A Travel Price Comparison for New Zealand Te Anau vs. Queenstown for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Pacific / Comparisons /
Jump to  down-arrow

Should you visit Te Anau or Queenstown?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Te Anau and Queenstown can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Te Anau or Queenstown?

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.

Queenstown

Queenstown is a popular tourist destination on New Zealand's South Island. It is beautifully surrounded by the Southern Alps and sits on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. Across the lake you will find a stunning view of the Remarkables, a dramatic mountain range. The town itself is quite touristy, but prices still remain reasonable. There are options for all travel budgets, whether you're a backpacker hoping to save a few dollars or a family looking for some luxury accommodation. Despite its natural and tranquil setting, Queenstown is actually very much a party town, particularly during the peak seasons. Don't be surprised to find people out enjoying themselves until the early hours of the morning. If you're not into the party scene and are hoping to get a decent night's sleep, consider staying a little outside of town. About an hour outside of Queenstown you'll find Wanaka, which is a much smaller and peaceful town without the party scene.

Which city is cheaper, Queenstown or Te Anau?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Te Anau is $81, while the average daily cost in Queenstown 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 Te Anau and Queenstown in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Te Anau $36
    Queenstown $46
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Te Anau $72
    Queenstown $92
Compare Hotels in Te Anau and Queenstown

Looking for a hotel in Te Anau or Queenstown? 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 Te Anau


Hotels in Queenstown


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: Te Anau Hotel Prices and Queenstown Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Te Anau $22
    Queenstown $8.41

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Te Anau

Also for Te Anau, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Te Anau to Queenstown Transfer: $39

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Queenstown

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Queenstown:

  • Ski Transfer To Remarkables Ski Area (Round Trip): $27
  • Ski Transfer To Coronet Peak (Round Trip): $27
  • Private Ski Transfer to The Remarkables Ski Field: $370
  • Private Ski Transfer to Coronet Peak Ski Field: $333
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Queenstown Airport to Hotel by Jet Boat: $342
  • Private & Exclusive One-Way Transfer Queenstown to Christchurch: $1,264
  • Departure Transfer: Queenstown Central City Centre Hotels to Queenstown Airport: $13
  • Arrival Transfer: Queenstown Airport to Central Queenstown City Centre: $13

Is it cheaper to fly into Te Anau or Queenstown?

Prices for flights to both Queenstown 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Te Anau $22
    Queenstown $30

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Queenstown

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Queenstown.

  • Dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm and Cruise from Queenstown: $110
  • Queenstown Progressive Dinner & Wine Tour - 3 iconic locations: $207

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Te Anau $39
    Queenstown $18

Tours and Activities in Te Anau

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

  • Te Anau Glow Worm Caves Tour: $73
  • Morning Tea Cruise on Historic Motor Yacht from Te Anau: $94
  • Afternoon Te Anau Cruise on Historic Motor Yacht: $94
  • Champagne Sightseeing Cruise on Lake Te Anau: $94
  • Milford Sound Full-Day Tour from Te Anau: $96
  • Milford Sound Coach and Nature Cruise with Picnic Lunch from Te Anau: $103
  • Full-Day Milford Sound Hiking Tour with Cruise: $103
  • Milford Sound Coach and Scenic Cruise from Te Anau with Picnic Lunch: $103
  • Lord of the Rings and Te Anau Highlights Small Group Tour from Te Anau: $111
  • VIP Milford Sound All Inclusive Tour: $117
  • Milford Sound Experience Full Day from Te Anau: $124
  • Full-Day Milford Sound Extraordinaire Tour from Te Anau: $132

Typical Entertainment prices in Queenstown

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Queenstown are as follows:


  • Skyline Gondola (for 2)
    $31

Tours and Activities in Queenstown

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Queenstown are as follows:

  • 10 Day Explorer tour: Ziplines, Hikes, Canyoning, Kayaking, Rafting & Glaciers.: $4,219
  • 12-Day Snow Odyssey Tour: $2,444
  • 20-Minute Remarkables Helicopter Tour from Queenstown: $166
  • 3 Day Queenstown Adventure: Jet Boat, Helicopter, Bungy and Milford Sound Cruise: $1,241
  • 3 day Private Wanaka and Otago Photography Tour: $2,888
  • 4 Day Southern Circuit: Glaciers, Christchurch and Mt Cook Tour from Queenstown: $1,140
  • 5-Day The Great Walks of New Zealand Tour from Queenstown: $4,150
  • Alpine Adventure Helicopter Flight from Queenstown: $267
  • Arrowtown and Wanaka Premium Tour from Queenstown: $178
  • Arrowtown and Wanaka Tour from Queenstown: $133
  • AuthenticAs Discover Queenstown - Professional Photography & Exclusive 4WD Tour: $501
  • AuthenticAs Paradise - Professional Photography & Exclusive Guided 4WD Tour: $1,373

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Te Anau $11
    Queenstown $7.34

Sample the Local Flavors in Queenstown

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Queenstown:

  • Hop on Hop off Wine Tours Queenstown: $40
  • Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tour: $52
  • Wine Tour from Full Day: $103
  • Queenstown Classic Wine Tour - 3 Vineyards, Cave Tour and Cheeseboard: $116
  • Afternoon Boutique Wine Tour: $122
  • Original Wine Tour: $125
  • Vine Hopper: Queenstown's Ultimate Wine & Microbrewery Adventure: $133
  • Valley of the Vines Afternoon Wine Tour includes a Winery Tour: $133
  • Central Otago Wine Tour from Queenstown - Includes 4 Vineyards, Lunch & Wine: $136
  • Valley of the Vines Lunch & Wine Tour with a Wine Cave Adult Tour: $147
  • Wine Tour & Maori Culture Queenstown: $159
  • Boutique Wine Tour in Central Otago Wine Region: $161

About these numbers

When comparing the travel costs between Te Anau and Queenstown, we can see that Queenstown is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Pacific, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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