It's been a minute since I dated, but ostensibly I am still on the market. So of course, the latest study from BC Game attracted my attention.
At the height of my single allure, I was a San Franciscan -- which did not set well with my Jewish grandmother, who thought I'd never mate. She understood having gay friends was fun and all that, but would I ever find a husband, oy vey?
I think back at that conversation with a smile, but also a touch of curiosity. Were there fewer hetero singles in 1980s and early 90s San Francisco? Luckily, two other former home cities are on the list - London (#5) and New York (#8)! I concur, especially for New York, where singles seem to seep from the woodwork of every bar on the Upper West Side, at New York Sports Clubs and in Central Park. "Sex and the City" was not based on fantasy, even though of course, it was.
So where should single guys and gals go to find their missing puzzle piece?
Tokyo, apparently, followed by Warsaw. "Tokyo has the largest pool of singles, with nearly 1.5 million [young people] still looking for a second half," says BC Game. Ouch, I guess that leaves sixtysomethings out! But I digress...
My favorite city, London, ranks third. "At 12K+ restaurants and bars, London offers more settings for meet-cutes than almost any other city in the world. There is plenty of fish in Warsaw too, with over 90K residents looking up Tinder, speed-dating opportunities and singles events every month," says the game company.
Their research examined major cities across Europe, Asia, and the United States to find where singles have the best chance for meeting a partner. The report measured the size of each city's dating pool by estimating the number of single adults aged 18-35, then looked at how actively locals search for dating apps and singles events each month. It also tracked the number of bars, restaurants, and social venues per 10K residents, and calculated the average cost of a date. These figures were combined into a single score out of 100, revealing what the dating scene actually looks like in each city.
Following are their findings:
1. Tokyo, Japan
Estimated single population (18-35): 1.47M
Dating interest (monthly searches): 49K
Average date cost: $77.46
Tokyo is the world's best city for singles. The Japanese capital has close to 1.5 million single adults aged 18-35, one of the largest dating pools. On top of that, a night out here is by far the most affordable among the major cities, with dinner, drinks, and a movie coming to just $77, less than half what the same evening costs in New York. People here also seem to be always up for adventure, looking up dating apps and singles events nearly 50K times a month.
2. Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon is Europe’s go-to spot for dating. The city has more than 100 bars and cafes in almost every neighborhood, making it easy to meet new people just by hitting the local pub close to your hotel. Going out is also affordable here, with a typical date costing just $90. On top of everything, the city has an active dating culture, with locals searching for apps like Tinder over 40K times a month.
3. Warsaw, Poland
Warsaw ranks third, with plenty of spots to mingle. There are nearly 5K bars and restaurants across this city to bump into new people or take a Tinder match on a nice dinner. Locals here are also big on dating, with over 90K people searching for singles events every month. And that’s actually double the rate of most European cities. Similar to Lisbon, Warsaw is also famous for its affordability, with a typical night out costing just over $90.
4. Madrid, Spain
Madrid comes in fourth, with nearly 460K single adults aged 18-35, the largest young dating pool of any European city. Locals are also among the most active when it comes to dating, searching for matchmaking apps and other meetup opportunities nearly 75K times a month, according to BC Game. Beyond that, a night out here is among the more budget-friendly in Western Europe, averaging around $100 for dinner, drinks, and even a film.
5.
London, United Kingdom
London rounds out the top five spots for finding a mate. Blighty has an estimated 1.35 million single young adults, one of the largest pools anywhere in the world. The dating scene is hopping, with locals looking up meetup platforms and singles events nearly 60K times every month. The flip side is cost, as a typical date in London averages $163. Although this is still comparable to other Western European rates.(Side note: as an older single in London, I still had a blast. I recommend events at the British Library or British Museum, or a walk along the Thames with your significant other.)
The CEO of BC Game, Kar Kheng Giam, commented on the study:
"The local prices really matter for the dating scene, much more than we realize. Americans who move to Europe consistently say that going out feels less transactional, more relaxed, and happens more often, partly because it's cheaper. When you know a casual date with drinks will cost you maybe $20-30, you're far more likely to download a dating app or head to the pub to mingle. And that's not a made-up number either: in Lisbon, a single drink actually costs under $4."
In order, the top-ranked cities are: Tokyo, Lisbon, Warsaw, Madrid, London, Seoul, Paris,
New York, Barcelona, Milan,
Rome, Munich, Prague, Los Angeles, Budapest, Valencia, Berlin, Athens, Vienna, Amsterdam, Dublin, Brussels,
Stockholm, Helsiniki, Copenhagen, and Oslo.
BC Game is a crypto-centric gaming platform.
Read the research analysis here and find the ranked cities here.
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, from a film directed byTadashi Imai, Yoshiko Kuga and Eiji Okada in the 1950's; "Mata au hi made" (Until We Meet Again) is distributed by Toho.
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