Managed isolation and quarantine facilities at the border is set to cost taxpayers almost half a billion dollars this year.
A spokesperson for Megan Woods, the Minister responsible for the facilities, has confirmed to 1 NEWS that in recent weeks, an extra $100 million has been added to meet the costs for the rest of the year.
It takes the total budget to $479 million.
It comes as the Government looks at charging Kiwis returning home for their stay in isolation. National has also indicated they would do the same if elected.
In recent weeks, extra hotels have been added to cope with the influx of returning Kiwis and extra security has been need to deal with the handful of cases where people have fled isolation facilities.
To the end of June, $81 million was spent on isolation at the border, with the Government originally setting aside $298 million for the rest of the year.
There are now 32 facilities across Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Wellington and Christchurch. More than 31,000 people have now gone through managed isolation and quarantine facilities since earlier this year.
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