Table for two

With Deutsche Bank’s report declaring Delhi one of the cheapest cities to date, we explore how romantic the city can actually turn out to be for people from different walks of life.

Sports management professional, Ravi Pandit has had dating experiences in different parts of the world including India and he shares, “Dating in India is very cost-effective. I have only dated in Delhi and Bangalore, in India, and it was definitely cheaper compared to other places in the world.” Well, Deutsche Bank couldn’t agree more. The bank’s special report “Mapping the World’s Prices 2017”, states that Delhi and Bangalore happen to be the cheapest places in the world to date. The bank surveyed 47 places in the world before coming out with the top positions.

A date in Delhi including cab rides, dinner at a restaurant, movie tickets and a couple of beers should cost one around $40, further, reads the report.

“I am in Delhi now and I can say it is cheaper than Bangalore as well. It is definitely a good news for singles here. If your partner doesn’t live with you, then you have to meet at a place... and that costs money. But it’s always good to know that if you are in the capital, it won’t burn a hole in your pocket,” says Ravi.

Relationship counsellor, Nisha Khanna agrees: “It is definitely a good news for Delhi-ites. When we ask people about what makes them happy, a lot of them say exploring new places and travelling. When one is in a relationship one wants to meet his/her partner frequently.  And if that (exploration) happens at a pocket-friendly budget, it is a cherry on the cake. A nice ambience enhances communication which in turn enhances the relationship; that is why this is a great thing for people who are dating. If you can afford to go to many such places, it will definitely help your relationship.”

Nisha Khanna, Relationship counsellor

However, a few are questioning about why the survey has a specific idea of a date? “Deutsche bank’s idea of dating is clearly about a very specific class of people — the upper middle class. It is as if there exists no romance in the lives of people who do not go out to restaurants, grab a few drinks, catch the latest movie and get a cab back home,”  says Ananya, a student activist from Delhi University.

She goes on, “All sounds so comfortable. I also date but can’t afford all that expensive stuff, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have a dating life. One can enjoy a date even in a museum, with maybe a cheap roadside snack. And today in the world of technology when the concept of dating is changing with pace, people indulge in online dates too. That’s inexpensive as well. People without any access to internet or privilege also have a romantic life. Maybe Deutsche bank needs to stop being so bourgeoisie.”

IT professional Akshit seconds her thought, “I am unable to compare the cost of dating with other cities but I certainly don’t find it cheap. My budget for two people in a decent place, like a restaurant or a bar, goes up to a minimum of `3,500-`4,500  always. If Deutsche bank finds it so cheap why don’t they have a dating event here in Delhi and sponsor some of us?” he quips.

On the positive side, Manan Rathore, co-founder of Myolo, a dating and meeting app, believes that dating in Delhi is not just confined to restaurants and movies. “It is an awesome fact to know that Delhi is one of the cheapest places to date as there happen to be so many students who come to Delhi from all over the country. They have a number of options to go to and so many places to chill, a variety of events to attend at different places in the city, so it’s all good. When we host events ourselves, we price the tickets within a range of Rs 200 to Rs 2,000, which points towards the variety. Also, people don’t want to go to the same places again and again. When we conduct events in private spaces, more people turn up as they don’t know what expect,” says Manan.

He agrees that the younger population does like coming to free events for dates as well as hanging out. “It depends on the theme of the event too but Delhi always has something to offer to everyone,” he adds