A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Wellington vs. Castries for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Wellington or Castries?

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

Should I visit Wellington or Castries? 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: Wellington or Castries?

Wellington

Wellington is the capital and second largest city in New Zealand. It sits on the southwestern edge of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It's a beautiful setting that is encircled by mountains giving it a beautiful backdrop. There are also many cultural sights and attractions around town. Wellington really is the perfect mix of New Zealand's natural beauty and a vibrant urban core. The film industry is also prevelant in the city. The city's production centers have helped create Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit trilogies, Avatar, Tin Tin, and District 9.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in New Zealand, and The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Castries or Wellington?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Wellington is $125, while the average daily cost in Castries is $186. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Wellington and Castries in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Wellington $61
    Castries $100
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Wellington $122
    Castries $200
Compare Hotels in Wellington and Castries

Looking for a hotel in Wellington or Castries? 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 Wellington


Hotels in Castries


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: Wellington Hotel Prices and Castries Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Wellington $12
    Castries $25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Wellington

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

  • Departure Transfer: Wellington Central City Centre Hotels to Wellington Airport: $22
  • Private Transfer from Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington Port: $26
  • Private Transfer from Wellington Port to Wellington Airport (WLG): $26
  • Wētā Workshop Guided Tour Ticket + Transfer: $57
  • Wētā Workshop Guided Transfers & Tour: $63
  • Private Airport Transfer Service Vice Versa in Wellington by SUV: $69
  • Private Airport Transfer Service Vice Versa in Wellington by SUV: $76
  • Wellington to Wellington Airport(WLG)-Departure Private Transfer: $77
  • Wellington Airport (WLG) to Wellington - Arrival Private Transfer: $77
  • WLG Airport to City Private RoundTrip Transfer: $93
  • Private Transfer from Wellington Cruise Port to Wellington Hotels: $104
  • Private Large SUV Airport Transfers Wellington - Executive Travel: $109

Is it cheaper to fly into Wellington or Castries?

Prices for flights to both Castries and Wellington 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
    Wellington $51
    Castries $66
Typical Food Prices in Wellington

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


  • Dinner
    $8.97

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Wellington

For Wellington, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • 3 Hour Walking Food Tour: $125
  • Wine and Food Tour to Martinbough: $175

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Wellington $16
    Castries $27

Tours and Activities in Wellington

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

  • Return Cable Car Ticket: $6.95
  • Private Self-Guided Tour to Wellington: $8.29
  • Wellington City Self Guided Walking Tour with App: $9.99
  • Self Guided Tour of Stonehenge Aotearoa: $11
  • Wellington Coastal Self Drive Tour with an APP: $15
  • Wellington Zoo General Entry Tickets: $15
  • Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Temple: $27
  • Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Spaceship: $27
  • Private Group Puzzle-Solving Adventure Game: Atlantis: $27
  • Wētā Workshop Guided Tour Ticket: $32
  • Wētā Workshop Creative Classes Experience Ticket: $32
  • Axe Throwing Lesson and Tournament: $33

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Wellington $12
    Castries $11

Sample the Local Flavors in Wellington

Also in Wellington, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Wellington Craft Brewery Half-Day Guided Tour with Tastings: $99
  • From Martinborough Wine Tasting Tour: $168
  • Chefs Private Martinborough wine tour with Gourmet Lunch: $391


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Wellington and Castries, we can see that Castries is more expensive. And not only is Wellington much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Wellington is in Pacific and Castries is in Caribbean Islands, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Wellington would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Wellington 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 Castries would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Castries than you might in Wellington.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Wellington Expensive? and Is Castries Expensive?.