Istanbul is Europe’s cheapest city for a romantic date

Istanbul is the cheapest city in Europe for a romantic date, with an average cost of around 163 euros for a couple to enjoy an evening out, according to a study by Deutsche Bank, which highlights however the rapid rise in prices and the cost of living in Istanbul due to inflation.

To compile its Cheap Date Index, Deutsche Bank calculated the average cost of a typical romantic evening in cities around the world, taking into account the price of expenses such as a bottle of wine, a dress, a pair of jeans, a coffee for two, a couple’s dinner in a mid-range restaurant, two cinema tickets, a short taxi ride and travel on public transport, according to Turkish media reports.

The study places Istanbul at the top of the ranking of the cheapest cities in Europe for romantic dating, ranking it as the “most affordable city for a date” in Europe with an average cost of 163 euros. In second place is the city of Prague with an average cost of 186 euros, while in third place is Budapest with an average spend of 192 euros. Globally, the city of Bangalore in India tops the list as the cheapest city in the world for a date, costing just 88 euros.

On the other hand, if we look at the cities where it is most expensive for a couple of lovers to go on a date, we find that the ranking is headed by the city of Geneva in Switzerland, where it would cost both of them 400 euros for that special night; it is closely followed by another Swiss city, Zurich, with a cost of 393 euros, while Copenhagen (Denmark) with 337 euros, Oslo (Norway) with 321 euros, London (England) with 313 euros and Edinburgh (Scotland) with an expense of 297 euros, are placed in the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th spots respectively.

Although Istanbul leads this ranking of the cheapest cities for a romantic date in Europe, the study also points out that it is one of the cities where the cost of living is growing the fastest. The cost of dating in Istanbul has shot up 84% in the last 5 years if we look at prices in euros, but up to 840% if we calculate it in liras, due not only to inflation but also to the depreciation of the Turkish lira and the general increase in the cost of living in the city. We can say, therefore, that although going out as a couple in Istanbul is still cheaper than in many European cities… It has become more expensive than ever.

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