After inputting these parameters, our motorhome holiday budget calculator will output a daily and total budget for your planned motorhome trip in your selected currency. You can then download this information in PDF format.
Fill in the form and start calculating the cost of your dream holiday.
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The cost of travelling New Zealand in a motorhome hire can vary between rental operators, models, seasons and several other factors. We’ve made the following assumptions so that you can work out a reliable estimate of your road trip travel budget. All costs were last updated in March 2026 and are indicative only. For the most accurate rates, please consult each provider directly.
Daily motorhome rental rates
We’ve grouped the types of motorhome into three price range categories, which are:
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Budget: Such as Mighty, Wendekreisen (budget vehicles)
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Mid-range: Such as Britz, Apollo, Wendekreisen
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Luxurious: Such as Wilderness Motorhomes, Maui, Star RV, McRent
The estimated pricing is based on 2 or 4 berth certified self-contained motorhomes hired for a 14-day period. It represents industry median values across operators in each tier, including GST and unlimited kilometres. Prices can change, so get in touch with your preferred provider for the most accurate rates for your adventure.
Let us help you find your ideal Wilderness motorhome rental.
Travel direction
One-way rentals may have an extra fee, which can change depending on the season and the operator. Choose:
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Return if you intend to travel from Auckland to Auckland or Christchurch to Christchurch
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One way if you plan to go from Christchurch to Auckland or Auckland to Christchurch.
If you select a luxurious motorhome and choose to hire it one way, you’ll notice there isn’t a charge. That’s because at Wilderness, we don’t charge a one-way fee — though others may.
Travel season
Vehicle and accommodation pricing changes with the seasons, so our calculator uses three pricing tiers:
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December to February, Easter & school holidays: Peak
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June to August: Off-peak
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March, April, May, September, October & November: Shoulder
Insurance
Under New Zealand law, all RV rentals must come with comprehensive insurance cover — but only up to a certain limit and with various excess levels.
Our calculator has three liability reduction options, which are:
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Basic — this is the insurance cover that’s required by law, which generally doesn’t cost anything more each day but comes with a high excess
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Extra — which eliminates most of the excess in the majority of incidents
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VIP — gives you no excess* and often includes extras like free outdoor furniture hire, free LPG refills and free child restraints.
*Subject to the motorhome operator's terms and conditions.
Find out more about insurance and liability reduction options in our motorhome rental inclusions and fees blog.
WiFi
As not all rental providers offer onboard WiFi and Smart TVs in their motorhomes, the charges here are based on Wilderness WiFi pricing for unlimited internet.
Cook Strait ferry tickets
Ferry pricing is based on averaged out rates for a 7m long motorhome. If you select the budget option, the ferry price estimates are based on average 'saver' ticket fares for each season. If you select mid-range or luxurious, they will be based on the mid-range pricing option. The total cost includes your motorhome and all passengers.
Pro-Tip: The shorter your motorhome, the cheaper your ferry tickets.
Find out more about travelling on New Zealand’s Cook Strait ferry.
Extras
Get the most out of your road trip by adding handy extras like a BBQ, outdoor furniture, or child seats. Our calculator lists the most common options so you can see how they fit into your budget. For the best value, consider a VIP insurance option as it often includes extras for free, and our calculator will automatically update your total to reflect this.
Take a look at all our extras and accessories.
Campsites
Campsite costs in New Zealand vary by location, time of year and facilities. To help you budget, we are providing average rates by season for the three main types of overnight stays:
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Freedom Camping: The ultimate Kiwi experience. Stay for free in designated areas.
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Department of Conservation (DOC): Get closer to nature. Typically $10-$25 per person, per night.
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Holiday Parks: More comfort and amenities. Usually $35-$60 per person, per night for a powered site.
Take a look at some of the best motorhome campsites in Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown.
Food
Your food costs on the road can vary, so to help you budget, we've created four shopping styles. These estimates assume you'll be making the most of your motorhome's kitchen.
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Budget: Smart and savvy. Shopping for value at stores like PAK'nSAVE
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Modest: The classic Kiwi holiday mix. A balance of supermarket staples and tasty treats from local spots.
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Expensive: For the foodies. Favouring fresh produce from farmers’ markets and premium ingredients from stores like New World.
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Mix: A bit of everything to suit your journey.
Check out our recipes for the road ebook.
Parking
You'll generally only need to pay for parking in busy city centres or major tourist hubs like Queenstown. To help you budget, choose the option that best fits your travel style:
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Visiting both cities & hotspots: We estimate an average cost of $10 per day. (This assumes you'll need paid parking most days).
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Visiting either cities OR hotspots: We estimate an average cost of $5 per day. (This assumes you'll need paid parking roughly every second day).
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Avoiding both: $0.
On-road costs
Fuel
As most motorhomes run on diesel, this figure is calculated using the average cost of diesel according to Gaspy.
LPG
Most motorhomes carry LPG bottles for cooking, heating, hot water and operating the fridge. Wilderness is no different. Your LPG use depends on how many nights you spend freedom camping or at DOC sites without access to power.
Our rates are based on the most commonly used bottle swap, rather than a refill.
Rental operators may drop the LPG refill cost to zero if you choose their zero excess insurance option when booking your motorhome hire. However, if you empty both LPG bottles on board with days of travel remaining, you’ll want to refill one to continue freedom camping.
AdBlue
AdBlue usually costs between $1.75 and $2.55 per litre in New Zealand — and you may need to add one litre of AdBlue about every 200km travelled.
Here, we take the midpoint cost of $2.15 per litre. Our calculator will work out your daily AdBlue spend based on the average kilometres you intend to travel each day.
Road user charges (RUCs)
Most rental motorhomes are diesel vehicles, subject to road user charges (RUC) of $8.40 per 100km. If you choose a VIP liability reduction option, the RUC recovery fee may be included in your hire cost.
Choosing a VIP liability reduction option may mean that all toll road charges are included in the cost of your hire. New Zealand only has three short toll roads with easily accessible alternatives — so we’re omitting this cost from the calculator.
Find out more about on-road costs when hiring a motorhome.
Tourist activities are not included
Our motorhome holiday budget calculator doesn’t include an allocation for tourist activities as these aren’t specifically related to motorhome travel. You’ll have to add your discretionary budget for activities like kayaking the Abel Tasman, cruising Milford Sound or bungy jumping in Queenstown.
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