On average, Americans are paying about $9.11 for a movie ticket, according to data by the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO). And that doesn’t include the cost of popcorn and a pack of candy.
Finding the cheapest cities for movies
Since the cost of a date night varies widely from state to state, we’ve tallied up the average prices for a movie ticket in the most affordable cities. We took the cost of living data and ranked 256 cities on affordability for movie ticket prices with 1 being the most affordable and 256 being the most expensive.
That way, you can live in a city where you can have a guilt-free trip to the concession stand, or better yet, dinner afterward. Check out these affordable cities (predominantly in the Midwest), where the price for a movie date is far below $9 a ticket.
10. Ponca City, OK
If you’re considering a home in the southwest, Ponca City has some of the lowest movie ticket prices in the country at $7.19. That means you can hit up the local AMC Classic movie theater for the latest blockbuster, get an ICEE and still have some money left to visit local favorite, Enrique’s Mexican Restaurant.
If you’re out for a day-date, there are plenty of museums and festivals during the summer in Ponca City.
9. Pryor Creek, OK
Next up on our list is Pryor Creek. This city has movie tickets for an average of $7.17, but you can catch a matinee at the Allred Theater for $6.50. After you watch the latest film release in this quaint theater, you can then head over to craft brew hot spot, Fat Toad Brewery.
If it’s summertime, be sure to attend the Rocklahoma music festival. In the wintertime, you can hop aboard the Christmas Train at Dry Gulch for some festive fun.
The average price for a one-bedroom apartment in Pryor Creek is $753 a month.
8. Danville, IL
Danville, a former coal-mining town, is south of Chicago. The city is a recreation destination with more than 20 parks and 15,000 acres of public parkland.
When Danville residents aren’t fishing and boating on the local lakes created from former coal mining pits, they can enjoy a movie at the local AMC Classic for only $6.99.
7. Vero Beach-Indian River, FL
When local residents need a break from the heat on humid summer nights, there are several great movie theater options in Vero Beach for a movie date. Moviegoers can get a ticket for an average price of $6.99 at one of many local theaters, including Majestic 11, Cinemaworld or one of the AMCs.
For those perfect summer days, Vero Beach is known for its three main public beaches along Florida’s Treasure Coast. In addition to the 26 miles of oceanfront shore and trails, there’s also Disney’s Vero Beach Resort and the Historic Dodgertown.
The average one-bedroom rental in Vero Beach is only $649 a month.
6. Enid, OK
The third city in Oklahoma on our list is Enid, also known as the “Wheat Capital” of the United States and is located on the eastern edge of the Great Plains. It has the third-largest storage capacity for grains in the world.
When Enid residents are not attending the Tri-State Music Festival or Shakespeare in the Park by the Gaslight Theatre troupe, they can opt for a movie date at the Oakwood Mall AMC. Ticket prices are only $6.59. And with an average one-bedroom renting for $443 a month, there’s plenty of money left over for popcorn.
5. Salina, KS
Next up is another wheat-related haven. Salina is nestled between the Saline and Smoky Hill Rivers. It’s one of the largest wheat producers in the world. And, there are many fun ways to spend a date in Salina — from art festivals and street fairs to parades, expos and trade shows.
Residents can also hike Indian Rock or visit the Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure. For movie night, they can catch an inexpensive flick for $6.51.
4. Thomasville-Lexington, NC
Thomasville is so well known for its furniture-making history, there’s a landmark to honor it. “The Big Chair” is aptly named and located in the heart of Thomasville, where 2,000 chairs were made daily in the early 1900s.
Though the Thomasville Furniture Industries is now closed, its history remains a source of pride for locals. Movie tickets are only $6 and the average one-bedroom rental is $560 a month in “Chair City.”
3. Richmond, IN
Our next two most affordable cities for a movie date are both in Indiana. The first is Richmond, which is home to four colleges. With movie tickets priced at $5.99, it’s perfect for local college students who need an inexpensive date night between exams.
After the movie, Richmond residents can take a stroll in one of the city’s five historic districts to appreciate the architecture or dine at a local restaurant.
2. Kokomo, IN
Though this is the second city from Indiana on our list, Kokomo is known as the “City of Firsts.” Kokomo is home to several engineering and technical innovations in the auto industry, which is a large part of the city’s economy.
Though the city struggled economically in the past, a revival of the auto industry and local manufacturing has helped increase jobs. The cost of living and entertainment remains low, with affordable movie dates at $5.99 a ticket and the average one-bedroom apartment renting for $754 a month.
1. Pittsburg, KS
The most inexpensive city for a movie date is Pittsburg. Though the average ticket price for a movie in the U.S. hasn’t been close to $5.69 since 2001, according to the NATO, this city has kept the cost low.
Once a coal-mining town, Pittsburg now relies on industry, education and government-related employment. The city is in the Ozark Highlands and boasts a three-day community festival called Little Balkan Days.
Matinee prices? The remaining top 40
Outside the Midwest and Southwest are many more affordable cities where you can have an inexpensive movie date. Discover which cities have the best prices for movie dates.
Is your city on the list? Chances are, if you live in an area with a lower cost of living, movie tickets may be more reasonable, too.
| Rank | City/County State | Movie Ticket Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pittsburg KS | $5.69 |
| 2 | Kokomo IN | $5.99 |
| 3 | Richmond IN | $5.99 |
| 4 | Thomasville-Lexington NC | $6.00 |
| 5 | Salina KS | $6.51 |
| 6 | Enid OK | $6.59 |
| 7 | Vero Beach-Indian River FL | $6.99 |
| 8 | Danville IL | $6.99 |
| 9 | Pryor Creek OK | $7.17 |
| 10 | Ponca City OK | $7.19 |
| 11 | Benton Harbor MI | $7.50 |
| 12 | Seguin TX | $7.50 |
| 13 | South Bend IN | $7.87 |
| 14 | Corpus Christi TX | $7.97 |
| 15 | Phoenix AZ | $8.00 |
| 16 | Martinsville-Henry County VA | $8.00 |
| 17 | Lexington-Buena Vista-Rockbridge VA | $8.00 |
| 18 | Charleston-N Charleston SC | $8.06 |
| 19 | Dubuque IA | $8.23 |
| 20 | Eau Claire WI | $8.25 |
| 21 | Lake Charles LA | $8.38 |
| 22 | Waco TX | $8.44 |
| 23 | Grand Forks ND | $8.47 |
| 24 | Hastings NE | $8.50 |
| 25 | San Marcos TX | $8.50 |
| 26 | Fond du Lac WI | $8.50 |
| 27 | Longview TX | $8.54 |
| 28 | Ames IA | $8.63 |
| 29 | Montgomery AL | $8.64 |
| 30 | Texarkana TX-AR | $8.65 |
| 31 | Des Moines IA | $8.75 |
| 32 | Pierre SD | $8.75 |
| 33 | Temple TX | $8.75 |
| 34 | Kalamazoo MI | $8.80 |
| 35 | Wichita KS | $8.84 |
| 36 | Evansville IN | $8.93 |
| 37 | Beaumont TX | $8.96 |
| 38 | Hampton Roads-SE Virginia VA | $8.98 |
| 39 | Burlington IA | $9.00 |
| 40 | Cedar City UT | $9.00 |
| 41 | Marshfield WI | $9.00 |
| 42 | Mankato MN | $9.08 |
| 43 | Joplin MO | $9.10 |
| 44 | Ashland OH | $9.13 |
| 45 | Yuma AZ | $9.25 |
| 46 | Twin Falls ID | $9.25 |
| 47 | Elkhart-Goshen IN | $9.25 |
| 48 | St. Cloud MN | $9.25 |
| 49 | Jefferson City MO | $9.33 |
| 50 | Abilene TX | $9.33 |
Prime feature: Top 10 most expensive movie dates
It probably comes as no surprise that some of the most expensive cities to reside are also the most expensive places to see a movie. New York has the highest price for a movie date at $16.32 per movie ticket, and coming in second is the home of filmmaking Los Angeles ($15.95). Close runners up are three other cities with star power: Chicago ($14.86), Atlanta ($14.62) and San Francisco ($14.53).
| Rank | City/County State | Movie Ticket Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York (Manhattan) NY | $16.32 |
| 2 | Los Angeles-Long Beach CA | $15.95 |
| 3 | Chicago IL | $14.86 |
| 4 | Atlanta GA | $14.62 |
| 5 | San Francisco CA | $14.53 |
| 6 | Boston MA | $14.49 |
| 7 | Seattle WA | $14.42 |
| 8 | Orange County CA | $14.19 |
| 9 | San Diego CA | $14.02 |
| 10 | Lynchburg VA | $13.76 |
Methodology
Average prices for movies come from the Council for Community and Economic Research‘s Q1 2019 Cost of Living report. The C2ER defines movies as a first-run, indoor, evening showing with no discount.
We ranked each city in the C2ER report in terms of affordability for movies, with the cheapest being 1 and the most expensive as 256. The cities with the lowest average price were determined to be the most affordable.
The rent information included in this article is based on August 2019 multifamily rental property inventory on Apartment Guide and Rent. and is used for illustrative purposes only. Cities without rental prices indicate insufficient rental data in our inventory. The data contained herein do not constitute financial advice or a pricing guarantee for any apartment.
