Recent research says the cost of dating in 2026 has priced out many average singles in the US, as money worries pushed 86% of singles to delay dating or reentering the dating pool. The average all-in cost of a date rose 12.5% in 2026 to $189, according to a BMO Real Financial Progress Index report cited in the article. [1]
The strain falls hardest on lower-income people. The article says those earning under $50,000 a year were more likely to stop dating completely, at 33%, than people earning more than $100,000 a year, at 15%. It argues that dating is starting to look like a luxury good for wealthy people. [1]
Farnoosh Torabi said the shift shows how romance has become a budget item rather than a spontaneous part of life. "To me, that signals a real shift: Connection is no longer something people pursue spontaneously; it’s something they have to budget for, justify, and sometimes opt out of entirely," she said. She added, "That can make people more intentional, but it can also make dating more limited and more unequal." [1]
The pressure has not stopped people from trying to meet in person. The article says in-person dating events were on the rise in 2025, based on Eventbrite data shared with WIRED. Brandon Wade said the financial squeeze sits at the center of that calculation: "Until we have achieved a level of financial security to provide, how do we love?" [1]
A JG Wentworth survey published in April 2026 was cited in the article as part of the evidence that money concerns are delaying dating for many singles. The report also said a BMO Real Financial Progress Index found date-flation was rising earlier in 2026. [1]
