Legasi Research, an independent research and advisory firm, found in its Dating Expenditure Survey in Malaysia that 13.2% of male respondents had gone into debt solely for dating, compared with 4.9% of female respondents. The findings were presented to reporters in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 27.

Among men, 59.3% said they usually covered the entire bill, against 8.2% of women. Men were also more likely to feel the strain, with 27.5% reporting financial pressure from dating compared with 16.4% of women.

Nearly half of all respondents, 49.3%, considered dating expensive. Just over half, 52.6%, typically spent between RM51 ($12.50) and RM200 ($49) per date, with food and drinks the most common expense.

The online survey drew 152 responses between May 20 and June 13, mainly from Kuala Lumpur and neighboring Selangor. The researchers cautioned that the findings do not represent Malaysia's population as a whole.

Respondents were largely young, with 43.4% aged 18 to 24, and a substantial share reported monthly incomes below RM3,000 ($734), Malay Mail reported. About 30% were married, and the researchers counted their outings as dates.

A couple at a fast-food restaurant. Illustration photo by Unsplash/Happysurd Photography

Taking turns to pay was the most common arrangement overall and was favored by 50.8% of women. On first dates, 59.3% of men were prepared to spend extra, compared with 23% of women.

Shopping malls were the top dating spot, chosen by 44.1% of respondents, followed by cafes and restaurants at 42.8%. Some 42.1% went out once or twice a month.

Firdzan Nur Yassin, an economic researcher at Legasi Research, said even modest spending could quickly add up for couples who went out regularly.

He also pointed to social media, citing online discussions about the "minimum effort" expected from men. "In a way, social media creates an expectation for women and men," he said, as cited by the South China Morning Post. "Sometimes, these expectations are set too high."

Despite the costs, 76.3% of respondents, including 79.1% of men and 72.1% of women, said they were willing to spend more to maintain their relationships.

A separate online survey of 3,005 Malaysians by financial comparison site RinggitPlus, conducted from Sept. 28 to Oct. 11, found that 24.3% of those aged 25 to 44 had delayed or decided against marriage, a wedding or a first child over the past five years for financial reasons. The share rose to 28.9% among those aged 25 to 34.

Malaysia's median monthly wage was RM2,940 in 2025, up 5.3% from the previous year, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia.