The Cost of Renting a Car in Niue: Full Car Rental Cost Breakdown

The Cost of Car Rental in Niue

Can you afford to rent a car in Niue? Niue offers a wide range of car rental vehicles at reasonable prices, so there’s bound to be something to suit your needs and budget. From small budget cars to spacious family vehicles to people-moving vans, you have options in Niue but just how much is it going to cost you? Get an idea of car rental daily rates, as well as other costs associated with Niue car rentals and see how much it costs to rent a car in Niue in this guide.

Before we get into the cost of renting a car in Niue, bookmark the Niue Travel Budget: How Much Does a Trip to Niue Cost? for its full budget overview.

3 Tips for Making Your Car Rental Budget for Niue

Before we get started on the cost of car rental in Niue, here are a few quick tips and things to consider when making your car rental budget.

Don’t feel obligated to hire a car as soon as you arrive. Many accommodations offer free airport transfers, while car rental companies offer free rental deliveries, so you can rent a vehicle for fewer days
Be sure to compare your options, as Niue’s car rentals have varying prices and inclusions – see some in The 7 Best Car Rentals in Niue
Travelling in the high season (June-September)? Book early so you’re not left with just expensive cars to rent.

See 10 Ways to Save Money on Car Rental in Niue for more tips.

How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Car in Niue?

The Price of Budget Vehicles

Compact car prices: NZ$50-$60 per day

Niue’s budget cars tend to refer to compact cars, usually models such as Mazda Demio, Nissan Note,Toyota Passo, Toyota IST or something similar. These cars typically fit four to five people including the driver.

Engines are small, around 1.3 to 1.5 l, so you may need to refuel a little more often than more premium cars (although note that driving distances are quite short in Niue). On the other hand, compact vehicles tend to use less fuel than large SUVs, for example, so also bear this in mind for your budget.

Budget cars are sometimes some of the oldest cars in the rental company’s fleet.

The Price of Mid-Range Vehicles

Mid-range car prices: NZ$60-$100 per day

Mid-range vehicles are where most of Niue’s rental vehicles fall. This includes larger vehicles like sedans and compact SUVs. Car models might include Mitsi Pajero, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Wingroad, Mazda MPV, Toyota Wish and something similar.

4WD/AWD cars are sometimes an option and tend to be at the higher end of the price spectrum. However, note that car rental companies will not allow you to go off-roading or use dirt tracks even in 4WD vehicles as per their rental agreement.

Mid-range vehicles typically sit five people and have more space for luggage. Engine sizes are around 1.8 l and you’ll often find that you only need to fuel up once for a seven to 7-10-day rental, depending on the fuel economy.

The Price of Premium Vehicles

Premium car prices: NZ$65-$125 per day

Niue has a small selection of premium vehicles for rent, i.e. late-model vehicles and hybrids. Compact hybrids are available to hire at the lower end of the price scale, while spacious late-model 4WD, station wagons and SUVs tend to be around NZ$100-$125.

4WD/AWD cars are sometimes an option. However, note that car rental companies will not allow you to go off-roading or use dirt tracks even in 4WD vehicles as per their rental agreement.

Premium vehicles typically sit five people and have more space for luggage. Engine sizes are around 1.8 l and you’ll often find that you only need to fuel up once for a seven to 7-10-day rental, depending on the fuel economy.

The Price of Vans and People-Movers

Van/people-mover prices: NZ$85-$200 per day

Should you have a larger group to move around Niue, vans are available to hire at rental companies such as Niue Rentals and Alofi Rentals. Van models consist of the likes of Nissan Vanette, Nissan Caravan, Toyota Hiace or something similar. There are vans available seating from six to 15 people. Vans tend to be older vehicles of 10-15 years old.

Alternatively, people-movers carrying up to 6 or 7 passengers are more affordable and abundant, costing between NZ$85 and $125 depending on the age of the vehicle. Typical models include Honda Stepwagon, Toyota Estima and Toyota Voxy.

Normal car licenses are accepted to drive vans in Niue, as long as you have obtained a Niue Driver’s License.

Additional Costs for Hiring a Car

Of course, there are always going to be more associated costs with hiring a car than the simple daily rate itself. Some additional costs to consider include insurance, fuel and the Niue Driver’s License. Note that airport and accommodation drop-off pick-up is usually free, as is roadside assistance.

Petrol/litre – NZ$3.50+
Diesel/litre – NZ$3.70+
Niue Driver’s License – NZ$22.50
Airport delivery – FREE
Accommodation delivery – FREE
Additional driver/day – NZ$0-$10
Insurance/day – NZ$0-$25
Baby seat/day – FREE
Unlimited kilometres – FREE
Roadside assistance – FREE (if available)
Bond (refundable) – NZ$300-$500
Credit card fee – 3-5% of the payment total.

How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Car in Niue?

So how much does it cost to rent a car in Niue? In other words, how much should you budget for? Below, we have calculated some approximate prices for renting a car in Niue across three different durations. Note that prices are just approximated, as you may do more/less driving than the example distances, hire a vehicle that is more/less expensive, or have a vehicle that is more/less fuel efficient.

How Much is it to Hire a Car for a Day in Niue?

Car rental for just one day in Niue is approximately NZ$60 per day.

Additional mandatory costs to take into consideration:

Purchasing the Niue Driver’s License – $22.50
Fuel tank top-up at the end of your trip – Our experience shows that this roughly comes to NZ$17 if travelling approximately 64 km (40 mi), such as a loop around the island.

Total: Combining all the costs above, you can expect to pay NZ$100 for your transportation in Niue for one day.

How Much is it to Hire a Car for Five in Niue?

Car rental in Niue is approximately NZ$300 for five days (that’s NZ$60 per day).

Additional mandatory costs to take into consideration:

Purchasing the Niue Driver’s License – $22.50
Fuel tank top-up at the end of your trip – Our experience shows that this roughly comes to NZ$27 if travelling approximately 100 km (60 mi).

Total: Combining all the costs above, you can expect to pay NZ$350 for your transportation in Niue for 5 days.

How Much is it to Hire a Car for a Week in Niue?

Car rental in Niue is approximately NZ$420 for seven days (that’s NZ$60 per day).

Additional mandatory costs to take into consideration:

Purchasing the Niue Driver’s License – $22.50
Fuel tank top-up at the end of your trip – Our experience shows that this roughly comes to NZ$35 if travelling approximately 128 km (80 mi), which is the equivalent of driving around the island twice.

Total: Combining all the costs above, you can expect to pay NZ$480 for your transportation in Niue for 7 days.

More About the Cost of Renting a Car in Niue

That’s it for our complete cost breakdown of how much it costs to rent a car in Niue. For more about renting a car, head to the following guides:

Finally, plan more of your travel budget using Niue Travel Budget: How Much Does a Trip to Niue Cost?

Author

Robin C.

This article was reviewed and published by Robin, the co-founder of Niue Pocket Guide. He has lived, worked and travelled across 16 different countries before settling in the South Pacific, so he knows a thing or two about planning the perfect trip in this corner of the world. He is also consulting regularly with Niue Tourism to ensure content accuracy. Robin is also the co-founder of several other South Pacific travel guides and is a regular host of webinars with the South Pacific Tourism Organisation.

Contact Robin via our contact page