How to Travel New Zealand on a Budget

How to travel New Zealand on a budget is the first thing on a lot of travelers’ minds, as it is not a cheap country. Expenses such as food, accommodation and activities can quickly add up. I’ve lived in New Zealand for 3 years now, so read on for my tips and tricks on how to travel New Zealand on a budget.

Remember to buy travel insurance for your trip. Receive a 5% discount on Heymondo travel insurance.

1) Use Bookme.nz

Bookme.nz is an absolute goldmine of cheap deals. Search via location and snag great prices on activities in New Zealand. Examples include jet boating, scenic flights, Onsen Hot Pools and Hobbiton. It’s used by a number of large tour operators to sell last-minute tickets. You can book in advance, but often the best deals are found if booking last-minute.

2) Use Transfer Car for a Cheap or Even Free Car

Transfer Car is a rental vehicle relocation service where you can get to drive rental cars and vans for free. This is to take rental vehicles back from where the previous customers finished their trip, to the main pickup location. And often the ferry ticket between north and south island is included! Only catch is that you’ll be on a fairly tight schedule. You just need to be over 18 and have a full driving license that is valid in New Zealand.

3) Save Money on Accommodation by House Sitting

House sitting has been my favourite discovery. You can save serious money on accommodation by house sitting instead. Plus you also get to look after cute pets! House sitting is very common in New Zealand due to how far away it is from everywhere else. If Kiwis want to go on holiday overseas, they generally go for a few weeks at a time! Head over to Kiwi House Sitters to find a place to stay! Note that you will need to be organised and prioritise looking after the houses and pets, so this is best for longer stays.

4) Save Foreign Exchange Fees with WISE

Using a WISE card can save you a huge amount on unnecessary fees. It will also ensure you the best foreign exchange rate. Start buying kiwi dollars a few months before your trip. WISE will enable to you open a New Zealand dollar (NZD) pot that functions in the same way as a local bank account. Most places in NZ do accept card (they call this EFTPOS) but if you’re road tripping I recommend always having a small amount of cash with you for small businesses and coin-operated showers at campsites etc.

5) Get Cheap Restaurant Meals with First Table

How to travel New Zealand on a budget often comes down to food. Prices are pretty high in NZ, especially in supermarkets (think NZ$10 for a punnet of tomatoes!). Supermarket food prices also vary a lot depending on the time of year and what is in season. But don’t let that stop you from enjoying the beautiful food available here. First table allows you to book an early dining slot (literally the first table) at a number of NZ restaurants and then get 50% off the final bill. What’s not to love! Available for parties of up to 4 people.

6) Save Up Air New Zealand Airpoints

Sign up to Air New Zealand’s Airpoints scheme (anyone can join). Earn points on daily spending such as fuel or supermarket shopping at New World. Points can then be spent on snacks at the airport, meals on Air NZ flights (and partner and Star Alliance airlines). Or, save them to buy domestic or international flight tickets. You can get a digital Airpoints card on your phone meaning you don’t need to get one delivered.

7) Avoid the school holidays

Prices skyrocket during the school holidays and accommodation gets pretty booked up. Note that NZ school holidays may be at a different time of year than your country. For example, basically the whole country seems to be on holiday for a few weeks over the summer Christmas break. Because New Zealand is so far away geographically from other countries, most Kiwi families holiday domestically. This means everything’s noticeably busier and more expensive when school’s out.

8) Stay in freedom camping sites

The most popular way to travel New Zealand on a budget is to hire a camper van and stay in freedom camps. There are plenty of free campsites around New Zealand. Download apps such as WikiCamps New Zealand or CamperMate to find them. This is a great way to explore the great outdoors that New Zealand is famous for. You’ll need to make sure that your vehicle meets the requirement for each campsite e.g. most require vehicles to be self-contained.

9) Stay in DOC huts

The Department of Conservation (DOC) has numerous huts you can book. Most are set in beautiful locations such as the Mueller Hut (pictured below) or huts along the Abel Tasman Coastal Walk. This is the best way to experience some of New Zealand’s more remote areas. Facilities are simple (bunks and rubber mattresses – bring your own sleeping bag). But vibes are great and you’ll meet lots of like-minded travelers. Book and pay via DOC’s website here.

Hopefully this article on how to travel New Zealand on a budget has inspired you to visit this beautiful country without breaking the bank!

Read my other New Zealand blog posts!