Special Report
The Cost of Valentine's Day the Year You Were Born
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Last Updated:
For the first time ever, total Valentine’s Day spending is projected to top $20 billion in the United States — despite falling participation. Just 51% of American adults plan to celebrate the holiday, the smallest share in at least a decade and down from 55% last year.
In a statement from Matthew Shay, CEO of industry advocacy group National Retail Federation, greater spending among those participating in the holiday is likely driven by the strong economy. While some of that spending will go towards friends, coworkers, and family, the vast majority of Valentine’s Day spending will be between spouses and significant others.
Specific Valentine’s Day plans vary by couple, but many will be sticking to tried and true traditions. According to an NRF survey, 15% of American adults plan on buying a gift certificate, 18% plan to buy clothing and jewelry, more than a third plan on an evening out, 35% plan on buying flowers, 44% will buy a greeting card, and more than half plan on buying candy.
Based on the popularity of those gifts and average anticipated spending on them, 24/7 Wall St. created a weighted average to determine how much a couple is likely to spend on the holiday this year. We adjusted that figure for inflation to determine how much the holiday would cost every year going back to 1948. Because going to the movies is also a popular way to celebrate Valentine’s, we also included the average cost of a movie ticket each year from the National Association of Theatre Owners.
With costs rising every year, it may be no coincidence that Valentine’s Day spending is projected to hit a record high in 2019 — even as participation is expected to hit a decade low.
Click here to see the cost of Valentine’s date the year you were born.
2018
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $70.32 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2018: $9.11
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2017
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $70.32 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2017: $8.97
2016
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $69.15 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2016: $8.65
2015
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $68.34 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2015: $8.43
2014
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $68.14 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2014: $8.17
2013
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $67.12 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2013: $8.13
2012
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $66.24 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2012: $7.96
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2011
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $65.01 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2011: $7.93
2010
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $63.45 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2010: $7.89
2009
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $62.42 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2009: $7.50
2008
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $62.46 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2008: $7.18
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2007
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $60.61 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2007: $6.88
2006
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $59.13 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2006: $6.55
2005
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $57.59 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2005: $6.41
24/7 Wall St.
2004
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $55.99 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2004: $6.21
2003
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $54.66 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2003: $6.03
2002
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $53.60 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2002: $5.80
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2001
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $52.89 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2001: $5.65
2000
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $51.89 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2000: $5.39
1999
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $50.63 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1999: $5.06
1998
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $49.90 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1998: $4.69
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1997
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $49.52 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1997: $4.59
1996
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $48.68 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1996: $4.42
1995
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $47.66 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1995: $4.35
24/7 Wall St.
1994
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $46.69 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1994: $4.08
1993
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $45.74 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1993: $4.14
1992
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $44.63 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1992: $4.15
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1991
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $43.48 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1991: $4.21
1990
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $42.10 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1990: $4.22
1989
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $40.35 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1989: $4.17
1988
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $38.68 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1988: $4.11
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1987
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $37.23 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1987: $3.91
1986
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $36.13 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1986: $3.71
1985
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $35.37 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1985: $3.55
1984
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $34.16 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1984: $3.36
1983
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $32.91 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1983: $3.15
1982
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $31.56 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1982: $2.94
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1981
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $29.90 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1981: $2.78
1980
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $27.45 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1980: $2.69
1979
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $24.79 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1979: $2.47
1978
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $22.77 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1978: $2.34
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1977
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $21.28 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1977: $2.23
1976
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $19.98 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1976: $2.13
1975
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $18.94 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1975: $2.03
24/7 Wall St.
1974
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $17.48 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1974: $1.89
1973
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $15.83 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1973: $1.81
1972
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $15.02 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1972: $1.73
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1971
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $14.53 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1971: $1.65
1970
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $13.94 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1970: $1.54
1969
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $13.31 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1969: $1.44
1968
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $12.73 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1968: $1.33
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1967
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $12.26 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1967: $1.22
1966
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $11.96 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1966: $1.13
1965
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $11.66 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1965: $1.04
24/7 Wall St.
1964
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $11.49 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1964: 95 cents
1963
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $11.33 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1963: 86 cents
1962
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $11.20 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1962: 82 cents
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1961
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $11.07 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1961: 78 cents
1960
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $10.95 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1960: 75 cents
1959
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $10.77 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1959: 71 cents
1958
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $10.62 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1958: 68 cents
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1957
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $10.37 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1957: 63 cents
1956
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $10.07 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1956: 58 cents
1955
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $9.87 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1955: 53 cents
1954
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $9.83 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1954: 49 cents
1953
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $9.75 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1953: 46 cents
1952
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $9.62 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1952: 44 cents
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1951
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $9.42 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1951: 42 cents
1950
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $8.82 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1950: 40 cents
1949
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $8.72 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1949: 38 cents
1948
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $8.79 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1948: 36 cents
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