The monthly cost of relationships: is paying for sex cheaper?
Erotic massages at €150-200 a month versus the expenses of a formal relationship: which works out cheaper? Data and analysis of a debate questioning the real cost of…
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The monthly cost of relationships: is paying for sens cheaper?
One figure stands out in the analysis of the monthly expenses shouldered by single men: between 150 and 200 euros a month on erotic massages. A sum that, depending on who is making the case, works out cheaper than maintaining a formal relationship. The implicit calculation compares that outlay with the dinners, gifts and trips a steady partner demands, adding the opportunity cost of having to row both financially and emotionally.
The comparison is no accident. Those who opt for paid services argue that they avoid the grind of a dating market where luck is the decisive factor. It is claimed that 80% of success in dating comes down to chance, a percentage some raise to 99%. Faced with that uncertainty, paying for a simulation of female attention seems an affordable cost.
On the other hand, marriage or cohabitation is presented as a different kind of expense: the married user claims his partner "costs him nothing", though he admits shared hobbies can be expensive. The key lies in sharing: while the single man pays for a direct service, in shared life the costs are diluted and negotiated.
The paradox is served: is it cheaper to pay for occasional encounters than to maintain a stable relationship? Everyone runs their own numbers, but the debate makes clear that the emotional and financial cost do not always go hand in hand.
One figure stands out in the analysis of the monthly expenses shouldered by single men: between 150 and 200 euros a month on erotic massages. A sum that, depending on who is making the case, works out cheaper than maintaining a formal relationship. The implicit calculation compares that outlay with the dinners, gifts and trips a steady partner demands, adding the opportunity cost of having to row both financially and emotionally.
The comparison is no accident. Those who opt for paid services argue that they avoid the grind of a dating market where luck is the decisive factor. It is claimed that 80% of success in dating comes down to chance, a percentage some raise to 99%. Faced with that uncertainty, paying for a simulation of female attention seems an affordable cost.
On the other hand, marriage or cohabitation is presented as a different kind of expense: the married user claims his partner "costs him nothing", though he admits shared hobbies can be expensive. The key lies in sharing: while the single man pays for a direct service, in shared life the costs are diluted and negotiated.
The paradox is served: is it cheaper to pay for occasional encounters than to maintain a stable relationship? Everyone runs their own numbers, but the debate makes clear that the emotional and financial cost do not always go hand in hand.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (60 replies).
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