How Much Money Do You Need for Two Weeks in New Zealand?

Three ways to spend a fortnight

A lean fortnight means cooking nearly every meal, staying at DOC campsites and the occasional holiday park, and choosing free walks over paid tours. A comfortable fortnight adds powered sites most nights, a few meals out, coffee most days and a couple of paid activities. The top tier swaps some van nights for motels or lodges and books an activity most days.

These figures are per person and exclude the vehicle and flights. Use them as a starting point, then adjust for your own habits: people who eat out every evening or book a scenic flight in every region spend well above the comfortable range.

The vehicle is the biggest single line

A campervan for two weeks can cost very little or a great deal, depending on the season, the size of the van and how early you book. A small van in the off-season can be cheaper than a fortnight of hostel beds for two, while a large motorhome in January can cost more than everything else combined. Add the insurance option, the bond held on your card and any one-way fee before you compare.

Split the vehicle cost across everyone sharing it, and remember that it covers both transport and a bed. The campervan hire cost guide breaks down the extras, and the campervan budget guide shows how to price the whole package.

Fuel, ferry and road costs

Fuel depends on distance more than anything. A relaxed two-week route covers perhaps 2,000 to 3,000 kilometres, and a rushed one that tries to see both islands covers far more. Diesel vans pay road user charges on top of the pump price, and some rental companies collect them at the end of the hire, so ask before you leave.

If you cross between the islands, the Cook Strait ferry with a campervan is a fixed cost that is easy to forget, and it rises in summer. The fuel cost guide and the Cook Strait ferry guide have more on both.

Campsites, food and the small things

Campsites are usually a smaller line than people expect. Mixing free and low-cost DOC sites with a holiday park every few nights keeps the total low while still giving you showers and laundry. Food is the line you control most: a supermarket shop every few days and one meal out a day costs far less than eating out twice.

Then there are the small things that add up over a fortnight: showers at pay stations, laundry, dump station fees, a local SIM or roaming plan, coffee and car parks in the cities. Leave room for them rather than discovering them in week two.

Activities and the season

A single scenic flight, jet boat, glacier walk or Milford Sound cruise can cost as much as several ordinary days. Pick the two or three you care about most before you go, book them, and treat everything else as a bonus. Many of the best things to do in New Zealand, from the walks to the hot pools by the river, are free or cheap.

December to February is the most expensive time, with higher vehicle rates and busier campsites. March, April and November are cheaper and still warm enough for most people, and winter is cheapest of all outside the ski towns.

Building your own number

Start with the fixed costs: flights, the vehicle and its extras, the ferry and the activities you have booked. Add fuel for your route, then multiply your daily range for food, campsites and small things by 14. Finally, add a reserve of ten to fifteen percent for a changed plan, a flat tyre or an extra night in a holiday park when the weather turns.

Check your spending every few days on the road. Fuel, takeaway food and activities are the lines that drift, and catching them early is much easier than cutting back in the last week. The two-week campervan itinerary guide has a route to build the plan around.

Planning your trip in KiwiCamping

KiwiCamping's fee and facilities filters help you find the free and low-cost campsites that keep a fortnight's accommodation down, along with holiday parks for the nights you want a shower. Add each night to a dated trip, and the forecast for each stop helps you move a paid activity to a clear day.

DOC and holiday park bookings stay with them. Free to download, with in-app purchases.

Places along the way