CHICAGO (NewsNation) — While some moments are priceless, dating is expensive — especially due to inflation.
The average cost to take someone out to dinner and a movie in 2023 averages $159, according to MoneyGeek. In big cities like New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco, couples spend a little over $200 on date night.
Marin Haugo, a TikTok vlogger who went on 28 dates in 28 days, said she never gave much thought about how much a guy was spending on a date, especially since most of the time, the guy chose the date.
“Some people are able to afford, you know, Michelin-star restaurants and other guys brought me to coffee cafes where we have lattes. So I didn’t really think too much about what they were spending,” she said.
However, Haugo explained that the cost of transportation to and from the dates, as well as different outfits and services to prepare for the date, eventually add up.
Bela Gandhi, a dating expert and owner of Smart Dating Academy, said it depends on the person, but she has told her clients to offer to split the date costs.
“In this day and age, a burger can cost $50 now with tax and tip in New York, Chicago, and LA. So be empathic. But like Marin says, it does cost women. We get manicures, we might get a blowout, and we’re Ubering there and back. So there are costs on all sides,” Gandhi said.
Gandhi explained that there are a lot of costs to think about when you’re out there dating, no matter who you are. She suggested that people create a dating budget to keep track of spending.
“Think about having a budget and sticking to your dating budget, and then it won’t hurt so much if you’re spending,” Gandhi said.
Watch Marin Haugo and Bela Gandhi’s full interview in the video player above.