Had a run of bad dates recently? Well, there may be a reason why you are single. The city or town you live in could be the biggest reason why you’re still a singleton, with the cost of dates to consider and the number of breathtaking date choices on offer. ISAWITFIRST has revealed the best and worst cities to be single in:
20th. Blackpool
In last place is Blackpool, where 61% of its 150,000 population are single, but it’s not hard to see why as the stag party and hen do destination is well known for its nightlife and weekend parties, but it’s actually quite an affordable city to date and party in, as the average cost of a pint is only £2.50! Plus, whilst Blackpool may be at the bottom of our list for singletons, it’s at the top of the list for which city’s order the most takeaways. So whilst people cannot find love among them, they are sure to find love with the city’s food, or maybe even a delivery driver.
19th. Bournemouth
From a trip to the Oceanarium or a stroll down the pier, there are many romantic and fun days out that you could have in Bournemouth. Yet, the city’s residents don’t seem to be taking full advantage of these attractions, with 61.4% of the population remaining single. But perhaps this is because it costs on average £22 for two cinema tickets, and £50 for a three-course meal, meaning date nights can soon get pricey. Then again, people should take advantage of the cities gorgeous beaches and have a picnic, even if it’s just a reliable Tesco meal deal.
18th. Cardiff
Although Cardiff is a capital city, it is much more affordable to date there then Edinburgh or London, as you could get two cinema tickets for just £8, which is cheaper than anywhere else in the UK. With prices like these, it’s hard to understand why more people aren’t taking advantage of date nights at the cinema, as 61.5% of Cardiff’s population are not in a relationship. But for those couples in Cardiff, there are plenty of weekend breaks and activities to take advantage of, specifically designed for couples, such as a Gin Lovers Masterclass. If you are dating in Cardiff, try out some of these cheap date nights.
17th. Edinburgh
Despite being only a few miles away from the single central that is Glasgow, Edinburgh remains here near the bottom of our list. Scotland’s capital is not just a pricey place to live but also to date, so it’s a shame you can’t apply for a relationship loan as part of your student finance. The average cost of a three-course meal is just under £60, and a single pint is between £3 and £4.29, making it almost as expensive as London or Watford. With these prices, it’s no surprise that 61.6% of Edinburgh’s 480,000 population is single. If you’re an Edinburgh resident looking to get a cheap date night, we’ve got some suggestions!
16th. Exeter
Perhaps it’s down to their partying ways that Exeter have found themselves the 20th most single city in the UK, having come in 15th for one of the hardest partying cities in the UK. Or perhaps it has something to do with the fact they are one of the top cities for borrowing money from the bank of mum and dad, although surely that should give them more money to go on dates… whatever the reason they come in 20th as the city for the most single people in the UK.
15th. Kingston Upon Hull
Scraping a place in the top 15 is Kingston Upon Hull, where 62.5% of its 260,000 remain single. Although the city was named the Capital of Culture in 2017, it is definitely not the Capital of Romance. The city’s residents have a lower than average annual income, which means forking out £45 for a three-course meal on date night will not always be an easy task.
14th. Southampton
Like their one-way traffic system, many residents are in one-way relationships with Netflix and possibly their Uber Eats driver. As Southampton is home to a busy port, the high amount of singletons could be due to the strangers their residents meet being tourists there for the day or just until their ferry arrives, which is a little like looking for love at an airport.
13th. Portsmouth
With the majority of the city being surrounded by water, it is no easy task to get in and out of the city, making it hard to believe that 63.1% of Portsmouth’s population is single as, unlike other cities, they are not spoilt for choice. Plus, with all that water, there are plenty of water-based activities you could do on a date, including a boat tour or scuba diving.
12th. Lincoln
The historic city of Lincoln has always been a good place for singletons to meet, with the Times ranking it in the top 20 places for single people to live in 2014, and it still remains in the top 12 today. Cinema tickets and drinks are expensive in Lincoln but not extortionate like other cities. So the only reason that 63% of its residents are single must be because none of them can face walking up the dreaded Steep Hill to get to the other side of the city.
11th. Bristol
It’s no wonder most people are single in this expensive city, as it costs £4.20 for a single pint of beer! Plus, with a three-course meal for two averaging at £50, can you imagine how much a day out in the city might cost? With numerous universities and colleges in the city, most of the residents are probably students who can’t afford to splurge on a new relationship. For anyone ready to splash the cash, there is plenty of stuff to do when it comes to dating.
10th. Dundee
Sitting at the bottom of the list is Dundee, where 63.8% of the city’s population of 150,000 are single. Perhaps the small population is to blame, with a lack of people meaning a lack of choice. Or it could have something to do with the average cost of two cinema tickets being almost £20, and a three-course meal is close to £40.
9th. Newcastle upon Tyne
Despite Newcastle having a massive population of nearly 300,000, 63.8% of the city’s residents are single. Perhaps this is due to the city’s fantastic nightlife, where there are so many different nightclubs and bars to try for a night out that nobody ever wants to settle down.
8th. Cambridge
Although Cambridge doesn’t boast a huge population like other cities, it still has close to 120,000 residents, 65.9% of which are single and ready to mingle. This is no surprise as the city can be pricey, and on average it costs more than £24 for two cinema tickets, let alone dinner as well.
7th. Norwich
This classic city is full of breathtaking views, history and culture, but apparently not romance as 66.6% of those living in Norwich are single. This is a shock as the city has affordable date night locations, including just £9.98 on average for two cinema tickets, that’s less than £5 per person! Which is the reason alone to move to the city.
6th. Oxford
We all know that Oxford is the place to go for a world-class education, but it’s also a great place to go if you are looking for love, with 67.1% of the city’s 150,000 residents are single. Perhaps this is due to the city being full of students, who are sensible enough to focus on their education rather than their love life. It could also have something to do with Oxford being one of the most expensive places to live in the UK, and residents need to save money for rent rather than splurge on love. Plus, although Oxford has a high percentage of single people, it also has low cinema prices and a higher than average annual income for its residents. If the cinema isn’t your vibe, check out our date ideas in Oxford.
5th. Liverpool
Liverpool is famous for so many reasons, from it’s historic ports and professional sports teams to being the birthplace of The Beatles. But now the city is also renowned for having the fifth-highest percentage of singletons in the UK. This is surprising as the city boasts a vast variety of nightlife, attractions, and a delicious three-course meal for two on average costs just £40, which is cheaper than most cities. But if you are looking for love, Liverpool may be the place to go, with most of its 492,000 inhabitants being single.
4th. Brighton
We all like to be beside the seaside, but not everyone likes to be in a relationship as 68.2% of Brighton’s 600,000 residents are single. This may be due to locals being scared away from romance by the high average costs that tourists can turn a blind eye too. On average two cinema tickets would cost £21, and a three-course meal for two would be £50. With regular dates, this could quickly add up. Hopefully, those in relationships are taking advantage of the beaches for a traditional romantic picnic.
3rd. Nottingham
It is somewhat surprising that Nottingham has come in third on the list of most single cities in the UK. But this may because the city’s residents are spoilt for choice, as with late-night buses, trams and Ubers they could travel to the other side of the city faster than ever before. However, with Nottingham having one of the largest student populations, perhaps the high percentage of singletons come from students wanting to party, study, and do everything but settle down.
2nd. Glasgow
The runner up for city’s with the most single people is Glasgow. The beautiful Scottish city has an outstanding population of more than 1 million people, yet 69% are single. The overgrowing population could mean that residents are spoiled for choice, as I’m sure anyone living in that city will continuously be finding nearby matches on Tinder, as Glasgow has the most Tinder users of any UK city. Yet the city also has one of the best nightlife scenes and several universities, which could also play a part in the lack of relationships. Anyone wanting to start dating in Glasgow is in luck with plenty of date activities to do!
1st. Manchester
Sitting in the number one spot as single central is Manchester, where 70.6% of the people living there are single, that’s almost 3 in every 4 people! But it’s not so surprising that there are so many singletons, as dating can be pricy, especially in a large city centre. The average cost of a three-course meal for two is in the region of £50, which can quickly add up.
