Discovering New Zealand: A Week’s Adventure Costs Over $7,000

An incomplete guide, this overview doesn’t cover visa fees (I’ve previously detailed the visa process, including a list of required documents, and I highly recommend handling it yourself) or souvenirs (I spent around 2,000 RMB on items to bring back home).

Having already explored most cities in the South Island, this trip was a fast-paced, special forces-style revisit to a few key spots. The itinerary: Auckland ✈️ Queenstown 🚌 Tekapo 🚌 Christchurch ✈️ Wellington 🚗 Auckland. I booked the international flight three months in advance with a layover, and the domestic New Zealand flights one month ahead. Traveling solo, I stayed in hostels throughout the journey.

1️⃣ Total airfare: ¥3247
– Shanghai to Auckland (layover in Haikou) with Hainan Airlines: ¥2519
– Auckland to Queenstown with Jetstar (20KG baggage): ¥501
– Christchurch to Wellington with Jetstar (15KG baggage): ¥227

2️⃣ Total accommodation: ¥1576
– March 9 & 10: Auckland at Haka Hostel: ¥434
– March 11 & 12: Queenstown at Lylo Hostel: ¥500
– March 13: Tekapo at Lake Tekapo Lake Lodge Edge: ¥249
– March 14: Christchurch at Drifter Hostel (including luggage storage fee): ¥243
– March 15: Wellington at Trek Hostel: ¥150

3️⃣ Total transportation: ¥739
– Intercity: Queenstown to Tekapo: ¥187 + Tekapo to Christchurch: ¥120
– Purchased a Flexipass from a second-hand platform, which is more cost-effective than buying individual tickets. No ID check, just name verification by the driver.
– Car rental: ¥42 + insurance $53.01 (about ¥222) + fuel about ¥168
– Rental car from Wellington to Auckland, complete with a full tank of fuel. Mazda SUV, Auckland was very congested on the weekend, so I added $40 worth of fuel.

4️⃣ Total entertainment: ¥1136
– Queenstown Skyline + 6 Luge rides: $93 + one photo print: $19 (about ¥470)
– TSS steamship BBQ dinner + farm tour: ¥666

5️⃣ Total food: about ¥818
– Brunch at coffee shops every day, as the daytime schedule was packed, with proper meals only in the evenings. Mainly at Auckland Redemy Coffee / Queenstown Mackenzie Coffee + Saigon / Tekapo Dolce Pizza / Christchurch Sesame Noodles + Grizzly Baked Goods + Church Pub / Wellington The Hangar, relying on Google Map ratings for finding great food.

6️⃣ Other expenses: about ¥336
– SIM card: Skinny $22 ($2 card fee + $20 for a one-week 10GB plan)
– Auckland airport shuttle: Skydive $20
– Public transport: AT card $15 + Bee Card $15 + Christchurch $8

Make Each Penny Count
My NZ adventure has come to a successful end, see you again in 2027/28. Queenstown, I will be back, and the Jet Boat, wait for me to board! 🇳🇿