SmartAsset
1 / 2It's a date: Best cities for budget dating
Ready for date night? If you're living on the coasts, chances are you'll be spending a lot more for your evening, though. Here's where a night out costs less for couples.
1. Oklahoma City, OK
The Sooner State capital also happens to be the nation's most affordable city for dating. Dinner for two people at an inexpensive restaurant in Oklahoma City only costs $24, while the average bottle of white table wine is $8.40. For a date with a movie, two tickets cost $18.50, the second-lowest for this metric in our study. And the price of a dinner and movie for two in Oklahoma's largest city is $50.90.
2. Mesa, AZ
Dinner and a movie for two people costs $53.38 in Mesa, making it the second-best city for budget dating. A meal for two people at an inexpensive restaurant averages $26, while the price of a bottle of white table wine is $6.32. Two tickets to a movie will only set you back $21.06. But, if you prefer a coffee date instead, two cappuccinos in this Phoenix suburb add up to $10.86, which makes Mesa the most expensive city in our top 10 for coffee dates.
3. Mobile, AL
The surrounding Gulf Coast area may be known for its seafood and beaches, but Mobile should also be known for its affordable dining. A meal for two at an inexpensive restaurant in this port city averages just $20, the lowest across our entire study. Meanwhile, a bottle of white table wine will cost you $7.57. For a movie date, two tickets are under $27. And dinner and a movie for two will add up to $54.53.
4. Tulsa, OK
Two people can go see a movie in Tulsa for less than $20 ($19.88), the fifth-cheapest in our study. The average cost for dinner and wine at an inexpensive restaurant adds up to $34.99. In total, a couple can expect to spend $54.87 for dinner and a movie.
5. Wichita, KS
Dinner and a movie for two people adds up to $55.07 in Wichita, making it the fifth-most budget-friendly city for dating. A meal at an inexpensive restaurant costs only $24 and a bottle of white table wine averages $10.29. The price of movie tickets for two adults is just $20.78. And a coffee date with two cappuccinos can cost as little as $8.
6. Corpus Christi, TX
Corpus Christi has the lowest average movie ticket price in our study ($17.70 for two). A bottle of white table wine is also quite affordable at $7.48. But while the average price of a meal for two at an inexpensive restaurant costs more in Corpus Christi ($30) than in the top five cities, a night out adds up to only $55.18.
7. Knoxville, TN
The total cost of dinner and a movie for two in Knoxville is $56.05, making it the seventh-best city for budget dating. That's welcome news to the thousands of students who attend the University of Tennessee there. Movie tickets cost an average of $22.48 for two people, while dinner for a couple at an inexpensive restaurant is $26. A bottle of white table wine averages $7.57 and two cappuccinos on a coffee date costs $8.06.
8. Springfield, MO
A couple looking to have a night out for dinner and a movie will pay an average of $56.54. An average-priced meal for two at an inexpensive restaurant costs $22 and a bottle of white table wine averages $10.50. Meanwhile, two tickets to a movie add up to just over $24, making Springfield the eighth-best city for budget dating. Springfield is also among the most affordable cities in our study for coffee dates: two cappuccinos will cost you $7.92.
9. Chandler, AZ
A meal for two people at an inexpensive restaurant in Chandler costs an average of $30, while a bottle of white table wine is $6.32. For a movie date, two tickets run over $21. And if you add both dinner and a movie, it will cost $57.38. A coffee date, on the other hand, is $9.76.
10. El Paso, TX
El Paso rounds out our top 10 with dinner and a movie for two costing $57.52. A meal at an inexpensive restaurant costs an average of $24, but a bottle of white table wine adds another $10.90. On average, admission for two adults to a movie costs $22.62.
