23 Most Affordable US Cities for Romantic Getaways
- - 23 Most Affordable US Cities for Romantic Getaways
Heather TaylorFebruary 9, 2026 at 7:03 AM
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nd3000 / Shutterstock.com
Looking to book a romantic getaway that won’t break the bank this Valentine’s Day? According to a new study from GOBankingRates, there are 23 cities across the United States where the total cost of a three-day weekend spent with your sweetheart costs less than $2,000.
GOBankingRates found the best cities for a romantic getaway by sourcing the nation’s most romantic destinations via a variety of media outlets, including Brides.com and Travel + Leisure. We used the dates of Feb. 12-15 to estimate the cost for a couples getaway. The total long weekend cost factored in the average cost for food and drinks (including inexpensive and mid-range meals), airfare (doubled to find the cost for a couple) and a hotel (identified by finding the cheapest three hotels within five miles of the city’s downtown area and multiplied by three for the average cost of a three-night stay).
Jonathan Ross / Getty Images/iStockphotoKey Findings -
Nashville, Tennessee; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Savannah, Georgia, are the nation’s three cheapest cities for romantic getaways. Each city’s total long weekend costs are under $1,500. Nashville is the most affordable at $1,398.
Four California cities made this list: San Diego (#10 at $1,661), Palm Springs (#17 at $1,820), Napa (#20 at $1,865) and San Francisco (#21 at $1,873).
New Mexico surprised with three cities receiving mentions. Joining Albuquerque are Santa Fe (#11) and Taos (#18).
Southampton, New York, boasts the cheapest airfare for two. The total cost is $528, or $264 each.
The East Coast emerged as the top region for affordable romantic getaways. Nine cities are featured in the ranking.
From coast to coast, here are the most affordable cities for romantic getaways. Plus, find out whether you can afford to live in the best cities for single retirees.
Learn More: GOBankingRates Original Research Center
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Vito Palmisano / Getty Images/iStockphoto1. Nashville, Tennessee -
Total cost of all meals: $417
Total cost of hotel: $194
Total cost of airfare: $728
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,398
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Starcevic / Getty Images2. Albuquerque, New Mexico -
Total cost of all meals: $426
Total cost of hotel: $137
Total cost of airfare: $826
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,441
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Pgiam / iStock.com3. Savannah, Georgia -
Total cost of all meals: $473
Total cost of hotel: $170
Total cost of airfare: $791
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,491
Jonathan Ross / Getty Images/iStockphoto4. Austin, Texas -
Total cost of all meals: $480
Total cost of hotel: $198
Total cost of airfare: $787
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,522
coobrien / Getty Images/iStockphoto5. Southampton, New York -
Total cost of all meals: $564
Total cost of hotel: $375
Total cost of airfare: $528
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,530
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xavierarnau / Getty Images6. Chicago -
Total cost of all meals: $540
Total cost of hotel: $326
Total cost of airfare: $622
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,549
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto7. Newport, Rhode Island -
Total cost of all meals: $564
Total cost of hotel: $263
Total cost of airfare: $666
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,555
sgtphoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto8. Moab, Utah -
Total cost of all meals: $458
Total cost of hotel: $159
Total cost of airfare: $913
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,590
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Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto9. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina -
Total cost of all meals: $420
Total cost of hotel: $275
Total cost of airfare: $843
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,592
Art Wager / Getty Images10. San Diego -
Total cost of all meals: $600
Total cost of hotel: $243
Total cost of airfare: $752
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,661
Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto11. Santa Fe, New Mexico -
Total cost of all meals: $422
Total cost of hotel: $158
Total cost of airfare: $1,082
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,714
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traveler1116 / Getty Images/iStockphoto12. St. Augustine, Florida -
Total cost of all meals: $465
Total cost of hotel: $396
Total cost of airfare: $821
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,726
Pgiam / Getty Images13. Washington, D.C. -
Total cost of all meals: $660
Total cost of hotel: $277
Total cost of airfare: $749
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,754
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto14. Boston -
Total cost of all meals: $660
Total cost of hotel: $276
Total cost of airfare: $754
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,756
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RomanKhomlyak / Getty Images/iStockphoto15. Seattle -
Total cost of all meals: $615
Total cost of hotel: $297
Total cost of airfare: $801
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,772
stu99 / Getty Images16. Williamsburg, Virginia -
Total cost of all meals: $495
Total cost of hotel: $143
Total cost of airfare: $1,112
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,805
miroslav_1 / Getty Images17. Palm Springs, California -
Total cost of all meals: $585
Total cost of hotel: $339
Total cost of airfare: $846
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,820
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Judd Brotman / Getty Images18. Taos, New Mexico -
Total cost of all meals: $426
Total cost of hotel: $298
Total cost of airfare: $1,082
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,849
traveler1116 / Getty Images19. Charleston, South Carolina -
Total cost of all meals: $750
Total cost of hotel: $343
Total cost of airfare: $713
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,865
Spondylolithesis / iStock.com20. Napa, California -
Total cost of all meals: $473
Total cost of hotel: $699
Total cost of airfare: $628
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,865
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bluejayphoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto21. San Francisco -
Total cost of all meals: $735
Total cost of hotel: $180
Total cost of airfare: $890
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,873
anouchka / Getty Images/iStockphoto22. Honolulu -
Total cost of all meals: $654
Total cost of hotel: $353
Total cost of airfare: $780
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,874
Ingus Kruklitis / Getty Images/iStockphoto23. New York City -
Total cost of all meals: $720
Total cost of hotel: $256
Total cost of airfare: $863
Total romantic getaway cost: $1,905
Discover more original studies and surveys in the GOBankingRates original research center.
Methodology: GOBankingRates sourced the most romantic U.S. destinations from LeisurelyLinds.com, Brides.com, Cosmopolitan and Travel + Leisure. Using the dates of Feb. 12-15, the cost for a three-day and three-night vacation for couples was estimated. Using Hotels.com, the cheapest three hotels within five miles of the city’s downtown area were identified and averaged, then multiplied by three to find the average cost for three nights. The average airfare cost was sourced from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ average airfare cost for Q2 of 2025. The airfare was doubled to find the cost for a couple. The average costs for goods was sourced from Numbeo’s cost of living. For this three-day vacation, the couple eats inexpensive meals for breakfast and lunch, mid-range meals for dinner, drinks two domestic beers a day and drinks two sodas a day. The average cost for food and drinks, airfare and a hotel was summed to show the total cost of a vacation in each romantic getaway. The locations were sorted to show the most affordable places first. All data was collected on Jan. 27, 2026.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 23 Most Affordable US Cities for Romantic Getaways
Source: “AOL Money”
