There is no restriction on the amount of foreign currency that can be brought in or taken out of New Zealand. However, every person who carries more than NZ$10,000 in cash in or out of New Zealand is required to complete a Border Cash Report.

Foreign currency can easily be exchanged at banks, some hotels and Bureau de Change kiosks, which are found at international airports and most city centres.

All major credit cards can be used in New Zealand. Travellers Cheques are accepted at hotels, banks and some stores.

Exchange Rates
You can calculate the value of your currency in NZ Dollars using the currency converter on this page. The rate you are offered in your home country is likely to differ slightly.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand provides a monthly online summary of the New Zealand Dollar's average value against the US Dollar, the Pound, the Australian Dollar, the Yen and the Euro.

Banking
Banks are open from 9.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

Automated Teller Machines (ATM) are widely available at banks, along main shopping streets and in malls.

International credit cards and ATM cards will work as long as they have a four-digit PIN encoded. Check with your bank before leaving home.

Credit cards with "Smart Card" technology
Smart cards are payment cards that carry an embedded microchip allowing them to store encrypted, confidential information, and carry multiple applications from different industries alongside debit, credit, or prepaid payment applications. Please note these cards, which often have no magnetic strip, are not accepted everywhere in New Zealand. You may experience problems using these cards, and we therefore recommend you contact you card provider for further information before arriving in New Zealand.

Goods and Services Tax
All goods and services are subject to a 12.5 percent Goods and Services Tax (GST) included in the displayed price. Visitors cannot claim this tax back, however when a supplier ships a major purchase to a visitor's home address the GST will not be charged.

Swedish Rounding
Due to the discontinuation of 1c, 2c and 5c pieces, purchases made in New Zealand are subject to "rounding" of amounts either up or down. The Reserve Bank believes most retailers are adopting the Swedish Rounding System. Under this system prices, ending in 1 to 4 cents will be rounded down and prices ending in 6 to 9 cents will be rounded up.

For example, a purchase of $15.14 would be rounded down to $15.10, and a purchase of $15.16 would be rounded up to $15.20.

It is at the retailer’s discretion how they handle prices ending in 5 cents. There has been concern that this will inflate prices, but the Reserve Bank believes competition will restrain price increases and the overall impact on inflation will be minor. Judging from a survey undertaken by The Consumers Institute, when 1 and 2 cent coins were removed, the bank is right, as the survey found prices actually fell slightly.

How Much Will it Cost?
Here is a general guide of what you can expect to pay in New Zealand for a few common items:

Approx
A hotel breakfast NZ$10- $25
Dinner (3-course, no wine) NZ$20 - $50
Lunch snack/sandwich NZ$5 - $10
Cafe lunch NZ$10 - $15
A postcard stamp to anywhere abroad NZ$1.50
Big Mac Hamburger NZ$3.95
Cappuccino NZ$3 - $3.50
Kodak Film, 36 exposures NZ$7.95

Tipping and Service Charges
Tipping in New Zealand is not obligatory - even in restaurants and bars. However, tipping for good service or kindness is at the discretion of the visitor. Hotels and restaurants in New Zealand do not add service charges to their bills.

Travellers Cheques
NZ$ travellers cheques are not available for purchase.

International visitors who wish to travel to New Zealand with travellers cheques should bring a major currency type of travellers cheque with them in the future.

For travel to our region AUS$ travellers cheques can be purchased.