# Cheap date in this city - no way! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 12, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-date-in-this-city-no-way/688278 "2014-05-12T15:04:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-date-in-this-city-no-way/688278/1 "2014-05-12T15:04:39Z")
> **[A 'Cheap Date' in These Cities? Fuggetaboutit](https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/cheap-date-these-cities-fuggetaboutit-n102986)** > > In some cities, even a "cheap date" can burn a hole in your pocket. A simple date of a movie and burgers costs $121 in London. That’s insane. How do people date over there? \ Back in my day, I could take my girlfriend to dinner and a movie for $10, and still have change for gas. \ ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-date-in-this-city-no-way/688278/2 "2014-05-12T15:12:40Z")
The article doesn’t say how far the cab rides are. That’s probably the bulk of the cost right there. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-date-in-this-city-no-way/688278/3 "2014-05-12T15:23:03Z")
Probably so. At least half of the cost, anyway. Still insane. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2014, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-date-in-this-city-no-way/688278/4 "2014-05-12T15:48:44Z")
The way you do it is a) don’t take cabs. Simple. I would say it’s more like the following: 2 beers - £10 (central London prices) 2 movie tickets - £30 if you want to pay central London evening prices, probably £20 otherwise 2 Big Mac meals (if you want to eat that rubbish…) - £10 And my date can damn well take the Tube like normal people. So we’re looking at around £50, which at today’s exchange rate is $85. Not cheap, but not $121 either. ---
**Author:** ![Silophant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-date-in-this-city-no-way/688278/5 "2014-05-12T15:56:56Z")
Yeah, I’m not sure why a hypothetical person who considers McDonald’s to be a good restaurant for date night would then spring for a cab instead of taking public transit. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2014, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-date-in-this-city-no-way/688278/6 "2014-05-12T17:20:07Z")
When I was dating it was rare to go on a dinner and a movie date. I went to concerts in the park, comedy shows, historical walking tours, etc. I did interesting stuff that was cheap or free for first dates and took the train where I needed to go. So my guess is that a lot of the people dating in huge, expensive cities do the same type of thing I used to do.