Should you visit Te Anau or Taupo?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Te Anau and Taupo 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.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Taupo 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 Taupo is $107. 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 Taupo 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.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $60. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Taupo the cost is $120 on average.
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.
Taupo food costs typically run travelers around $22 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
Taupo $22
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:
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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 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
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.
The average price of local transportation around Taupo is $24 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.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Te Anau
Also for Te Anau, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Taupo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Taupo:
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Taupo Tandem Skydive with Rotorua Transfer:
$258
-
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Te Anau or Taupo?
Prices for flights to both Taupo 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.
Taupo's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $33 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.
Tours and Activities in Te Anau
For Te Anau, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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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
-
3D Trick Art Gallery Entry Ticket:
$16
-
Auckland Zoo 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
Typical Entertainment prices in Taupo
Here are a few typical costs in Taupo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Bungy Jumping
$181
-
Jet Boating
$68
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
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Te Anau spend on average $13 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Taupo may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $13 per day on alcoholic beverages.
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 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
When comparing the travel costs between Te Anau and Taupo, we can see that Taupo 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.
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