Reality of Dating Costs in China... 28-Year-Old Woman Says "I Haven't Even Held a Man's Hand"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Eunha] A woman in her 20s in China has confessed that she has never dated due to the burden of dating expenses, sparking public attention.

On the 17th, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that the tears of a 28-year-old woman expressing pressure from her job, money, and her parents' expectations have resonated with people in China.

Image source = Pixabay (The photo is not related to the specific content of the article)

According to the media, the woman living in Shanghai, China, revealed in a video released on the 12th, "I have never held a man's hand. Since I am already 28 years old, I have tried many things like blind dates to get a boyfriend, but I still haven't found love." She confessed that her hair has started turning gray due to stress and that she is afraid of spending another lonely Valentine's Day.

She added, "I feel more anxious because it seems like I am going on blind dates just to meet my parents' expectations," and lamented, "Every time I go on a date, I have to spend a lot of money on dining out, which is a big burden."

Comments were filled with responses such as "I deeply understand this kind of burden."

In fact, on the 13th (local time), the British magazine The Economist analyzed and released a list of the 15 cities with the most expensive Valentine's Day dating costs, with Shanghai, China ranking first. This was based on the assumption of spending on drinks and dinner at a luxury hotel, watching a movie, taking a taxi home, and a bottle of wine for a Valentine's Day dinner date with a partner, using the '2022 Worldwide Cost of Living' data.

The survey results showed Shanghai ranked first with $655 (approximately 830,000 KRW). Dinner expenses alone accounted for the largest portion, exceeding $400.

Next was New York, USA, with $600 (approximately 760,000 KRW), ranking second. Third place was Saint Petersburg, Russia, followed by San Juan, Puerto Rico; Manama, Bahrain; Moscow, Russia; Paris, France; and Los Angeles, USA, all in the high $500 range. Additionally, Amman, Jordan, and Tel Aviv, Israel, were also found to have dating costs exceeding $500.