Dating has gotten so expensive that nearly half of U.S. singles say it’s no longer worth it, as the average night out approaches $200

Millennials and Gen Zers have been saying for a while modern dating isn’t worth it because of what dating apps became after their height in popularity a few years ago. But now they say it’s literally not worth the cost as the cost of an average night out has skyrocketed.

The average “all-in” cost of a date in the U.S. (dinner, drinks, transportation, and even pre-date grooming) has climbed to $189, up 12.5% from $168 a year earlier, according to Bank of Montreal’s (BMO) 2026 Real Financial Progress Index published in February. Daters now spend an average of $2,323 a year going out, even as they go on fewer dates: about 12 in the past year, down from roughly 14 in 2025, the survey found.

So for a growing share of American singles, the dating math just isn’t mathing.

Now nearly half of single Americans (47%) say dating is no longer financially worth it, BMO reported. Another survey published in April by financial services firm JG Wentworth also shows an overwhelming majority of U.S. singles (86%) say money concerns have forced them to delay dating or reenter the dating pool.

The K-shaped dating economy

Paul Dilda, BMO’s head of U.S. consumer strategy, said this is causing a K-shaped dating economy to emerge.

“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,” Dilda said in a statement. “On the other, some are deciding an expensive date is worth the dent in their wallets.”

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