They say New York City is the best city in the world to find your soulmate–and you’ll most likely find them at these places–though if Cupid hasn’t shot you with his arrow yet you’re likely not feeling very “live, laugh, love” living in NYC sans a boo.
How do we know this, you ask? Well, from a study by WalletHub who compared more than 182 U.S. cities according to their dating-friendliness, and New York City ranked pretty low, coming in at #144 out of 182.
Each city in the study was ranked using 35 metrics across three key dimensions: Economics, Fun & Recreation, and Dating Opportunities.
And though NYC didn’t rank in dead last overall, it did so in the economic category. And it didn’t score much better in the dating opportunities category, in which it ranked in at #167.
To make matters worse, we all know how expensive NYC is–it’s the most expensive city in the country–and out of all the cities on the list NYC has the highest restaurant meal costs. So if you don’t have a bae to split the check with you’re going to be stuck with a pretty hefty price tag (or crying into a Cup Noodles at home).
And dinner isn’t the only thing running up a New Yorker’s credit card–the city also scored in the bottom five when it comes to movie costs (though you can grab yourself a discounted ticket here), rent, and average beer and wine costs.
Adding insult to injury, you can’t even drink away your sorrows regarding being single unless you’re prepared to spend a pretty penny on your alcohol.
On the bright side, NYC did rank well in one category: Fun and Recreation, where it came in third behind Las Vegas and Orlando.
Though with all the fun, free things to do in NYC, festive winter happenings, iconic parks, and more, we didn’t once doubt we’d score well in the fun category.
Though being single in NYC can pretty much suck, don’t forget that you have the most eligible company with you at all times—yourself! Ignore the city’s romantic spots, clear your schedule, and take yourself out on a solo date instead!
The full study can be found here.