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Cheapest City for Date Night in Pennsylvania
The most romantic day of the year, Valentine’s Day, is pending, and since this celebration of love is on the horizon, we wanted to look into how much it really costs to go on a date in each city across Pennsylvania, year-round.
To find out exactly that, we reviewed Numbeo data, which collects the average cost of a meal, a bottle of wine, the starting price of a cab, and the cost of a three-mile cab trip. So, which Pennsylvanian cities are the most affordable (and the priciest) to wine and dine in with your loved one, or to venture on your first-ever date?
You can find out that information, along with the best coverage of Pennsylvania online casinos, at PennStakes.com.
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Pennsylvania’s Most Affordable Date Night Cities
After comparing the cost of a romantic meal out, a bottle of wine to take home, and cab fares across each location in Pennsylvania, we can reveal the cheapest date night cities. Whether you’re celebrating your first wedding anniversary or heading out on a romantic first date, these are the thriftiest dating spots in this star state…
1. Altoona
Pennsylvania’s cheapest place for a date is Altoona, costing an estimated $53.39 in total for a romantic evening, just the two of you. It’s here where you’ll be paying a nifty starting cab fee of $3, paying around $9.39 for a three-mile cab.
The best thing of all? You’ll be paying a tiny fee of just $26 for a meal for you both, which is the lowest date meal price out of all cities surveyed. Not to mention, it’s $42 below the US average for a two-person meal, so you’ll get a great deal for your money when it comes to sharing (and enjoying) food here.
Shockingly, though, a bottle of wine in Altoona costs $15, which is the third-highest price for this store-bought tipple in Pennsylvania overall. This comes after Erie — costing $16.50, Pittsburgh ($15.50) and matching the likes of Harrisburg, York, Lancaster and Philadelphia ($15). Clearly, then, you’re better off dining out here with your loved one, and potentially ordering a bottle of wine at the restaurant, rather than heading to the store!
2. Johnstown
Taking the second-place crown for cheapest dating cities in Pennsylvania is Johnstown, averaging at around $65.72 for a loved-up meal, cab ride and a store-bought bottle of wine for when you’ve finished dinner and head back home.
Individually speaking, the restaurant meal you’ll both eat will cost approximately $47.50, boasting a real affordability factor! A cab fare for a three-mile journey will cost around $5.25 in Johnstown, and this is where you’ll get the cheapest bottle of wine in Pennsylvania ($10.37) for you and your other half to share. So, it comes second for good reason!
3. Wilkes-Barre
Next up for cheap Pennsylvanian dating spots is Wilkes-Barre, costing star-crossed lovers just $73.39, on average for a romantic evening overall. Dinner for the two of you will only amount to $50, making that a small sum of $25 each, and a bottle of wine from the store will only set you back $11. However, a cab fare will cost about $9.39 — which was the second highest price out of the top five cheapest Pennsylvanian cities. So, arranging alternative transport might be best if you’re a bit low on funds when Valentine’s comes around.
4. Harrisburg
The fourth most affordable Penn dating city is the state capital of Harrisburg, averaging out at $74.83 overall. You won’t be out of pocket taking your date here for an evening out, as a meal for you both will cost around $50, and a cab fare starts at a mere $3.20, and is only $6.63 for a three-mile journey! But, a bottle of wine here could set you back, costing $15 from the store, so that’s a factor to consider closer to the date.
5. Allentown
The final location on Pennsylvania’s cheapest date list is Allentown ($77.60), costing the highest for a meal out of the top five most affordable cities, at $48. A bottle of wine in Allentown is the third cheapest in our top five cities for thrifty dating spots, costing just $13.50 for a bottle, despite coming in last. When considering this, it might be cheaper to wine and dine your date from the comfort of your own home in this city.
Pennsylvania’s Most Expensive Date Night Cities
We’ve already narrowed down the five most affordable date night cities, but what about the most expensive spots? Well, we’ve identified the five priciest areas to schmooze your partner, or new date, in Pennsylvania.
1. Scranton
Taking your loved one on a date in Scranton is going to set you back the most, on average, according to our findings from Numbeo. Costing $111.25 for a romantic date, you’ll likely refrain from suggesting a date with the apple of your eye in Scranton. This is especially the case for the likes of Valentine’s Day, because when Cupid’s day rolls around, it will likely cost even more.
It costs couples $7.50 for a cab ride of approximately three miles in Scranton, with the starting price of catching a ride costing roughly $2.75. But more importantly, a meal for two love birds will cost a startling $90, which is almost double the cost of a tasty dinner in Allentown.
Purchasing a bottle of wine costs only $11, which is $4 less than the cheapest dating location, Altoona ($15), despite Scranton being the most expensive date spot overall.
2. Philadelphia
Next came Philadelphia, being the second highest-costing area to take your beloved on a date, costing an average of $105.09 overall. Philly is the location you’ll be paying the most for an average three-mile cab, costing you $16.50 on average — which was the highest cost by a landslide, compared to any other city in Pennsylvania. So if you’re heading on a date here, you might want to refrain from drinking, and drive home instead.
3. Bethlehem
Bethlehem is the third highest-costing city for a date with your other half, based on the $80 you’ll be shelling out for a meal, which is the second-highest meal price out of every city surveyed. It’ll set you back nearly $8.25 for a three-mile taxi ride home with your beloved as well. Although, the cost of a bottle of wine is $12.99 here, which is less than every other city in the top five most expensive cities, aside from Scranton ($11).
4. Erie
It will cost you $70 if you’re eating out in Erie with the one you love the most, averaging $92.57 for the cost of a date overall. Prices are particularly high in this city, despite it coming in fourth place in our list of expensive dating locations. A bottle of wine costs a whopping $16.50 in this Pennsylvanian city, which is the highest-priced wine across every city in this state.
5. Reading
The final, most expensive city for a dreamy date in Pennsylvania is Reading, at $92.24. It’s here you’ll be spending $60.75 for a meal with your partner, or future date. This cost makes a restaurant here a much more appealing choice on Valentine’s Day than any of the other cities in this top five list, costing nearly $10 less than dinner in the likes of Erie and Philadelphia ($70).
When considering the average price of a meal for two in the US ($68), even Pennsylvania’s priciest meals for two are a lot lower than the steepest cities in the state of New York. So Pennsylvania is still a great area to spend Valentine’s Day in. After all, if you dined in Brookhaven in New York, it would cost you $140 for a meal, and in California, you’ll be forking out around $130 for a dinner date with your better half.
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Discover More Insights on Betting
So, now you’ve got the knowledge of which city you’ll be taking your beloved to next. And for more fascinating insights from our betting experts, along with PA sportsbook promo codes, keep reading PennStakes.com.
Methodology
Sourced from Numbeo, all data acquired is accurate as of January 2023, and represents the average cost of a restaurant meal out for two, a bottle of store-bought wine, taxi starting costs, and a three-mile cab fare in each Pennsylvania location. Costs in each city are subject to increase over Valentine’s Day.
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