"One Date Easily Tops 100,000 Won... High Inflation Hits Millennials' and Gen Z's Relationships"

Enrise Surveyed 1,485 Men and Women in Their 20s and 30s
70% of Respondents Say "Burden Has Increased in the Past 1-2 Years"
Home Dates Replace Dining Out... Some Have Even Given Up on Relationships

A recent survey found that while people in their 20s and 30s feel comfortable spending 30,000 to 50,000 won on a date, the most common actual expenditure is between 50,000 and 100,000 won. The results also showed that a significant number of respondents have given up on dating or experienced breakups due to financial burdens.

Enrise, the operator of the social dating app "WIPPY," released the results of a survey on dating expenses conducted among 1,485 male and female members in their 20s and 30s on May 13. According to the survey, about 70% of respondents said that the burden of dating expenses has increased in the past one to two years. The response "it has increased significantly" was chosen by 47.1% of men and 50.5% of women, with women reporting a slightly higher rate.

For the most commonly spent amount per date, both men and women selected "50,000 to 100,000 won." Specifically, 52.5% of men and 52.7% of women chose this range. In contrast, the amount respondents felt they could spend comfortably was most often "30,000 to 50,000 won," selected by 42% of men and 39.1% of women. This indicates that people are actually spending more than what they perceive as an appropriate amount.

The burden of dating expenses also affected whether respondents continued their relationships. The proportion of those who said they had "given up on dating because of the cost" was 29.5% for men and 38.6% for women. When asked if they had "actually broken up with a partner to reduce financial burden," 8.6% of men and 17.9% of women answered yes, with women showing a higher rate. Contrary to the common belief that the burden of dating expenses falls primarily on men, the survey suggests that women also experience significant financial and emotional stress.

High inflation has also led to changes in dating patterns. The most common way respondents chose to save money was by "spending more time at home." This indicates a growing preference for home dates over eating out, going to cafes, or watching movies at theaters. "Reducing the number of dates" was the next most popular option. However, about 30% of respondents said that "nothing has changed in particular."

There were also differences between men and women in how they shared expenses. Men most preferred "splitting the bill flexibly depending on the situation," while women most frequently chose "taking turns paying." On the other hand, the so-called "strict Dutch pay," where the total amount is split exactly in half, was less popular, with 11.2% of men and 5.4% of women preferring this method.

Meanwhile, the so-called "dating bank account," once highlighted as a trend among Millennials & Gen Z, was not widely used in practice. Specifically, 69.6% of men and 67.4% of women said they had never used a dating bank account. Those with experience cited advantages such as efficient spending management and reduced emotional strain during payment discussions.