Entertainment pricing guide

A rough guide to what Kiwi DJs, bands and musicians typically charge. Final Estimates depend on travel, hours, equipment, line-up size and experience. Bands cost more than DJs because every musician on stage needs to be paid for their time, rehearsal, travel and accommodation.

Quick rule of thumb: a DJ replaces an audio system; a band isan audio system, plus the show. Expect a 3-piece band to start around 1.5–2× a comparable DJ booking, scaling up with line-up size, set length and travel.

DJs

Event / line-up	Typical NZD range
Wedding (5–6 hr)	$1,200 – $2,800
Corporate function	$900 – $2,200
Birthday / private party	$600 – $1,400
Club / bar set	$300 – $800
School ball / formal	$700 – $1,600

Solo musicians & duos

Event / line-up	Typical NZD range
Ceremony / cocktail hour (1–2 hr)	$400 – $900
Wedding ceremony + reception roving	$900 – $1,800
Restaurant / bar acoustic set	$300 – $700
Corporate background music (2–3 hr)	$600 – $1,400

Bands (3+ pieces)

Event / line-up	Typical NZD range
3-piece function band - wedding (3–4 sets)	$1,800 – $3,500
4–5 piece function band - wedding / corporate	$2,500 – $5,500
6+ piece / showband - wedding / gala	$4,500 – $9,000+
Original band - venue / festival	$600 – $3,500 per set
Corporate gala headliner	$5,000 – $15,000+

What changes the price

Line-up size: every extra musician adds to fee, gear, travel and meals.
Set length: 2 × 45-minute band sets cost less than 4 × 45-minute sets.
Equipment: in-house PA at the venue saves money; bringing a full rig, lighting and engineer costs more.
Travel: outside the performer's home region, expect per-km charges and possibly accommodation.
Day of week / season: Saturdays in summer and December are peak - book early, expect premium pricing.
GST: performers turning over more than $60,000/year must add 15% GST.

Want a more detailed breakdown of the formula behind these numbers? See the performer resources page.