Texas Makes Top 10 For Most Affordable Date Nights In The U.s.

Finding love on a budget has never been easier in Texas, which was just ranked one of the top 10 states with the most affordable date costs in the country.

Texans spend about $81 on average for a typical date night, which is the 10th cheapest cost out of all 50 states, according to a new study from dating advice platform Muse.

The report compared statewide costs for a date based on the average price of a restaurant meal for two and the average price of a soft drink, domestic beer, and a bottle of wine. Muse additionally extrapolated total costs across "basic," "standard," and "premium" dinner date tiers. Pricing data was provided from consumer pricing database Numbeo on February 2, 2026.

Texas' typical dinner date cost is nearly $11 lower than the $91.75 national average.

This is how the analysis broke down the average price of a dinner date in Texas:

• Mid-range restaurant meal for two: $66.67
• Soft drink: $2.47
• Domestic beer: $6
• Bottle of wine: $13.41

States with the most and least expensive date costs
West Virginia topped the list with the most affordable date nights in the U.S., with the typical date costing $60.22, far lower than the national average. Hawaii, on the other hand, is the most expensive state for dinner date in the nation. The average cost for a date in the Aloha state will set couples back by $144.24.

"People often assume it’s the drinks that make date nights expensive, but it’s really the meal that changes everything," a Muse spokesperson said. "Depending on where you live, the same dinner for two could cost twice as much, and that adds up fast when you're planning something special for Valentine’s Day. No matter the price tag, what matters most is the time spent together, but knowing where your dollar stretches further never hurts."

Celebrating love doesn't have to revolve around going out for dinner. There are many ways to surprise your sweetheart that don't involve going out to eat, like listening to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, watching an Avant Chamber Ballet show, or going on a romantic retreat elsewhere around Texas.

The top 10 most affordable states for a dinner date with their average costs are:

• No. 1 – West Virginia ($60.22)
• No. 2 – North Dakota ($65.67)
• No. 3 – Minnesota ($68.33)
• No. 4 – Alabama ($69.74)
• No. 5 – Mississippi ($74.37)
• No. 6 – Illinois ($74.97)
• No. 7 – Kansas ($75.14)
• No. 8 – Georgia ($76)
• No. 9 – Wyoming ($78.50)
• No. 10 – Texas ($81.09)