Singles in the UK spend an average of £732 per year on dates

With the growing popularity of online dating apps, meeting someone new has never been easier.

Swiping right on your phone is a simple way to strike up a relationship, making the days of nervously approaching someone in a bar a thing of the past - but dates now seemingly easier to arrange, how much is it costing singletons?

Who is dating the most?

New research reveals that more than half of Brits (55 per cent) go out on a date at least once a month, with London found to be the city which dates the most.

The cities going on the most dates:

London - 30 per centGlasgow - 27 per centManchester - 22 per centBirmingham - 21 per centCardiff - 18 per cent

The research, conducting by GalaBingo.com, found those living in the south west have the most active dating lives, with one in ten going out on dates more than twice a week, with a further 33 per cent going every one to two weeks.

On the other end of the dating scale is the north of England, with as many as 37 per cent saying they go out on dates less than once a year.

But with dating on the rise, just how much on average are we spending?

The popularity of dating apps has made meeting potential romantic partners easier than ever (Photo: Shutterstock)

How much does it cost to date?

The average single Brit will spend an average of £732 per year on dates, with men revealed to fork out 27 per cent more than women.

The average date costs singles around £40 per person and an additional £21 is typically spent on pre-date preparation, rising to £35 among males.

For half of singletons, prepping their appearance ahead of each date can result in costs as much as £60, although just over a quarter said they spend no money on getting ready prior to the date.

With more than half of singles surveyed saying they go out on dates at least once a month, single life amounts to be very expensive, costing a minimum of £61 per month on dates and date preparation.

That amounts to £732 annually, while the one in five (17 per cent) who go on dates every week can be shelling out as much as £3,172 each year.

The male-female divide

Men are already found to spend 27 per cent more than women on a date (Photo: Shutterstock)

While dating is generally expensive, it is even more so for men.

Men are already found to spend more than women while on a date, but as many as 40 per cent of males will shell out additional costs to look good ahead of the occasion.

The average male will spend around £35 before they head out to meet a potential love interest, investing in new clothes and haircuts, while females will only spend £25.

And in addition to dressing to impress, men are still footing more than their fair share of the bill, with the average date costing men £48, compared to £25 for women.

Twenty-five year old singleton Thierry Ngutegure from Leeds admitted to spending hundreds of pounds each month on dates: "Before a date, I get my hair cut and beard trimmed, which costs around £35, and I'll often get a new shirt as well.

"I'll easily spend £80 on a date - some of it is down to chivalry; I do like to pay.

"But often, the girl seems to expect me to pay and I feel uncomfortable asking if she'll contribute."

Fortunately, dating doesn't always have to cost an arm and a leg, with one in four singles aged 55 to 64 saying they don't spend any money on dates, opting for free activities to woo potential partners instead.