How Much Does a New Zealand Honeymoon Cost?

How much to budget for a New Zealand honeymoon?

Roughly speaking, here is the kind of price range you might be looking at for a total New Zealand honeymoon cost, depending on how you want to go about it (note that these prices are excluding airfares):

New Zealand honeymoon budget: price ranges

Luxury 14-day New Zealand honeymoon: NZD $35,000+ 

Mid-range 14-day New Zealand honeymoon: NZD $15,000 - $35,000

Affordable 14-day New Zealand honeymoon: NZD $5,000 - $15,000

Of course, pricing is determined by many factors including:  duration of stay, selected accommodation, mode of travel - scenic flights and private driver guides vs self drive or public transport and just how many epic activities you will want to include, each honeymoon is unique to each couple, and not everybody will fall perfectly into one category or the other. [Price indications valid 2024]

So, to help you get a better idea when planning your New Zealand honeymoon, we’ve put together an outline of things you might want to take into account. 

What costs to consider when planning a New Zealand honeymoon

In this article we will touch on several aspects that will affect the cost of your New Zealand honeymoon. To help you get an idea of what to budget for your New Zealand honeymoon, we will be covering things like:

• What to know: Currency, logistics, and what to expect
• Destinations: Where you go
• Seasons: When you go
• Activities: What you do
• Accommodation: Where you sleep
• Transportation and Car Hire: How you get around
• Flights: How you get here

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New Zealand honeymoon costs: Currency, logistics, and what to expect

New Zealand is a beautiful country made up of relatively large, geographically diverse islands. The best way to get around is by having the freedom of your own car on a self-drive New Zealand honeymoon, and besides chartering your own yacht, the only way to reach New Zealand from abroad is by commercial flight (see below). 

When looking at prices for accommodation, flights and activities, also bear in mind that prices in dollars ($) will most often mean New Zealand Dollar (NZD) rather than US (USD) or Australian dollar (AUD).

• NZD to USD: 1 NZD = 0.62 USD (as of January 8, 2024)
• NZD to Euro: 1 NZD = 0.59 EUR (as of January 8, 2024)
• NZD to AUD: 1 NZD = 0.95 AUD (as of January 8, 2024)

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New Zealand honeymoon cost factors:

Where you go

There are so many beautiful destinations to visit on any New Zealand honeymoon. Some places might be more expensive to visit than others, and this could be due to any number of factors: from how popular it is at that time of year to how accessible (or inaccessible) the location might be.  

Since the “perfect” combination of destinations to visit on a New Zealand honeymoon is different for each couple, then the total cost will be affected by which destinations you choose to include on your New Zealand honeymoon.

For more information or inspiration on what to expect from different NZ honeymoon destinations, you can read our blog post dedicated to Destinations to Visit on Your New Zealand Honeymoon. From hidden gems and quiet hideaways to big-hitting major attractions and world-famous destinations, there really is something to suit every New Zealand honeymoon budget.

New Zealand honeymoon cost factors:

When you go

Knowing which time of year you want to plan your New Zealand honeymoon will go a long way towards determining how much it will cost. From flights and activities to accommodation and car rental, many aspects of a New Zealand honeymoon will be more expensive at certain times of the year than others. 

Here are a few broad rules to keep in mind:

• Peak season = Peak cost: Generally speaking, summer is peak tourism season in New Zealand, both for locals and international visitors. That means that prices are at a premium from, roughly, December-March, and especially January-February. Having said that, this is with very good reason: it’s a beautiful time to come! You’ll want to book well in advance if planning for this period.
• Know where you go: Winter (June-September) might be a quiet time for New Zealand beaches, but it is peak season for popular activities like skiing, stargazing and spotting the romantic Southern Lights. This means that June/July to September is another peak season in places like Queenstown, Wānaka, Taupo, etc. Conversely, it is a very affordable off-season in places like Auckland, the Bay of Islands and Rotorua.
• Shoulder seasons – Spring and Autumn: There’s plenty of value to be had in planning your New Zealand honeymoon during either side of summer and winter, between April-May (fall/autumn) and October-November (spring). Not only do you get smaller crowds and (generally) lower airfares and prices than other times, but you can still enjoy good weather and perfect conditions for hiking and other activities. 

For a more detailed outline of what to expect from your New Zealand honeymoon at different times of the year, we have everything you need to know in our blog post dedicated to finding the Best Time for a New Zealand Honeymoon, here.

New Zealand honeymoon accommodation prices: 

Where you stay

New Zealand offers an incredibly wide range of accommodation options for New Zealand honeymooners, and no two couples are the same when it comes to preferences for their perfect place(s) to stay. 

You can opt to lap it in luxury at a 5-star hotel or indulge in one of many magnificent luxury lodges around New Zealand. You can do something different by staying on a local farm, in a campervan or even on a boat. Or you could choose to sleep under the stars in a glass-domed cabin, even find a romantic cozy cottage or private, secluded beach house. 

Obviously, each of these comes with different accommodation costs. Each choice will also be dependent on what time of year you choose to come, as the prices for some New Zealand accommodation types fluctuate throughout the year more than others (for example, city hotels remain more constant year-round than, say, lodges located near season-dependent tourist attractions and activities, such as ski resorts).

For a rough outline on how much accommodation might cost on your New Zealand honeymoon, here are some average outlines to give you an idea. 

Remember that your dream New Zealand honeymoon might comprise any combination of these accommodation options. So the final cost of your honeymoon will depend a lot on your own unique combination of what you want to do, where you want to go, and where you choose to stay at different points along the way! 

Average New Zealand Honeymoon accommodation prices, by accommodation type

All of the prices given here are for one couple (two people), per night. Please note that prices are average estimates, and indicative only:

• Luxury Wilderness Lodge or Premium 5-star Hotel Suite. Fully-catered gourmet meals, hot tub, panoramic views, etc. NZD $1,500 - $2,000+ per night 
• Deluxe Double 4/5-star Hotel Room. City or near attractions, full service and amenities. Room service, minibar, gym, etc. NZD $700 - $1,200 per night
• Wilderness “Glamping” cabin, Private Stargazing “Pod” or similar. Boutique, bespoke accommodation options in beautiful, remote areas but very comfortable and/or luxurious. NZD $600 - $900 per night.
• Standard Double Hotel Room or Private Cabin/Lodge. Convenient city locations, smaller towns or in wilderness and attraction locations. Self-catered. NZD $300 - $500 per night
• Budget Hotel/Motel Room, Motorpark, Campground. Rural, urban or wilderness locations. Varying levels of amenities and services. $80 - $250 per night

Houseboat, Old Train/Boat/Plane, “SiloStay”, Farmstay, “Hill Hole”, etc. From houseboats or sleeping in an old grain silo to local farm stays, sleeping in a decommissioned fighter plane to hobbit-like “Hill Holes” or “Wine-Barrel Cabins”, New Zealand offers a number of quirky accommodation types that can offer novelty, comfort, and budget-friendly honeymoon memories. NZD $100 - $400 per night

New Zealand honeymoon Car Hire

Hiring a car and making your own way from place to place is a fantastic way to plan a New Zealand honeymoon. And while most couples choose a self-drive tour as the best way to do their New Zealand honeymoon, most differ in terms of what their preferred vehicle and way of getting around might look like – for some, it’s a classy late-model convertible sports car, while others opt for a more humble, pre-loved station wagon or wilderness-ready 4WD SUV. Some couples also choose to go around in their own honeymoon campervan.

Knowing what kind of vehicle you want or need for your self-drive NZ honeymoon itinerary will help to determine the total cost of your New Zealand honeymoon. Here are a few factors to keep in mind when looking at honeymoon car rental in New Zealand:

Size and age matters – generally speaking, the newer and bigger the car, the higher the rental price; choosing more premium over budget models will up the price, too.

Insurance and length of hire – hiring a car for weeks can be significantly cheaper than per-day rates, while paying premium per-day insurance means greater peace of mind, but a higher cost.

When you arrive, what you do and where you go – renting vehicles during summer and peak tourist season will be more expensive than other times, while adventurous add-ons like bike racks and snow chains will add a bit to your car budget.

To give you a rough idea on what to expect when budgeting car rental for your New Zealand honeymoon, here are some sample scenarios:

• 14-day rental, summer, Auckland collection, excess-limitation insurance, new model Tesla Sport EV (or similar): NZD $2,500
• 7-day rental, Ford Mustang / elite sports car, peak summer, Premium Insurance + Loss Damage Liability, $2,200 
• 14-day rental, winter, collecting in Queenstown and returning in Christchurch, compact SUV, basic insurance: NZD$1,700  
• 14-day rental, small car (Suzuki Swift or similar), Queenstown collection, October, basic insurance: NZD $850
• Basic campervan, 2 berths, $250-300 per day in summer, $50-100 per day in low season (May)
• Lush campervan, extension, toilet, shower and table, $500 / day peak summer, $200 / day in low season

(Please note that these prices are very broad and indicative only, and are only given as a rough indication for 2024! Find out more about renting a car in New Zealand on the FLT New Zealand travel blog).

New Zealand Honeymoon Activities

Many couples choose New Zealand as their dream honeymoon destination because of the amazing range of activities and adventures you can share together. 

Having some idea what kind of activities you want to do – and in what kind of style – will go a long way towards working out the cost of your New Zealand honeymoon.

For example, here are some rough price outlines for a few popular New Zealand honeymoon activities:

• Luxury all-day private wine tour, Waiheke Island: $1,300 (USD$800) for two
• Luxury Lake Taupō private boat cruise with French Champagne: $1,350 (USD$850) for two
• Spectacular Queenstown > Milford Sound 5-hour scenic flight and cruise: $650 (USD$400) per person
• Fox Glacier Snow Landing helicopter tour (20 minutes): $330 (USD$200) per person 
• World-famous whale-watching experience, Kaikōura: $165 (USD$100) per person
• Original Kawarau Bridge bungy jump, Queenstown: $265 (USD$170) per person
• Average adult day ski pass, Wānaka and Queenstown: $160 (USD$100) per person

(If you’re looking for inspiration on which activities to include, take a tempting look at our selection of luxury activities for a New Zealand honeymoon!)

New Zealand honeymoon cost factors:

Flights to New Zealand

Like other aspects of planning a New Zealand honeymoon highlighted in this article, the cost of flights to New Zealand can differ drastically depending on what time of year you will be coming. 

The busiest times of year are also generally the most expensive, while the quieter seasons can be significantly cheaper than at other times of year. For a more in-depth outline on what to expect, read First Light Travel’s comprehensive article on the Best Time for a New Zealand Honeymoon, here, which covers variation in flight costs as well as other factors.

Flight costs for a New Zealand honeymoon also depend on the route you take, and which countries you fly through: New Zealand is a long way from Europe, for example, and will require a layover flight somewhere. There are direct flights from the United States, South America, Australia, Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

Finally, leaving flights to New Zealand til the last minute is never a good idea – and especially for your honeymoon. Quite simply: the earlier you book, the lower the fare. (Usually)

Flights will very by airline, by travel class and by flight duration and most direct options:  eg from London Heathrow to Auckland could take from 29 hours to 39 hours - you may prefer to add in a midpoint stop over to break up the journey.

New Zealand honeymoon planning: next steps

If you’re ready to start planning your New Zealand honeymoon in earnest – or even if you still have questions and want to find out more – then start by making an enquiry with First Light Travel’s expert New Zealand honeymoon team, here. FLT’s travel advisors can work directly with you to curate your own perfect NZ honeymoon itinerary, breaking down the costs at every stage. There’s no obligation to book, and no fees charged until you are 100% happy that you have created your own perfect itinerary at a price that works for you. Get in touch and start planning your dream New Zealand honeymoon now!