'Date-flation' Hits Hard: Average Date Spend Nears $200 - BMO Real Financial Progress Index

Nearly Half of American Singles Say Dating Isn't Financially Worth It

• New survey data shows Americans spend $189 on an average date, a 12.5% increase from 2025
• Americans spent an average of more than $2,300 on dates in the past year
• 65% of Americans in serious relationships try to divide dating costs evenly

CHICAGO, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Ahead of Valentine's Day, new data from the BMO Real Financial Progress Index reveals the average "all-in" spend on a date in America – including pre-date grooming and gas money – is $189, up 12.5% from $168 in 2025. Those costs add up: Americans spent an average of $2,323 on dates over the past year. With inflation remaining elevated, "date-flation" is far outpacing the broader cost of living.

As dating expenses climb, Americans say they are changing their behavior. Half say they have gone on fewer dates or chosen less expensive activities due to rising costs. On average, Americans who dated went out about 12 times in the past year, down from around 14 in 2025.

For singles: According to the survey, cost pressures are taking a toll: nearly half (47%) of singles say dating is simply not financially worth it.

For couples: 58% of people in serious relationships say they are financially dependent on their significant other, up from the 40% who said the same just a year ago.

Regardless of relationship status, rising dating costs present a challenge for young Americans trying to make real financial progress. 50% of Gen Z and 40% of Millennials say the cost of dating gets in the way of reaching their financial goals.

Gen Z and Millennials also report the largest increase in date night spending:

• Millennials: $252 on average, up 32% from 2025
  
  
• Gen Z: $205 on average, up from $194 in 2025

"With spending on dating outpacing inflation, singles can feel priced out of love," said Paul Dilda, Head of U.S. Consumer Strategy at BMO. "Whether it's a long-term relationship or a first date, it has never been more challenging to ensure the path to love is also the path to real financial progress. With a dating budget and open financial communication with their partner, Americans can keep the spark alive without setting flames to their budget this Valentine's Day."

"Affordating" vs. Wining and Dining: A K-Shaped Dating Economy

The data reveal two distinct approaches to coping with higher dating costs: some Americans are cutting back by choosing low‑ or no‑cost dates such as having a picnic or going on a hike, while others are accepting that dating is expensive and continuing to spend.

14% of Americans say the average date costs them nothing, up from 12% a year ago. At the other end of the spectrum, 14% say a typical date costs $300 or more, up from 11% in 2025.

"Responses to the increasingly steep price of going out are leading to what looks like a K-shaped dating economy," Dilda said. "At one end, people are slashing dating expenses entirely, either by skipping date night or by swapping the restaurant for a home cooked meal and the movie tickets for popcorn on the couch. On the other, some are deciding an expensive date is worth the dent in their wallets."

With prices so high, who picks up the tab? There is a significant gender split over who should foot the bill in a budding relationship. Nearly three in four men (71%) expect to pay for everything when on a date early in a relationship, while more than half of women (52%) expect to split the bill. 65% of Americans in serious relationships say they try their best to divide costs evenly.

Financial green and red flags

According to the survey, Americans' attractiveness to a prospective romantic partner is more about good financial habits than what's in their bank accounts. The top three most attractive financial traits are:  

• A sense of financial responsibility (94%) 
• Having a good financial plan (90%) 
• Talking about money openly with me (89%) 

By contrast, the most common financial dealbreakers relate to poor communication and behavior:

• Not always telling the truth about money (24%) 
• Refusing to talk about money (17%) 
• Having minimal retirement savings (14%) 

Notably, half of Americans say that they can overlook financial red flags, selecting none of the above traits as a dealbreaker in a partner.

Financial honesty is the best romantic policy 

The data suggests that openness about money may help couples manage dating costs more effectively. Two in three (66%) Americans say they are always financially forthcoming with their romantic partners. Those who report being financially honest spend less on a typical date, spending $182 on average compared to nearly $195 spent by those that say they are not.

"While many couples disagree about money, our data suggest financial openness can defuse the drama, keeping your emotional connection strong and your budget healthy," Dilda said. "One way to stay in harmony when it comes to finances is to meet with an advisor who can prompt the honest money conversations that sustain a relationship."

Making real financial progress this Valentine's Day     

BMO offers the following resources to help couples and singles alike make real financial progress.

• Couples can facilitate open money talk by booking a joint meeting with a BMO Financial Advisor.
• Couples can make the most of their money as relationships grow by integrating finances with a BMO Relationship Checking account.
• Get a view of finances to help budget and save for relationship goals with BMO Total Look.

To learn more about how BMO can help love birds make real financial progress, visit BMO's Real Financial Progress Hub at https://www.bmo.com/goals.

About the BMO Real Financial Progress Index
Launched in February 2021, the BMO Real Financial Progress Index is an indicator of how consumers feel about their personal finances and whether they are making financial progress. The survey aims to spark dialogue that will help consumers reach their financial goals and to humanize a topic that causes anxiety for many: money.

The research detailed in this document was conducted by Ipsos in the U.S. from December 29, 2025 to January 27, 2026. A sample of n=2,501 adults ages 18+ in the U.S. were collected via the Ipsos panel. Quotas and weighting were used to ensure the sample's composition reflects that of the American population according to census parameters. This survey has a credibility interval of +/- 2.4 per cent or 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had all American adults 18+ been surveyed.

About BMO Financial Group 
BMO Financial Group is the seventh largest bank in North America by assets, with total assets of $1.5 trillion as of October 31, 2025. Serving clients for 200 years and counting, BMO is a diverse team of highly engaged employees providing a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management, global markets and investment banking products and services to approximately 13 million clients across Canada, the United States, and in select markets globally. Driven by a single purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life, BMO is committed to driving positive change in the world, and making progress for a thriving economy, sustainable future, and stronger communities. 

SOURCE BMO US