Cities Who Spend the Most on Valentine's Day

This list is based on data compiled by German florists "Bloomy Days", who undertook the elaborate task of mapping prices for flowers, spas, restaurants, movies, and hotels in fifty cities across Europe and North America to create an average price for a Valentine's Day celebration in each city. It's important to note that the establishments chosen were upscale, indicating that these average prices are for high-end celebrations in each of the cities listed. This means that you should not despair if you find yourself in one of these top listed cities for Cupid's holiday, as you may very well be able to pull off a celebration for less than the price listed, so long as you and your date are willing to forgo the Michelin star dining and numerous hotel amenities!

Cities That Break the Bank

Los Angeles, California is the most expensive city in which to spend Valentine's Day, according to the multiple factors cited in this study, where dinner in a Michelin-star restaurant (with wine) will set you back a staggering $548.97. What's even more is a night in a hotel that will cost an average of $535.03, although again, this number is for a 4 or 5 starred establishment. New York doesn't fall much further behind, where the meal will cost just under $500, and the hotel, an average of $343.04. Chicago, the country's third largest city after the two aforementioned, comes in at a more (comparatively) reasonable $285.07 for a hotel room and $337.73 for a meal. This number, however, is on par with Hong Kong, where the city life can be infamously costly. Paris, renowned as the world's most romantic city, appears midway down the list where a dinner will cost an average of $231.88 and a hotel $295.17.

Looking for a bargain? Prague, Czechia, Cork, Ireland and Madrid, Spain all come out on the bottom (or, the top, depending on the way you look at it). In all three cities, a night in a luxury hotel comes under $200, and a meal hovers around $100. Of course, these prices may or may not remain economical when travel costs to each of these locations is taken into consideration.

Valentine's Day Spending Patterns

Although these numbers may seem high, it is important to note that the societal attitude towards the 14th of February may be shifting. According to data compiled by the National Retail Federation (NRF), couples are spending less on a Valentine's Day evening out as the years go by. One reason that has been cited as a factor behind this decline is the launch of meal services that provide pre-prepped meals and clear-cut instructions, enabling even the most green of chefs an attempt to entertain at home. This falls in line with a general trend of valuing experiences over material purchases, a phenomenon seen particularly amongst young consumers.