Shanghai, China $655 (approx. 823,000 KRW)
On the 14th, Valentine's Day, as a consumption boom is expected among couples looking to enjoy dates, Shanghai, China, was named the most expensive city for dating costs worldwide. Major cities in Korea, including Seoul, did not rank high in the survey.
Which city has the highest 'dating costs'?…Shanghai, China
Recently, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), an economic analysis institute affiliated with the British weekly news magazine The Economist, analyzed and announced the top 15 cities with the highest dating costs.
Based on the '2022 Worldwide Cost of Living' data surveyed at the end of last year across 172 cities, the EIU assumed that a couple spends on a Valentine's Day evening date including ▲ drinks at a luxury hotel ▲ dinner and a movie ▲ taxi ride home ▲ a bottle of wine.
As a result, Shanghai, China, ranked first with a cost of $655 (approximately 823,000 KRW). In Shanghai, the cost of dinner alone was found to exceed $400 (approximately 506,000 KRW).
New York, USA, ranked second with costs in the $600 range. Following were Saint Petersburg, Russia; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Manama, Bahrain; Moscow, Russia; Paris, France; and Los Angeles (LA), USA, all recording costs in the high $500 range.
'Highest dating preparation costs' city?…Los Angeles, USA
Meanwhile, the EIU also separately calculated and ranked costs related to dating preparations such as hair salons, cosmetics, and gym memberships. LA topped this list with costs approaching $500. Doha, Qatar, and London, UK, also recorded costs in the $400 range.
Next were Frankfurt, Germany; New York, USA; Zurich, Switzerland; Dalian, China; Hong Kong; Geneva, Switzerland; Baku, Azerbaijan; Seattle, USA; San Francisco, USA; Minneapolis, USA; Kuwait City, Kuwait; and Singapore, all with costs in the $300 range.
What is the average dating cost in Korea?
Meanwhile, the average dating cost for unmarried men and women in Korea was found to be close to 80,000 KRW.
According to a survey conducted last year by the marriage information company Gayun targeting 1,000 unmarried men and women of the MZ generation on 'dating costs,' the average amount spent per date was 79,600 KRW. This is about 20,000 KRW higher than in 2021. Men (90,800 KRW) spent slightly more than women (68,400 KRW), and those in their 30s (81,800 KRW) spent slightly more than those in their 20s (77,400 KRW).
In particular, some couples experienced conflicts over dating costs. When asked whether they had ever had conflicts over 'cost issues during dates with the opposite sex,' 21.5% of respondents answered 'yes,' while 78.5% answered 'no.' In other words, about 2 out of 10 people have experienced conflicts.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
