The average price of a 7-day trip to Wanaka is $2,632 for a solo traveler, $4,727 for a couple, and $8,862 for a family of 4. Wanaka hotels range from $69 to $335 per night with an average of $112, while most vacation rentals will cost $220 to $1000 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 $58 to $113 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 Wanaka, NZ
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to ZQN and stay in a Wanaka 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 Wanaka is usually mid May.
Average Wanaka Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Wanaka for a week is $1,681-$4,029($240-$576 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $58 to $113 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $681 to $2,188 for economy
Lodging: $99 to $106 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $143 to $175 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Wanaka for a week is $3,952-$7,662($565-$1,095 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $116 to $226 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,362 to $4,376 for economy
Lodging: $99 to $106 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $143 to $175 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Wanaka for a week is $5,536-$13,596($791-$1,942 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $232 to $452 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,724 to $8,752 for economy
Lodging: $198 to $212 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $200 to $280 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Wanaka
How cheap can you make a vacation to Wanaka? The cheapest trip to Wanaka is about $176 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 1% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $100 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 $62.
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 Wanaka for a week is $1,235-$3,399($176-$486 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $26 to $53 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $681 to $2,188 for economy
Lodging: $62 to $69 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $100 to $140 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Wanaka for a week is $2,098-$5,958($300-$851 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $52 to $106 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,362 to $4,376 for economy
Lodging: $62 to $69 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $100 to $140 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Wanaka for a week is $4,196-$11,580($599-$1,654 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $104 to $212 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,724 to $8,752 for economy
Lodging: $124 to $138 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $150 to $224 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very difficult to travel to Wanaka cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Wanaka Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Wanaka.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Wanaka for a week is $3,165-$17,894($452-$2,556 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $104 to $215 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,777 to $4,989 for first class
Lodging: $110 to $335 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $1,000 to $1,900 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Wanaka for a week is $5,670-$24,388($810-$3,484 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $208 to $430 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $3,554 to $9,978 for first class
Lodging: $110 to $335 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $1,000 to $1,900 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Wanaka for a week is $11,340-$41,936($1,620-$5,991 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $416 to $860 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $7,108 to $19,956 for first class
Lodging: $220 to $670 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $1,400 to $2,660 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Wanaka Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Wanaka is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Wanaka 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.
Wanaka 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 Wanaka 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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There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Wanaka.
Flight Costs to Wanaka
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 Wanaka our data includes 84 originating airports, and 52 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Wanaka 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 Wanaka, 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 Wanaka can easily cost $390 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $26 per person. Private tours can cost $789 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.