A recent bank survey finds Americans are spending more than ever on nights out, with **millennials** reporting the steepest average cost per date. The figures — and an uptick in overall inflation — are changing what people expect on a first date and how often they go out, raising practical questions for anyone navigating modern dating and tight budgets.
The survey, conducted by a major Canadian bank and polling 2,501 U.S. adults in late December through January, shows clear generational gaps in how much people say they spend on a typical date. These are the average reported amounts and the year-over-year changes:
- Gen Z: $205 (up from $194)
- Millennials: $252 (up from $191)
- Gen X: $173 (up from $172)
- Baby boomers: $126 (down from $127)
Those survey results predate a recent rise in consumer prices. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the **CPI** climbed 3.8% year over year in April 2026, meaning everyday costs have continued to put pressure on household budgets since the poll was taken.
That pressure shows up in behavior. About half of people who date — or are open to it — say they have either gone on fewer dates or chosen cheaper activities because of inflation and the higher cost of living. Roughly 44% have altered specific date plans for financial reasons.
Fewer nights out follow: the survey found the average dater went out about 12 times over the past year, down from roughly 14 the year before.
Who picks up the tab?
Higher costs are also complicating the long-standing question of who pays. The survey reveals a striking gender split in expectations early in new relationships:
- About 71% of men said they expect to cover the entire bill on a first date.
- Among women, a slim majority — 52% — said they expect to split costs fairly evenly, while 38% said they expect their date to pay the full amount.
Researchers and relationship specialists say economic uncertainty often nudges people toward more traditional or clearly defined roles as a way of simplifying choices under stress. Social platforms can amplify that effect: algorithms tend to surface the most polarizing content, which can harden narratives about who should pay and what a “proper” date costs.
On social media, some advice streams push the idea that an expensive first date is evidence of interest or worth, while other corners counsel men to spend nothing at all. Those competing messages can turn dating into a contest over money, rather than a gradual process of getting to know someone.
- Key takeaways:
- Rising living costs are cutting the number of dates and steering people toward cheaper activities.
- Millennials report the highest per-date spending and the biggest increase year over year.
- Expectations about who pays remain sharply divided by gender, and social media is intensifying those differences.
For readers, the immediate implication is practical: budgeting and clearer communication about money are becoming part of dating etiquette. For the broader culture, sustained inflation and polarized online narratives may reshape expectations around dating and courtship for months to come.
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Jordan Keller specializes in analyzing the US financial markets. With concrete recommendations, he helps you secure and boost your investments by providing strategies that adapt to market fluctuations.