11 tips for visiting New Zealand on a budget

You鈥檝e spent all that money on plane tickets getting to the bottom of the southern hemisphere. Now you want to make the rest of your travel fund stretch as far as possible. The good news is that affordable travel in New Zealand is possible 鈥� if you plan carefully.

Depending on your home currency and the exchange rate, travel in Aotearoa (New Zealand鈥檚 M膩ori language name) can be delightfully affordable or a bit of a stretch. Many visitors are shocked to discover how expensive food and goods are in New Zealand 鈥� the consequence of everything from gasoline to staples like rice having to travel a long way to get there. Meals out can seem expensive, but keep in mind that listed prices always include tax. You also don鈥檛 need to tip; New Zealand has one of the highest hourly minimum wages in the world.

Despite the high cost of living, you can still make your (NZ$) stretch. Here鈥檚 how to travel through NZ on a budget.

Tents pitched in grass and vans and cars parked on pavement in a mountainous part of New Zealand. — A campsite at Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. cktravels.com/Shutterstock

Daily costs

Average daily costs run NZ$150鈥�250, including three meals a day, cheaper accommodations, and modest activities and transportation.

Night in an eight-bunk hostel dorm room: NZ$30鈥�60
Night in a private hostel room for two: NZ$100鈥�150
Night camping at a holiday park: NZ$50
Night at a cabin in a holiday park: NZ$145
Night in a self-catering apartment: NZ$100鈥�150
Public transportation ticket: NZ$2-$5
Flat white coffee: NZ$5.50
Sandwich: NZ$6
Mince and cheese pie: NZ$5
Dinner for two: NZ$60
Pint of beer at a pub: NZ$10

A narrow road with cars parked on the side cuts through a town of stone buildings; there is red, white and blue bunting strung over the street. — 艑amaru in the Waitaki District of the South Island. trabantos/Shutterstock

1. Instead of renting a car, relocate one

Although your itinerary will need to be flexible, one-way relocations of rental cars and campervans via websites such as can save you money on travel, fuel and accommodations. Some will pay your ferry ticket if you have to cross between the North and South Islands.

2. Or catch the bus instead

The bus network is the cheapest way to get around New Zealand. The buses are reasonably comfortable, with big windows, charging ports and regular stops. Tickets can be very cheap if you book ahead 鈥� Auckland to Wellington from NZ$60, for example.

A buys you a certain number of hours on the bus, so you can hop on and hop off, planning your own itinerary. InterCity also offers if you have a membership at YHA, ISIC, Hostelling International or a similar organization.

A road is visible through a van window; there is a sink in the foreground, and mountains in the background through the window. — Danseys Pass in the Kakanui Range from a van window. Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock

3. Embrace van life

Although it can seem like a big up-front cost, renting a campervan can save money in the long run. With countless free and legal campsites across the country, you won鈥檛 have to shell out for accommodations and can cook your own food. Comparison sites, like , aggregate campervan offers so you can find the best deal.

If you鈥檙e staying longer, however, buying might be a better bet 鈥� it鈥檚 relatively easy to purchase, register and insure a vehicle in New Zealand. (New Zealand鈥檚 online marketplace), hostel notice boards and backpacker Facebook pages are rife with vans for sale by travelers who are returning home. If you have between NZ$7000 and $10,000 to spend on your ride, you鈥檙e likely to snag a van fully equipped with camping equipment. Provided you avoid misadventure and repairs, you probably won鈥檛 lose a lot of money when you sell it to the next eager budget traveler.

Whatever you do, choose the most economical vehicle you can, because fuel (gasoline or diesel) in New Zealand is eye-wateringly expensive.

4. Take advantage of holiday park chains

Holiday parks are in pretty much every medium-size town or scenic destination in New Zealand. These campgrounds boast powered sites, kitchen facilities, playgrounds and lounges. Many also feature small cabins or motel rooms, meaning you don鈥檛 need to have a tent or be traveling in a motorhome.

Getting a membership with a big national chain, such as , gets you a 10% discount on accommodations, savings on the Interislander ferry between the North and South Island, and regional discounts on restaurants and activities.

A person at a lakeside campsite sits in a folding chair with their legs resting on a folding table and their hands clasped behind their head; there is a red tent to the left and a bike leaning against a tree. — Camping on the South Island. Ascent/PKS Media Inc./Getty Images

5. Freedom camping can be a good option 鈥� but only with the right vehicle in the right place

Free campsites and places to park overnight can be found across New Zealand. Known as 鈥�freedom camping,鈥� this option has grown in popularity for obvious reasons. But it has also resulted in problems, including tourists leaving behind human waste and rubbish. As a result, most towns have set aside specific areas with rubbish and toilet facilities for budget travelers. Use an app like to find them.

To freedom camp, your vehicle must be self-contained, meaning you can carry your own water and waste. Breaching regulations could result in a NZ$400 fine.

6. Department of Conservation campsites are your best friend

The government-run are set in scenic places, with more than 200 around New Zealand in forest, lake and beach settings. They offer a range of facilities, and prices range from free for a basic site to NZ$25 per night per adult for a serviced site. Some even have kitchens and laundry.

The one-year may be worth your while if you stay enough nights to cover the NZ$295 cost. Before you buy, check that the campsites where you want to stay are included.

People shop for fresh produce at a fruit and vegetable market; there are heads of lettuce on the table in the foreground, and apples and red peppers are visible on the tables behind it. — Farmers market in Wellington. Adam Constanza/Shutterstock

7. Find the farmers markets

If you鈥檙e self-catering, the most nutritious way to eat on a budget is to increase your vegetable and fruit intake. Buy bulk staples, such as rice and beans, and find out when and where the local farmers market is when you arrive at a new destination. (Many towns and cities hold them on Saturdays.) Then you can really choose food in season. It鈥檒l be cheaper and fresher than supermarkets, and you can search through local crafts for unique presents and souvenirs too.

8. Don鈥檛 visit at the height of summer

In New Zealand, late autumn (April and May), winter (June to August) and early spring (September and October) are great times to visit: beautiful weather, with crisper days and no crowds 鈥� seriously, no crowds (except for the ski hills). Out of the snow towns, activity prices are cheaper, accommodation hosts will have more time to chat, the famous sun is less intense, and you鈥檒l have those DOC campsites to yourself.

Visitors outside the entrance to a museum in New Zealand; there is a glass awning over the doorway, and the sign above the doors says "Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa." — Te Papa Tongarewa/Museum of New Zealand in Wellington. georgeclerk/Getty Images

9. Explore New Zealand鈥檚 free museums and galleries

Libraries, museums and art galleries are generally free to visit in New Zealand, although some may suggest that you give a koha (modest donation). Most towns have a small historical society or museum that you can nose around for several hours. Spend a day browsing paintings, books, artifacts and exhibits and come away far richer in knowledge.

10. Volunteer in exchange for room and board

and are all incredibly active sites in NZ, with hosts offering a room in exchange for 4鈥�6 hours of work a day. Tasks typically include gardening, child care or animal care. In return, you鈥檒l get time with a local family, new skills and local knowledge.

House-sitting is just as popular. In exchange for taking care of someone鈥檚 home and pets while they are away, you鈥檒l get free accommodation. Opportunities are listed on sites such as , but you鈥檒l likely need a car, as some of the homes can be far-flung.

However, New Zealand considers volunteering in exchange for room and board to be work, even if it鈥檚 unpaid, so you鈥檒l need to possess a valid work permit, such as a .

A hiker wearing a backpack and holding two hiking poles walks through grass on a cliff above the sea; there are two large rock formations in the blue water. — The Cape Brett Track in the Bay of Islands. Janice Chen/Shutterstock

11. Learn to love tramping

If you鈥檙e not already a hiker, New Zealand will make you one. The country loves its great outdoors, and there鈥檚 a rich backcountry mythology and etiquette to "tramping" (hiking) culture, centered around New Zealand鈥檚 incredible free or cheap . More than 1000 are spread across the country, and they鈥檙e like temples to some Kiwis. There was even a best-selling book, Shelter from the Storm, devoted to the huts, which was so dense with information that it weighed in at 2.7kg.

The most important thing is to obey the hut rules: no boots inside, last one out sweeps up, use wood sparingly, leave dry firewood and kindling, clean your scraps from the sink drain, take that 5am rustling outside, poo in the right place, leave your intentions in the hut book, and always, always, pay the hut fee.

Ask a local if you鈥檙e unsure about hut etiquette. They will delight in informing you of the proper backcountry courtesies, along with outrageous tales of unruly tourists who broke the code. Don鈥檛 become one.