The Mamdani-Trump Meeting Talked Affordability for NYC. But What About the City’s Singles?

Nov 23

*Zohran Mamdani and Donald Trump meeting in the oval/Matchmaker Nick Rosen*

When NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office this week, the conversation centered on what matters most to New Yorkers: affordability. Lower food costs. Lower housing costs. A safer city.

It’s exactly what politicians should be talking about. New York City has become prohibitively expensive for the people who actually live here, and any meaningful conversation about making the city livable again deserves attention.

But there’s one massive demographic that continues to get ignored in these affordability discussions: singles.

Singles Are Nearly Half of NYC’s Population

Let’s start with the numbers. Singles make up over 46% of New York City’s population. That’s not a niche group. That’s nearly half the city.

And here’s the part that politicians seem to miss: this demographic is the backbone of the local economy. Singles fill the restaurants, bars, coffee shops, gyms, entertainment venues, and cultural institutions that make New York City what it is. They’re not just participants in the economy, they’re driving it.

Yet when Trump and Mamdani talk about affordability, the conversation centers on families, homeowners, and traditional household structures. The single community, the people keeping this city’s economy alive, gets left out of the equation entirely.

The Real Reason NYC Is the Worst City to Date

There’s a popular narrative in dating culture that New York City is the worst place to date because of “the culture” or “how people approach dating.” Dating professionals and social commentators love to blame the abundance of options, the flakiness, the superficiality, the paradox of choice.

But that’s not the real problem.

NYC is the worst city to date because it’s the most expensive city to live in. According to Deutsche Bank’s “Cheap Date” Index, New York ranks as the most expensive place to date in the United States Fortune, and in the past six years, the price of eating out in NYC has increased nearly 30% Ground News.

The cost of living in New York City doesn’t just impact where people live or what they can afford to eat, it directly impacts who they can afford to connect with romantically.

The Real Cost of Dating in NYC

In a New York Post article, Benny Boas, a 31-year-old CEO who lives on the Upper East Side, summed up the financial reality of NYC dating: “It takes me about $1,000 to realize I don’t really like somebody.” That’s not hyperbole; that’s the reality of dating in New York City in 2024.

Every date in NYC costs between $100–175. According to a LendingTree survey, 65% of active daters say inflation has impacted their dating life, and 14% of Americans have gone into debt due to dating LendingTree. The average debt incurred? $711 LendingTree.

For singles already stretched thin by rent, utilities, transportation, and the general cost of existing in this city, the financial burden of dating actively becomes unsustainable.

New York Rent Crushes Disposable Income

According to Deutsche Bank’s research, New York is by far the costliest place to rent in the world. While San Francisco, Boston, and Chicago rank in the top seven for disposable income after accounting for living expenses, New York comes in at №41; behind Vancouver, Warsaw, and Prague Fortune.

Think about that. The average New Yorker has less disposable income than residents of cities with significantly lower costs of living and lower average salaries. The culprit? Rent that eats up salaries at a rate unmatched by any other major city globally Fortune.

When nearly half your paycheck goes to rent before you’ve even thought about food, transportation, or entertainment, dating becomes a luxury expense that many simply can’t afford.

Dating Has Become a Financial Decision

When every date costs real money and there’s no guarantee it’ll lead anywhere, singles start making different calculations. They start asking themselves: “Is this actually going anywhere?” before they even agree to meet up.

This isn’t pessimism. This is pragmatism.

Nearly three-quarters of people (73.9%) believe that dating generally is getting too costly, and more than two-thirds (67.9%) feel stressed about finances when organizing a date LendingTree.

The financial pressure of dating in NYC forces people to be more selective, more cautious, and frankly, more exhausted. It’s not that people don’t want to connect, it’s that the cost of trying to connect has become a barrier in itself.

In the same New York Post article, real estate salesperson Gabriella Oros, 37, who lives in the East Village, said that when a date suggested a walk in the park, it came across as “cheap and lazy.” She explained, “At this stage in my life, I value certain quality and effort. I would appreciate a bit more thought and planning” AOL.

But here’s the reality: Michael Hollander makes a point of avoiding sushi places on first dates because “I know dinner anywhere is going to be at least two bills, and odds are I will never see the person again, but there is no ceiling on the price at some of these sushi places” AOL.

This is the impossible bind that NYC singles find themselves in. The cost of dating is prohibitive, but suggesting lower-cost alternatives is perceived as a lack of effort or interest.

The Rise of Intentional Dating

This is why more people are choosing to date with intention. This is why matchmaking services are no longer just for the ultra-wealthy. When every date is a financial investment, people want to make sure they’re investing wisely.

A couple will spend an average of $701.96 across seven dates before classing themselves as “in a relationship” LendingTree. That’s before you’ve even determined if you’re compatible long-term.

Singles are realizing that working with a matchmaker or dating coach isn’t an indulgence, it’s a cost-effective strategy. Why spend thousands of dollars on random dates that go nowhere when you could invest in a service that actually vets people and increases your chances of meeting someone compatible?

The math is simple: if it takes $1,000 to realize you don’t like someone through trial and error, investing in professional matchmaking services that pre-screen compatibility starts to look like the smarter financial decision.

Politicians Talk Affordability, But Ignore Singles

Trump and Mamdani’s conversation about making NYC more affordable is important. If they follow through on lowering food costs, housing costs, and making the city safer, that would genuinely improve quality of life for New Yorkers.

But here’s what’s frustrating: the single community, nearly half this city, continues to be ignored by politicians.

There’s no conversation about how the cost of living impacts dating and relationships. There’s no acknowledgment that singles are dealing with unique financial pressures that impact their ability to build meaningful connections. There’s no recognition that the people carrying this city’s economy on their backs are being priced out of basic human experiences like dating.

As one woman put it: “Unfortunately, inflation has killed romance” AOL.

Politicians love to talk about “family values” and “supporting working families.” Great. But what about the 46% of New Yorkers who are single? What about the people who want to find a partner but can barely afford to go on dates?

The Single Community Deserves Better

If Trump and Mamdani are serious about making New York City more affordable, they need to recognize that affordability isn’t just about housing and groceries. It’s about quality of life. It’s about being able to participate in the social fabric of the city without going broke in the process.

The single community in NYC isn’t asking for handouts. They’re not asking for special treatment. They’re asking to be acknowledged as a significant demographic that contributes massively to the city’s economy and deserves to be included in conversations about affordability.

Because right now, the message singles are getting is clear: you’re valuable when it comes to spending money at restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues that keep this city running. But when it comes to policy decisions that might actually improve your quality of life and make it possible to build meaningful relationships without financial stress, you don’t matter.

Maybe it’s time that changed.

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About the Author:
Nick is the founder of Met By Nick, a dating coaching and matchmaking business serving singles in NYC. He specializes in helping people date with intention in a city where the cost of dating has become a barrier to connection.

Nick Rosen