The average price of a 7-day trip to South Island is $2,128 for a solo traveler, $3,822 for a couple, and $7,165 for a family of 4. South Island hotels range from $44 to $201 per night with an average of $78, while most vacation rentals will cost $160 to $440 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 $30 to $58 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 South Island, NZ

On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to ZQN and stay in a South Island 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 South Island is usually mid May.

 

Average South Island Trip Costs

Average Solo Traveler

The average cost for one person to visit South Island for a week is $1,227-$3,222($175-$460 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $30 to $58 per day for one person’s daily expenses

Flights: $681 to $2,264 for economy

Lodging: $56 to $74 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room

or $76 to $92 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental

Average Couple’s Trip

The average cost for a couple to visit South Island for a week is $3,302-$6,394($472-$913 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $60 to $116 per day for two people’s daily expenses

Flights: $1,362 to $4,528 for economy

Lodging: $56 to $74 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room

or $76 to $92 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental

Average Family Vacation

The average cost for 4 people to visit South Island for a week is $4,236-$11,568($605-$1,653 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $120 to $232 per day for four people’s daily expenses

Flights: $2,724 to $9,056 for economy

Lodging: $112 to $148 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms

or $114 to $129 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental

Traveling Cheap to South Island

How cheap can you make a vacation to South Island? The cheapest trip to South Island is about $148 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 $120 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 $39.

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 South Island for a week is $1,034-$3,395($148-$485 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $17 to $33 per day for one person’s daily expenses

Flights: $681 to $2,264 for economy

Lodging: $39 to $44 per night for one 1-star hotel room

or $120 to $150 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental

Budget Couple’s Trip

The lowest cost for a couple to visit South Island for a week is $1,834-$5,890($262-$841 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $34 to $66 per day for two people’s daily expenses

Flights: $1,362 to $4,528 for economy

Lodging: $39 to $44 per night for one 1-star hotel room

or $120 to $150 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental

Budget Family Vacation

The lowest cost for 4 people to visit South Island for a week is $3,668-$11,240($524-$1,606 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $68 to $132 per day for four people’s daily expenses

Flights: $2,724 to $9,056 for economy

Lodging: $78 to $88 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms

or $168 to $210 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental

Overall it is very possible to travel to South Island cheaply.

The Cost of a Luxury South Island Trip

There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in South Island.

Luxury Solo Traveler

The high-end price for one person to visit South Island for a week is $2,360-$12,194($337-$1,742 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $54 to $122 per day for one person’s daily expenses

Flights: $1,382 to $5,796 for first class

Lodging: $100 to $201 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room

or $440 to $924 per night for a preferred vacation rental

Luxury Couple’s Trip

The high-end price for a couple to visit South Island for a week is $4,120-$18,844($589-$2,692 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $108 to $244 per day for two people’s daily expenses

Flights: $2,764 to $11,592 for first class

Lodging: $100 to $201 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room

or $440 to $924 per night for a preferred vacation rental

Luxury Family Vacation

The high-end price for 4 people to visit South Island for a week is $8,240-$35,468($1,177-$5,067 per day)

Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $216 to $488 per day for four people’s daily expenses

Flights: $5,528 to $23,184 for first class

Lodging: $200 to $402 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms

or $704 to $1,478 per night for a preferred vacation rental

 

South Island Hotel Prices

The cost of staying in South Island is slightly lower than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in South Island 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.

South Island 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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Hotel Price

Prices are based on South Island 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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Percent of rentals

There are many options for vacation rentals across many price ranges in South Island.

 

Flight Costs to South Island

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 South Island our data includes 84 originating airports, and 52 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to South Island 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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Worldwide Flight Prices

Average Flight Cost by Day of Week

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Departure Day Prices
Return Day Prices

 

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 South Island, 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 South Island can easily cost $250 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $17 per person. Private tours can cost $501 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.

 

 

Other South Island Guides

Travel Costs in Popular Places

The Cost of a Trip Anywhere› New Zealand › South Island, New Zealand