Looking for love can be hard work, but the stress doesn’t always end when you finally meet someone. According to new research, the cost of dating is anxiety-inducing for many Americans, and it’s only going up.
Self Financial surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. adults who’ve dated in the last year about how much it costs and found:
- People spend an average of $58.84 on a date, with men spending 20% more ($67.87 per date) than women ($56.54).
- Over half (52.9%) of respondents tend to go on one or two dates a month, while 41.9% go on three or more.
- Nearly two-thirds (64.6%) believe that spending more on a date boosts the chance of it being a success.
- But the expense of all those dates adds up over time, leading two-thirds (67.9%) of Americans to admit they feel stressed when planning a date .
- A restaurant date is still the most popular, as almost half (47.8%) say it’s their preferred way to get to know someone.
- And it’s not just the date itself people are spending money on, there’s also the cost of clothes, makeup and personal grooming to look their best, which adds up to an average of $50.29.
- All that money may feel like a waste if the date doesn’t go well, but more than half (57.7%) of respondents confess to asking for a refund or contribution after a bad first date.
- On average, it takes seven dates before a couple considers themselves “in a relationship,” and they’ll spend an average of $701.96 on those seven dates.
- Close to three-quarters (73.9%) of people think dating is too expensive in 2024.
- That may be part of the reason that more than seven in 10 (71.8%) say they’re more likely to match with someone who shows signs of wealth on their dating app profile.
- Signs of wealth that stand out on dating profiles include international travel destinations, like Paris or Dubai (37.7%), dining at expensive restaurants (36.3%) and wearing luxury fashion brands (35%).
Source: Self Financial