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is a major destination for ecotourism as it is home to rare species like the endangered flightless takahe bird and natural features like caves, waterfalls, forests, lakes, glacial valleys, and mountains.
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 Te Anau?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Te Anau is $94, while the average daily cost in Napier is $160. 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 Te Anau and Napier in more detail.
Accommodation
Travelers usually pay around $84 for a double occupancy room in Te Anau If you want to be in a premiere location or have high end amenities, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $194 in Napier For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
The price of a meal in Te Anau can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $26 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $10 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
Napier food costs typically run travelers around $35 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Te Anau $26
Napier $35
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Te Anau
For Te Anau, 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
Typical Food prices in Napier
For Napier, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Napier
For Napier, 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
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Te Anau than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $26 on transportation in Te Anau on average per day.
To get around in Napier, the average visitor spends $29 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.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Te Anau
Also for Te Anau, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
SkyBus Auckland Airport (AKL) Express Transfer Ticket:
$11
-
Shared and Private Wellington Airport (WLG) Transfers for Wellington CBD:
$11
-
Shared and Private Rotorua Airport (ROT) Transfers for Rotorua CBD:
$16
-
Shared and Private Nelson Airport (NSN) Transfers for Nelson CBD:
$7.09
-
Shared and Private Dunedin Airport (DUD) Transfers for Dunedin CBD:
$14
-
Shared and Private Christchurch Airport (CHC) Transfers for Christchurch CBD:
$13
-
Shared and Private Auckland Airport (AKL) Transfers to/from Auckland CBD:
$18
-
Shared Queenstown Airport (ZQN) Transfers for Queenstown CBD:
$11
-
Private Transfers to Cardrona Ski Field or Treble Cone Ski Field:
$629
-
Private Return Transfers from Queenstown to The Remarkables:
$431
-
Private Return Transfers from Queenstown to Coronet Peak:
$389
-
Private Luxury Transfers to The Remarkables:
$445
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Napier
Also for Napier, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
SkyBus Auckland Airport (AKL) Express Transfer Ticket:
$11
-
Shared and Private Wellington Airport (WLG) Transfers for Wellington CBD:
$11
-
Shared and Private Rotorua Airport (ROT) Transfers for Rotorua CBD:
$16
-
Shared and Private Nelson Airport (NSN) Transfers for Nelson CBD:
$7.09
-
Shared and Private Dunedin Airport (DUD) Transfers for Dunedin CBD:
$14
-
Shared and Private Christchurch Airport (CHC) Transfers for Christchurch CBD:
$13
-
Shared and Private Auckland Airport (AKL) Transfers to/from Auckland CBD:
$18
-
Shared Queenstown Airport (ZQN) Transfers for Queenstown CBD:
$11
-
Private Transfers to Cardrona Ski Field or Treble Cone Ski Field:
$629
-
Private Return Transfers from Queenstown to The Remarkables:
$431
-
Private Return Transfers from Queenstown to Coronet Peak:
$389
-
Private Luxury Transfers to The Remarkables:
$445
Is it cheaper to fly into Te Anau or Napier?
Prices for flights to both Napier and Te Anau 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
Sightseeing expenses in Te Anau, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $45 per day, per person.
In Napier, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $26 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Te Anau
For Te Anau, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
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 Napier
For Napier, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
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
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Te Anau spend on average $13 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typically, people visiting Napier spend on average $16 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Te Anau
Also in Te Anau, 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
Typical Alcohol prices in Napier
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Napier are as follows:
Sample the Local Flavors in Napier
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Napier:
-
Sip Marlborough Wine Tour:
$69
-
Wine Tours from Queenstown:
$71
-
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
-
Gibbston Valley Ride and Wine Tours:
$88
-
Bubbly Grape Marlborough Wine Tours:
$92
-
Full Day Small-Group Hawke's Bay Wine Tour:
$95
-
Napier Afternoon Wine Tour + Optional Beer Tasting:
$100
-
Afternoon Brewery Tour with Lunch in Queenstown:
$117
-
Wine Tasting Sampler Tour from Queenstown:
$119
-
Queenstown’s Original Wine Tour:
$119
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Te Anau and Napier, we can see that Napier is more expensive. And not only is Te Anau much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Te Anau would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Te Anau 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 Te Anau.
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