The economics of romantic city-breaks

By The Data Team

PAUL McKenna, a British stage hypnotist, recently revealed that he chose his current fiancée with the aid of a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Taking inspiration from this application of accounting software to the business of love, The Economist is delighted to share its “cost of loving” ranking, just in time for Valentine’s day.

Using indicators from a “cost of living” survey* run by our sister company, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), you can now discover which cities offer the best monetary value for a romantic mini-break. Topping the table is Sofia, Bulgaria, where taxis to and from the airport, a fancy meal, a night in a quality hotel with top-shelf drinks in the bar and a bottle of champagne smuggled up to your room will set you back a little over $200. Head to New York though, and the equivalent trip will cost you over five times as much, largely due to hotel costs, the second highest in the survey after Doha, Qatar. In comparison, $689 for one night in Paris, France seems almost reasonable.

Yet there are plenty of bargains to be had around the world if you are prepared to economise: cancel the restaurant and Kiev, Ukraine is the best value option, while ditching the taxis in Tokyo more than halves the cost. And if you’re only planning to see the inside of a hotel room and the bottom of a jeroboam of champagne, you can save over $2,000 by choosing Cairo over Caracas where a shortage of imported goods and multiple exchange rates have drastically inflated some prices. Just don't ruin the mood by mentioning this ranking as you gaze into each others’ eyes.

READ MORE: The economics of dating

* The EIU’s survey is aimed at expatriates and business travellers on expenses, and the prices gathered by their correspondents do not necessarily reflect the quotidian costs incurred by city residents. However, they are used here as a proxy for trying (and sometimes failing) to impress a date when travelling in a new city.