According to recent research, the cost of dating in 2026 has priced out the average single person, and the divide in who can afford to date is wider than ever. An overwhelming majority of US singles (86 percent) say that money concerns have led them to delay dating or reentering the dating pool, according to a survey published in April by financial services firm JG Wentworth. A BMO Real Financial Progress Index report earlier this year found that “date-flation” is on the rise, with the average all-in cost of a date increasing by 12.5 percent in 2026, to $189, a rate that is outpacing the cost of living. And low-income earners are being hit the hardest—33 percent of people making under $50,000 per year say they’ve stopped dating completely, while 15 percent of people earning over $100,000 have fully taken a break from the dating process, according to recent research from Louis Jadot and Morning Consult.
Excerpt Taken From: Wired
Author: Jason Parham
