Yes, credit and debit cards are a widely accepted form of payment in New Zealand for purchase at shops, restaurants, petrol stations and many more.
There is no need to carry around a large amount of cash as you will be able to use the wide number of ATM's to make cash withdraws using your credit and debit cards. Although New Zealand is a safe country, there is little need to have more than NZ$200 on you at one time.
You may wish to talk to your bank at home to order some NZ dollars for spending here, as this is a great way to familiarise yourself with what the New Zealand cash looks like and ensures you can have ease of making purchases as soon as you step off the plane.
Visa and MasterCard providers are the most commonly accepted. American Express and Diners Cards are not accepted in many places so its best to arrange an alternative card if this is all you have.
Before you travel to New Zealand you should notify your credit card issuer so that they can identify you will be making transactions in New Zealand and chat with them about the best way for your spending in New Zealand, to avoid any security issues or to minimise overseas transaction charges.
