The cost of romance: 40% of Americans think Valentine's Day activities too pricy

Rochester Voice l 11:52 a.m.
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 11:52 am

The cost of romance: 40% of Americans think Valentine's Day activities too pricy

With Valentine's Day fast approaching and America's sweethearts projected to spend $29.1 billion on the holiday this year, the personal-finance company WalletHub has released its report on 2026's Best Places for Valentine's Day.

To determine the most romantic yet budget-friendly cities for celebrating the Day of Hearts, WalletHub evaluated 100 of the nation's largest cities across 25 key metrics, including florists per capita, forecasted precipitation, and the price of a three-course meal for two.

Top 20 Places for Valentine's Day 2026
1. San Francisco, CA
2. San Diego, CA
3. Las Vegas, NV
4. Atlanta, GA
5. Seattle, WA
6. Denver, CO
7. Pittsburgh, PA
8. Scottsdale, AZ
9. Portland, OR
10. Washington, DC		 11. Orlando, FL
12. Austin, TX
13. Chicago, IL
14. Honolulu, HI
15. San Jose, CA
16. Tampa, FL
17. Boston, MA
18. Colorado Springs, CO
19. Phoenix, AZ
20. Cincinnati, OH


Valentine's Day Spending Survey - Key Stats

  • Love on a Budget: 2 in 5 people say Valentine's Day activities are not affordable this year.
  • Skeptical Sweethearts: 82% of Americans believe that Valentine's Day is a trick to make people spend more money.
  • Romance with Limits: Nearly 2 in 5 people have a Valentine's Day budget.
  • Love Is Expensive: 33% of Americans say their relationship is a strain on their finances.
  • Financial Infidelity Hurts: 7 in 10 people think financial infidelity can be worse than cheating.
  • Bad Credit Might Keep You Single: 48% of people say they wouldn't marry someone with bad budgeting habits, a bad WalletScore or a bad credit score.

Valentine's Day Facts

  • $29.1 Billion: Total Valentine's Day spending projected for 2026 ($199.78 per person celebrating).
  • 2X: Men will spend almost twice as much as women, on average, for Valentine's Day 2026.
  • $13.3 Billion: Amount Americans will spend on jewelry ($7B) and a special evening out ($6.3B).
  • 60%: Share of marriages that begin online.
  • 33%: Overall online dating activity increase across the U.S. between February 1 and February 14.
  • $8.9 Billion: Projected global dating services market size by 2029.