A study by credit card brand Aqua compared the average cost of a mid‑range meal for two across 30 major UK cities. Swansea came out on top with a typical Valentine’s dinner costing £47, making it officially the best‑value date night in the country.
Nottingham, Leicester and Wolverhampton all tied for second place at £50, while Preston ranked third at £52.50. Bradford and Sheffield followed at £56, with Birmingham, Sunderland, Coventry, Leeds, Southend‑on‑Sea and Derby all tied in fifth place at £60.
A spokesperson for Aqua said the findings show “big differences in the cost of dining out across the UK”, with Swansea offering the strongest value for couples looking to celebrate without blowing the budget.
At the other end of the table, London, Edinburgh and Bristol were named the most expensive cities for a Valentine’s meal, each averaging £80. Newcastle came next at £75, while Manchester, Liverpool, Belfast, Ipswich and Hull all tied for third place at £70.
Cardiff also appeared in the higher‑cost bracket, grouped with Glasgow, Milton Keynes, Southampton and Aberdeen at £65 — meaning couples in the capital might want to consider a short trip up the M4 if they fancy stretching their date‑night budget a little further.
The study also looked at food trends, finding London to be the UK’s most talked‑about food city on social media, with more than 220,000 posts under #londonfood. Glasgow ranked second, while Leeds was named the best foodie city outside the capital thanks to its high number of restaurants per person.
But for couples planning a romantic night out this Valentine’s Day, Swansea tops the national table for affordability — and it’s not even close.
