Shipping Cost from San Jose, California to Auckland

Motor vehicles and motorcycles are generally free from import tariffs, but subject to 15% Goods and Services Tax (GST). The exceptions are ambulances and motorhomes which are subject to 10% duty on top of the 15% GST. As a visitor to New Zealand you can take a vehicle for up to one year without paying duty or GST.

The cheapest way to ship a car internationally is generally Roll-on/Roll-off (RORO), where cars drive onto and off the ship, costing around $900-$2,500+ depending on destination, as it avoids packaging and crane costs. For more protection, Shared Container shipping (grouping cars) is the next cheapest, while booking through platforms like Shiply or using companies with price matching, like SGT Auto Transport or Sherpa, can also find competitive rates.

Driving costs include food, lodging, and fuel for one person. Like we said earlier, the cost to ship a car is almost always higher than the cost of driving that car the same distance. Even when you factor in additional costs like hotels, gas, and food, driving is still cheaper.