The average price of a 7-day trip to Mount Cook is $2,320 for a solo traveler, $4,167 for a couple, and $7,811 for a family of 4. Mount Cook hotels range from $60 to $272 per night with an average of $101, while most vacation rentals will cost $300 to $400 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Queenstown Airport (ZQN) are between $1,273 and $2,515 per person for economy flights and $3,995 to $7,892 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $51 to $83 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit Mount Cook, NZ
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to ZQN and stay in a Mount Cook hotel:
- February 12th to March 18th
- May 7th to June 24th
- August 6th to October 7th
- October 22nd to November 11th
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Mount Cook is usually mid May.
Average Mount Cook Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Mount Cook for a week is $1,494-$3,492($213-$499 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $51 to $83 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $681 to $2,113 for economy
Lodging: $76 to $95 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $109 to $133 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Mount Cook for a week is $3,716-$6,990($531-$999 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $102 to $166 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,362 to $4,226 for economy
Lodging: $76 to $95 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $109 to $133 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Mount Cook for a week is $5,064-$11,976($723-$1,711 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $204 to $332 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,724 to $8,452 for economy
Lodging: $152 to $190 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $174 to $200 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Mount Cook
How cheap can you make a vacation to Mount Cook? The cheapest trip to Mount Cook is about $164 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 0% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $300 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $51.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit Mount Cook for a week is $1,148-$4,408($164-$630 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $23 to $45 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $681 to $2,113 for economy
Lodging: $51 to $60 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $300 to $330 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Mount Cook for a week is $1,990-$6,836($284-$977 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $46 to $90 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,362 to $4,226 for economy
Lodging: $51 to $60 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $300 to $330 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Mount Cook for a week is $3,980-$12,484($569-$1,783 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $92 to $180 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,724 to $8,452 for economy
Lodging: $102 to $120 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $420 to $462 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is harder to travel to Mount Cook cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Mount Cook Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Mount Cook.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Mount Cook for a week is $2,761-$10,976($394-$1,568 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $92 to $183 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,403 to $5,135 for first class
Lodging: $119 to $272 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $400 to $760 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Mount Cook for a week is $4,808-$17,392($687-$2,485 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $184 to $366 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,806 to $10,270 for first class
Lodging: $119 to $272 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $400 to $760 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Mount Cook for a week is $9,616-$32,960($1,374-$4,709 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $368 to $732 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $5,612 to $20,540 for first class
Lodging: $238 to $544 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $600 to $1,216 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Mount Cook Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Mount Cook is higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Mount Cook due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
Mount Cook Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on Mount Cook hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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While there are a few options for vacation rentals here, the selection is somewhat limited in Mount Cook.
Flight Costs to Mount Cook
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $2,515 average in late December to a low of $1,273 in mid May. Median flight price is $1,481. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Mount Cook our data includes 84 originating airports, and 52 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Mount Cook from an airport like Henry E. Rohlsen (STX) in Christiansted, VI (the United States) for an average $7,946 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Wellington International (WLG) in Wellington (New Zealand) at an average of just $89.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Tuesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Mount Cook, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $1,243, so you can easily save about 98% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Mount Cook can easily cost $340 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $23 per person. Private tours can cost $679 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.