Price of love: Aussies spend $11b a year on dating

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What is the price of love? More than $11 billion apparently.

That is what Aussie singles spend on dating each year, according to new research from ING Direct.

We're forking out a whopping $80.7 million for dating services, and we spend an average of $79 on a first date.

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A third of singles go on at least one first date a month, with a further 32% going on two or more first dates each month.

More than half of single men are prepared to pay for the first date, led by male Baby Boomers and Gen X males. Only a quarter of millennials males are prepared to cover the cost of a first date.

One in four Australians splash $100 or more on pre-date preparation, including new clothes, shoes, hair and make-up, and men spend almost as much as women.

New clothes top the list of the most popular items singles spend money on to get ready for a date.

Victorians are the biggest spenders when it comes to getting ready for a date, forking out $69 compared with $67 for those in NSW, $53 for Queenslanders, and $53 for West Australians.

South Australians are the thriftiest daters, ING says, spending just $48 in preparation for date night.

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Sharyn McCowen is Money's digital editor. She has a Bachelor's degree in journalism from Charles Sturt University, and more than 18 years of experience in media. Sharyn has won four ACPA awards for journalism, and edits the Money newsletter, which was a finalist at the 2025 Mumbrella Publish Awards. Connect with Sharyn McCowen on LinkedIn.