Lovers can celebrate on a budget in the city, says study.
Valentine’s Day has a habit of sneaking up on couples, and their bank balances. Between dinner reservations, drinks, taxis, cinema trips and the temptation of a hotel stay, the cost of a ‘proper’ night out on 14th February can quickly spiral.
And in a year where households are still watching spending closely, many couples are asking the same question: is romance always this expensive?
Not if you live in Milton Keynes, according to a new survey. Research by online tarot reading service Tarotoo has looked beyond clichés about overpriced flowers and set menus to examine where in the UK Valentine’s Day genuinely offers better value.
And Milton Keynes comes eighth in a table of more than 60 cities.
The research looked at the real-world cost of a classic Valentine’s night out – from a three-course meal to a four‑star hotel with some drinks, a visit to the cinema and a taxi ride – and found the regions where romance comes cheapest.
“Milton Keynes totals £217.59, weighed down by the highest cinema ticket cost in the top 10 (£35),” said Tarotoo. “However, hotel prices (£103.29) are among the lowest nationally.
“Its strong hotel availability and business-focused accommodation market appear to benefit couples on Valentine’s Day.”
The cheapest cities in the findings were Lancaster, Nottingham and Leicester, while Westminster, Edinburgh and Newry came out the most expensive.
