Auckland is obviously the main entry point for those coming to New Zealand, but it’s definitely not the main reason itself. This is a city that is worth a look around for a day or two, especially if you are dealing with jetlag, but not one worth lingering in. It’s one of the more expensive places in New Zealand as well.
| Population | 450,000 |
| Area | 1,300,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+12 |
| Currency | New Zealand dollar |
| Airports | Auckland Airport (AKL) |
There are plenty of hostels and hotels waiting for you, and prices are reasonable in the central backpacker neighborhood, which is where you want to be if you are only in town for a day or two. Budget meals are easy to find though the city’s cuisine might disappoint at the same time.
Hotels in Auckland have two very predictable seasons, though prices don’t change too dramatically between them, especially on the bottom end of the price scale. The high season in Auckland is from October through March, which of course is late spring to early autumn, when days are warm and long.
The low season for hotels in Auckland is generally from April through September. Still, there is quite a bit of tourism near the beginning and end of that period, and quite a bit of business during the whole year, so it’s usually wise to book a place in advance if you can manage.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 18.13 - 52.63 |
| 50.29 - 78.95 |
| 42.69 - 85.38 |
| 57.89 - 139.77 |
| 91.23 - 176.02 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 12.28 - 19.88 |
| Location | Description | Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland Sky Tower | The observation deck on top of this huge tower is one of the most popular attractions in Auckland. It's slightly cheaper if you skip the Sky Deck. | adults 5-14 seniors | 14.62 7.60 13.45 |
| Skyjump from Sky Tower | You're in New Zealand so why not bungee jump right in the center of Auckland from its central tower? | adults student 10-14 | 163.74 146.20 134.50 |
| National Maritime Museum | This popular museum displays the country's rich nautical history. A one-hour cruise adds about 50% to admission. | adults seniors child | 18.13 14.62 8.77 |
Auckland is a very big city so you’ll find the usual assortment of fast food and self-catering options.
| Food Type | Description | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Budget breakfast | If your hotel or hostel doesn't include breakfast then fast food options will usually be a good and cheap breakfast. | 4.09 - 6.43 |
| Budget lunch | Asian restaurants often have great lunch specials for those on tighter budget. | 5.85 - 8.77 |
| Budget dinner | Sit-down restaurants in Auckland vary greatly in price, but pubs and bars tend to have good value dinners. | 7.60 - 11.70 |
| Beer (pint) | Fancy bars will be at the top end of this range, even for domestic lagers, but backpacker pubs and hostels sometimes are even cheaper than this. | 4.09 - 6.43 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from airport to city center | 29.24 - 58.48 |
| Skybus to city center | 9.36 |
| Local bus & train to city center | 2.92 - 4.68 |
| 3km taxi ride in Auckland | 6.43 - 8.77 |
| Bus ride in Auckland center | 0.00 - 0.58 |
| Month | High F | Low F | Precip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 74 | 60 | 3.0 |
| February | 75 | 60 | 2.6 |
| March | 72 | 58 | 3.7 |
| April | 68 | 54 | 4.1 |
| May | 63 | 50 | 4.1 |
| June | 59 | 46 | 5.5 |
| July | 58 | 45 | 5.8 |
| August | 59 | 46 | 4.8 |
| September | 61 | 48 | 4.6 |
| October | 64 | 51 | 3.6 |
| November | 67 | 54 | 3.7 |
| December | 71 | 57 | 3.6 |
Considering how far south of the Equator it is, Auckland has a very mild and pleasant climate all year round. Summers are warm and humid, with temperatures usually peaking in February, but it almost never gets hot enough to where the humidity makes it very pleasant to be outside. Winters are cooler, but not by all that much, so daytime temperatures are comfortable virtually every day of the year.
Auckland has another interesting contrast, with abundant sunshine most of the year, but also quite a bit of rainfall in any given month. Rains tend to come through quickly so with any luck you won’t be there on the rare day when it drizzles for hours and hours in a row.
| 21 Mar | 7:24am | 7:32pm |
| 21 Jun | 7:34am | 5:11pm |
| 21 Sep | 6:13am | 6:16pm |
| 21 Dec | 5:58am | 8:40pm |