Travel Budget for Queenstown

Otago, New Zealand
Pacific / New Zealand / South Island /

How much does it cost to travel to Queenstown?

How much money will you need for your trip to Queenstown? You should plan to spend around NZ$136 ($90) per day on your vacation in Queenstown, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, NZ$47 ($31) on meals for one day and NZ$14 ($9.12) on local transportation. Also, the average hotel price in Queenstown for a couple is NZ$143 ($95). So, a trip to Queenstown for two people for one week costs on average NZ$1,900 ($1,256). All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.

  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    NZ$136
  • One Week Per person
    NZ$950
  • 2 Weeks Per person
    NZ$1,900
  • One Month Per person
    NZ$4,071
  • One Week For a couple
    NZ$1,900
  • 2 Weeks For a couple
    NZ$3,799
  • One Month For a couple
    NZ$8,141
This data comes from the travel budgets of real travelers - Learn more about these numbers.
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A vacation to Queenstown for one week usually costs around NZ$950 for one person. So, a trip to Queenstown for two people costs around NZ$1,900 for one week. A trip for two weeks for two people costs NZ$3,799 in Queenstown. If you're traveling as a family of three or four people, the price person often goes down because kid's tickets are cheaper and hotel rooms can be shared. If you travel slower over a longer period of time then your daily budget will also go down. Two people traveling together for one month in Queenstown can often have a lower daily budget per person than one person traveling alone for one week.



How expensive is Queenstown?

How much does a trip to Queenstown cost? Is Queenstown expensive? The average Queenstown trip cost is broken down by category here. All of these Queenstown prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.

While meal prices in Queenstown can vary, the average cost of food in Queenstown is NZ$47 per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Queenstown should cost around NZ$19 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Queenstown is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.

The cost of a taxi ride in Queenstown is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent NZ$14 per person, per day, on local transportation in Queenstown.


  • Accommodation1 Hotel or hostel for one person
    NZ$72
  • Accommodation1 Typical double-occupancy room
    NZ$143
  • Food2 Meals for one day
    NZ$47
  • Local Transportation1 Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    NZ$14
  • Entertainment1 Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    NZ$29
  • Tips and Handouts1 For guides or service providers
    NZ$4.91
  • Alcohol2 Drinks for one day
    NZ$12
Last Updated: Oct 26, 2019
Flights to Queenstown

How much does it cost to go to Queenstown? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend SkyScanner because they can find the best deals across all of the airlines.




How much money do I need for Queenstown?

Typical travel prices in Queenstown are listed below. These actual costs can give you an idea of the price of travel in Queenstown. Please keep in mind that the cost of travel in Queenstown can vary depending on your specific style of travel.


  • Skyline Gondola (for 2)
    NZ$50
  • Milford Sound Trip (for 2)
    NZ$324


Typical tour prices for Queenstown

How much do tours to Queenstown cost? Multi-day tours can often be an effecient way to see the highlights of a country or region.

  • Contiki Tours for 18-35 year olds
    14 days
    $ 2050
    ($146/day)
  • Intrepid Small group tours for everyone
    12 days
    $ 3675
    ($306/day)
  • G Adventures Adventure and cultural tours
    16 days
    $ 1625
    ($102/day)
  • Trafalgar Award-winning tours
    9 days
    $ 2915
    ($324/day)
Find a hostel, guesthouse, or B&B in Queenstown
Queenstown


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Queenstown On a Budget
Queenstown Queenstown, New Zealand
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.

Queenstown's climate is oceanic, influenced by the town's location on the shore of Lake Wakatipu as well as its relatively moderate altitude and the surrounding mountains. The summers are warm with temperatures that may climb to 30 degrees Celsius. The winters are cold with frequent snowfall, but there is no permanent snow cover.
Sights
Most people come to Queenstown for the spectacular views of the mountains. The scenery in the area is excellent. You'll find one of the best views of the area from the top of Bob's Peak. This peak can be accessed by the Skyline Gondola and there are views of Coronet Peak, the Remarkables mountain range, and the Cecil and Walter Peaks across Lake Wakatipu.

There is also a beautiful, scenic drive to Glenorchy. It takes about fifty minutes traveling north along Lake Wakatipu. The Gibbston Valley wine area is also just a twenty minute drive from town along the Kawarau Gorge. For even more ideas, read up on things to do in Queenstown such as wineries, gardens, and lakes nearby.
Neighborhoods
Queenstown has a few neighborhoods that each have their own atmosphere. The central business district is the best area to stay if you hope to take advantage of the town's nightlife. There are more than fifty bars in the area.

If you want a slightly quieter experience, there are several surrounding neighborhoods that make a quiet base but offer easy access to the center of town. The Glenorchy Road area and the Kingston Road area have great views and a natural setting with high end lodges, bed and breakfasts, and vacation rentals. The Gibbston Valley area has a variety of accommodation options near many of the vineyards. Arrowtown is the historic precinct with much of the area's history and culture.

Activities
Queenstown offers some excellent adventure sports opportunities. These include skiing, snowboarding, bungyjumping, jet boats and horseback riding among other things. There are several private companies that offer trips out on the lake. This is a great way to enjoy the area's beauty. Several companies also organize scenic flights. Helicopters can take you around the area and offer views that can't be beat.

If you're hoping to relax a little, there are several good wine tasting opportunities as well as the Body Sanctum Day Spa in the area. The Central Oteago wine region produces cool climate wines that are of great quality.

You really won't be at a shortage of things to do if you have a couple days in Queenstown.
Food and Dining
You'll find every type of restaurant in Queenstown, from fast food take away that is open all night long, to fine dining seafood restaurants where you can enjoy a nice, well prepared meal. The nicer restaurants in town almost always require a reservation, particularly during peak season when they can fill up quickly. Many of the wineries in the area are also open for lunch.

Transportation
Queenstown Car Rental Prices
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Queenstown's town center is small and easy to walk around. Parking within the city center can be a challenge. There is a bus service called Connectabus. There are three routes, with the most helpful to tourists being services 10/11. This route runs every half hour between the airport, the Remarkables Park shopping center, and alternating routes that continue on to Arrowtown. There are also two trips a day to Wanaka.

If you're hoping to get out on the lake then you can pick up a tour at Queenstown Wharf. There's also now a water taxi service which is less of a tour but will take you out on the water.
Related
Looking for a party in Auckland or somewhere else in New Zealand?
Traveling alone or with a group?
1 Categories averaged on a per-item basis.
2 Categories averaged on a per-day basis.
For example, the Food2 daily average is for all meals for an entire day, while Entertainment1 is for each individual purchase.

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Queenstown Travel Cost - Average Price of a Vacation to Queenstown: Food & Meal Budget, Daily & Weekly Expenses | BudgetYourTrip.com

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