It's hard out here for a single person.

Dating website Zoosk this week looked at data from 600,000 of its members in honor of Tax Day (that's today — your taxes are due!). It found that the average cost of a date in Los Angeles is $148.22. 
 
That includes an estimated $25 for movie tickets, $26 for two drinks at a “downtown club,” $9.22 for two cappuccinos and $88 for dinner, including wine, at an Italian restaurant.

Of course, they left out the Uber rides, popcorn, a shopping trip to Hustler Hollywood, that after-hours karaoke place, bacon-wrapped hot dogs, and 420 — staples of Los Angeles courtship.

That's still a lot of cash. Makes you want to get married, doesn't it? New York clocked in at $173.88 for a date. A Chicago single would pay $160.82, Zoosk says.

Guess it could be worse.

But if you plan right, maybe things will go your way. Zoosk says its numbers crunchers found that Los Angeles daters are six times more likely to get a date response than those in other American cities examined if they mention the magic word: “drinks” than those who don't mention it.

Credit: Expatistan

Credit: Expatistan

Those cities, by the way, are L.A., New York, Chicago, Denver, Indianapolis, Dallas and Boston.

Prospective Angeleno daters were also five times more to get a yes to a date proposal if they mention “movies,” the site says. This is an industry town.

Interestingly, coffee dates are mentioned the least by L.A. singles, Zoosk found. Beach dates are mentioned the most by Angelenos.

And remember, lovers, the beach is free. Except for parking.

Send feedback and tips to the author. Follow Dennis Romero on Twitter at @dennisjromero. Follow L.A. Weekly News on Twitter at @laweeklynews.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.