Data Study: The Cost Of A Date Night In Your State

The grand reopening has begun. Restaurants, bars, movie theaters and more are getting back to business, while most mask mandates will over by mid-June if all goes smoothly. In other words, in-person dating is back!

In honor of the return of the date night, the team at Zoosk have looked into the cost of a date in the US. They’ve worked out that the average date will set you back $97.67 – but of course, in some cities, it’s much, much more…

Getting back to in-person dating

In a recent Zoosk survey of 600 singles, 93% indicated that they were excited about a return to in-person dating.

Now, dating post-pandemic does come with a whole new set of rules – for instance, 65% of people say that they and their date would both need to be fully vaccinated before a meetup. And reopening rules differ from state to state, so it’s worth checking local mandates before asking someone out (The New York Times has an excellent overview).

Yet overall, the level of excitement for the return of the date night is rising. 42% of singles say they’re most looking forward to getting coffee or drinks with a date, 40% of singles say they’re excited about sharing a meal in a restaurant, and 18% say they can’t wait to see a movie with someone special.

With this in mind, the team at Zoosk looked into how much these romantic rendezvous might cost across the US. Looking at data from the most populous city in each state, the team looked at the average price of a romantic night for two, including drinks, a meal, and movie tickets.

The average cost of a date in the US

The average cost of a date night in the US is $97.67. However, in some cities it’s far more expensive. New York City tops the list: if you’re planning on taking someone for dinner, drinks, and a movie in NYC it will set you back an average of $150.00. At the other end of the scale is Des Moines: a date night in the biggest city in Iowa costs an average of $72.00 – less than half the cost of a date in New York.

The price of a date night in each state

Wondering what budget you’ll need for a date in your state? The Zoosk team has priced up the average cost of a date night in the biggest city in each state, as well as in DC. You can press Ctrl + F to search for your city or state:

1. New York City, New York: $150
2. Honolulu, Hawaii: $130.50
3. Boston, Massachusetts: $126.00
4. Seattle, Washington: $122.00
5. Los Angeles, California: $121.00
6. Washington DC: $119.00
7. Chicago, Illinois: $115.50
8. Burlington, Vermont: $111.00
9. Las Vegas, Nevada: $110.50
10. Anchorage, Alaska: $110.00
11. Virginia Beach, Virginia: $109.50
12. Baltimore, Maryland: $107.50
13. Denver, Colorado: $106.07
14. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: $106.00
15. Nashville, Tennessee: $105.00
16. Providence, Rhode Island: $104.74
17. Charleston, South Carolina: $104.00
18. Minneapolis, Minnesota: $103.00
19. Manchester, New Hampshire: $102.24
20. Charlotte, North Carolina: $100.00
21. Kansas City, Missouri: $99.00
22. Columbus, Ohio: $98.00
 =    New Orleans, Louisiana: $98.00
24. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: $97.00
25. Phoenix, Arizona: $96.00
 =    Portland, Oregon: $96.00
27. Indianapolis, Indiana: $95.50
28. Salt Lake City, Utah: $94.50
29. Newark, New Jersey: $94.00
30. Boise, Idaho: $93.00
31. Louisville, Kentucky: $91.00
 =   Portland, Maine: $91.00
33. Bridgeport, Connecticut: $90.50
34.  Atlanta, Georgia: $90.34
35. Billings, Montana: $89.99
36. Birmingham, Alabama: $87.50
37. Fargo, North Dakota: $87.26
38. Houston, Texas: $86.00
39. Little Rock, Arkansas: $85.98
40. Jacksonville, Florida: $85.50
41. Wilmington, Delaware: $85.48
42. Jackson, Mississippi: $85.00
43. Wichita, Kansas: $84.00
44. Omaha, Nebraska: $82.00
45. Albuquerque, New Mexico: $80.00
46. Detroit, Michigan: $78.50
47. Cheyenne, Wyoming: $78.00
48. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: $77.50
49. Sioux Falls, South Dakota: $75.00
50. Charleston, West Virginia: $74.00
51. Des Moines, Iowa: $72.00

What kind of a date night are you most looking forward to? Join the conversation on Zoosk’s social media channels: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About this study
All percentages in this study from a Zoosk survey of 600 singles, May 2021. All costs based on an analysis of average prices for specific items on numbeo.com, May 2021. City size determined by population estimates from 2021.