New Zelle® Research: Gen Z's Latest Ick? The Price of Dating

As dating costs rise this cuffing season, Gen Z and millennials rewrite the rules on who pays, what counts as effort and whether romance is worth going broke for, or worth it at all.

Key Takeaways:

• The Price of Dating: Eighty-four percent of Gen Z and millennial daters say rising costs have affected their dating lives, leading some to date less, choose less expensive or free activities—or stop dating altogether.
• The Cost of Keeping Up: Seventeen percent have gone into debt or asked friends or family for money to date.
• A New Kind of Chemistry: Half of daters say financial compatibility has mattered more than romantic chemistry when deciding whether to continue seeing someone.
• The New Rules of Romance: Thoughtfulness is beating extravagance, but expectations around spending and who pays remain anything but settled.

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rising costs aren't just changing where Gen Z and millennials go on dates—they're influencing how often people date and whether some can afford to participate at all.

The Zelle^® New Economics of Dating Report finds that 84% of Gen Z and millennial daters say rising costs have affected their dating lives, with nearly one-third of those surveyed reporting that they are going on fewer dates (32%) and 11% reporting that they have stopped dating because they could not afford it. In other words, if applied to the full U.S. Gen Z and millennial population, 11% would be roughly 16 million people—more than the audience for Fortnite's record-breaking Remix: The Finale virtual event and enough to fill every seat across Harry Styles' 30-show Madison Square Garden residency more than 26 times.

As costs reshape dating, Gen Z and millennials are developing a new financial rulebook for romance: thoughtfulness is gaining currency, financial compatibility is becoming part of the chemistry test and spending more doesn't necessarily make a better impression. But with more than one-quarter of daters reporting that they are unwilling to bring up payment on a date (26%), the new rules remain largely unwritten.

"Dating has always come with unspoken rules, but rising costs are forcing a rewrite," said Denise Leonhard, general manager of Zelle. "Financial compatibility is becoming part of the chemistry test. The new flex isn't running up the tab; it's reading the room, respecting the budget and showing thought."

Dating Has a Price of Admission

For some young adults, the pressure to keep up carries real financial consequences. Seventeen percent of Gen Z and millennials have gone into debt to maintain a lifestyle with someone they were dating; a similar share have asked friends or family for money for a date. Among both Gen Z respondents and all male respondents, one in five have taken on debt to maintain a lifestyle with someone they were dating (20%).

Others are changing their approach to dealing with rising costs:

• Choosing less expensive activities (40%)
• Preferring more frequent, economical dates to less often, expensive dates (38%)
• Suggesting free activities (37%)

Daters are also watching the running total: more than one-quarter have tracked how much they spent on someone they were dating (28%).

Thoughtfulness Beats the Big Tab

A memorable date does not necessarily require a high price tag: more people reported judging someone positively for planning an affordable, thoughtful date (38%) than for planning an extravagant, high-end one (23%).

In today's dating environment, there is a clear set of financial green flags:

• Being thoughtful with money (56%)
• Being honest and transparent about money (54%)
• Planning a thoughtful, budget-friendly date (52%)
• Paying without making the situation awkward (52%)

For many, these behaviors are becoming part of the attraction itself. Half say financial compatibility has mattered more than romantic chemistry when deciding whether to continue seeing someone (50%). That figure rises to 53% among Gen Z and 56% among males. Nearly one-quarter have decided not to pursue someone because they were not financially compatible (24%).

The Money Moves That Give Daters the "Ick"

Daters are almost perfectly aligned on the behaviors most likely to kill the vibe:

• Making someone uncomfortable about what they can afford (47%)
• Expecting the other person to pay for everything (47%)
• Complaining about every price (47%)
• Talking too much about income (47%)
• Making a big deal about paying (46%)

Unsurprisingly, some financial expectations in dating also vary notably by sex. More than half of female respondents get the "ick" when a date expects them to pay for everything (56%), compared with approximately one-third of males (34%). A similar divide appears when someone makes a big deal about paying (55% vs. 34%).

The Check Arrives Before the Conversation Does

Anxiety around the finances of dating begins before the date even starts—with several factors causing anxiety for respondents:

• Spending too much on a date (34%)
• Making sure a date fits within their budget (29%)
• Discussing finances (28%)
• Asking who pays (25%)

While many young adults are actively attempting to manage dating costs by establishing a personal dating budget (43%), more than one-quarter still say they will not bring up payment to their date at all (26%).

Among female respondents, being rejected and spending too much ranked equally as sources of dating anxiety (37%).

Managing the cost of dating can begin before the check arrives. Zelle is available within the websites and mobile apps of participating banks and credit unions, which often include tools for tracking expenses, categorizing spending and setting a monthly budget.

For generations accustomed to downloading a separate app for nearly everything, a banking app can be more than a place to check a balance. It can show where money is going, help set a realistic budget and send or receive money when it's time to split the check—often without another app, account or subscription.

The New Etiquette of Splitting the Check

More than half of respondents have used a person-to-person payment platform like Zelle to settle up during or after a date (57%), rising among Gen Z (64%).

Restaurant meals are the expense daters are most likely to settle through a P2P payment platform (17%), followed by event tickets (15%), trips or vacations (15%) and food delivery or takeout (13%).

Much like group travel expenses, even with more ways to settle up, dating payment etiquette can still get complicated: 43% say they have ghosted, blocked or unfollowed someone at least once to avoid paying them back after a date, rising to 52% among Gen Z.

About the Zelle New Economics of Dating Report

The Zelle New Economics of Dating Report is based on a national survey of 1,800 Gen Z and Millennial adults conducted in August 2026 who had dated within the past year.¹

The findings were analyzed by generation, sex and zodiac sign, with 150 respondents representing each zodiac sign. Sex comparisons in this release reflect respondents who selected male or female.

For purposes of the survey, dating was defined to include dates like spending intentional time with a spouse or committed partner (e.g., a "date night") as well as meeting or spending time with someone you are interested in getting to know romantically (e.g., "dating" to get to know new people). 

About Zelle^®
Zelle^® powers fast, reliable person-to-person digital payments, moving more than $1 trillion between millions of consumer and small business accounts at United States banks and credit unions. Available through a network of more than 2,400 financial institutions, Zelle^® enables people to send and receive money directly – without cash, checks or third-party apps. Zelle^® is owned and operated by Early Warning Services, LLC, which works with America's banks, credit unions and government agencies to drive prosperity, deliver bold innovation and improve how payments are made. Learn more at www.zelle.com.

¹ This consumer research was conducted by Accelerant Research in partnership with Early Warning Services, LLC. A 10-minute online survey was conducted among 1800 Gen Z and Millennial Americans. Participants were compensated for their time.

SOURCE Zelle