PETALING JAYA: Love may be priceless, but dating comes with a price tag, with some men even borrowing money to keep their romance going, a survey has found.
The Dating Expenditure Survey in Malaysia by LEGASI Research found that 13.2% of male respondents had borrowed money specifically to go on dates, nearly three times the 4.9% recorded among women.
Published in collaboration with Ekonomi Rakyat today, the report also found that men were more likely to shoulder dating expenses, with 59.3% saying they usually paid the entire bill, compared with 8.2% of women.
The financial burden appeared to weigh more heavily on men, with 27.5% reporting financial pressure from dating, compared with 16.4% of women.
LEGASI Research economic researcher Firdzan Nur Yassin said the findings highlighted how romantic relationships could involve financial responsibilities that differed between men and women.
“The findings of this survey show that dating is not merely about spending money to spend time with a partner, but also involves financial responsibilities that may differ between men and women.
“Although most respondents spend within what they consider a reasonable amount, some still experience financial pressure and have even borrowed money for dating,” he said.
The online survey, conducted through Google Forms between May 20 and June 13, involved 152 respondents, predominantly young adults aged 18 to 29.
Despite the financial pressures, 76.3% of respondents said they were willing to spend more to maintain their relationships. This included 79.1% of men and 72.1% of women.
The survey also found that 59.3% of men spent more on their first dates than on subsequent outings, compared with 23% of women.
Nearly half of the respondents (49.3%) considered dating expensive, although 52.6% typically spent between RM51 and RM200 per outing.
Food and beverages accounted for the most common dating expenditure, cited by 92.8% of respondents, followed by gifts (28.9%), transportation (22.4%) and recreational activities (21.7%).
Shopping malls, cafés and restaurants emerged as the preferred dating locations, accounting for 86.9% of respondents’ choices.
Taking turns to pay was the most common arrangement, reported by 42.1% of respondents, while only 5.9% said they split the bill.
Meanwhile, 74.4% considered RM50 to RM200 the ideal amount to spend on a date.
Firdzan said the findings highlighted the importance of ensuring that dating expenses remained within individuals’ financial means.
“This highlights the importance of understanding how dating expenditure aligns with individuals’ financial capabilities, particularly when there is a willingness to spend more to maintain a relationship,” he said.
LEGASI Research cautioned that the findings should be interpreted carefully due to the limited sample size and were not representative of Malaysia’s overall population.
