Travel costs forcing long-distance couples to move in together earlier

Long-distance couples spend a combined average of nearly $7,000 ($6,888) on travel to see each other over the course of their relationship, according to new data.

In a recent online survey of 761 couples who plan to move in together in the next few years, which was conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Mayflower (http://mayflower.com/research/long-distance-couples-moving-in-together-2026), almost half of those polled (48%) were currently in long-distance relationships.

According to the data, while romance is naturally part of moving in together, the rising cost of travel is playing a major role in couples’ housing decisions.

In the study, nearly three-quarters of long-distance respondents (74%) admitted that the cost of travel to see their partner influenced their choice to move in together — a pattern researchers are calling the Long-Distance Tipping Point.

These findings highlight the emotional, interpersonal and financial challenges of long-distance dating, as well as couples’ nuanced motivations for moving in together in the coming years in an increasingly challenging financial climate.

One respondent summed this up well by saying their greatest difficulties in a long-distance relationship have been “high travel costs, missing physical proximity and feeling disconnected from daily life.”

In the survey, the average long-distance dater also said that three months would pass between visits to see their partner, making connections and quality time challenging.

Knowing that, it comes as no surprise that moving in together comes up quickly when dating, with the average couple reporting they brought this topic up 10 months into dating, regardless of how far they live from their partner.

Looking at moving motivations more broadly, there are a range of reasons couples are combining households in the coming years, with love and romance (68%) naturally topping the list.

Other top motivators include wanting to try out living together before thinking about getting married (36%), lowering household costs and combining their cost of living (31%), the rising cost of travel (25%) and wanting to live in a locale that better matches their shared interests (23%).

Some who plan to move in with their partner in the near future aren’t exactly sure where they’ll live quite yet, but, for those who do, most (60%) diplomatically talked about the pros and cons of each party moving and made the decision that way.

And an adventurous 6% actually flipped a coin to decide who’d move where.

“Our research shows that for many couples, the decision to move in together isn’t just about romance; it is also a practical response to the rising cost and strain of maintaining a long-distance relationship,” said Eily Cummings, vice president of communications at Mayflower. “When couples are spending thousands just to stay connected, combining households becomes both an emotional milestone and a smart financial step forward. At Mayflower, we’re seeing more couples take that next step sooner, and they’re looking for a partner they can trust to guide them through every stage of the move.”

The survey looked to uncover how couples planning to move in together in the near future are making this major transition logistically.

According to results, many will have friends and family pitch in and help (42%) and some (23%) will pack everything themselves, but hire movers to load and unload.

Nearly a fifth (19%) plan to fully outsource the job to a full-service moving company, with long-distance couples (22%) naturally being most likely to go this route.

One in three survey takers (32%) admitted that they’ve experienced a “moving mental breakdown” in the past because the process was so overwhelming. Out of all generations, Gen Z (39%) were the most likely to report previously experiencing this.

But despite anxiety being a commonly reported emotion around moving (31%), the results showed that people see the positives more than the negatives: 85% say moving excites them, with 63% saying it gives them hope.

“Our survey makes it clear that moving is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming, especially for couples taking a big step together,” Cummings said. “That’s why many are turning to full-service movers to reduce stress and stay focused on what matters most: starting their life together. As one of America’s most trusted movers, we’re committed to supporting customers every step of the way, bringing experience, care and reliability to one of life’s biggest moments.”

LONG-DISTANCE COUPLES KEY STATS

• Long-distance couples spend a combined average of nearly $7,000 ($6,888) on travel to see each other over the course of their relationship.
• ​​Long-distance daters said that three months would pass, on average, between visits to see their partner, making connection and quality time challenging.
• Three-quarters (74%) admitted that the ever-increasing cost of travel to see their partner influenced their choice to move in with their significant other in the next few years

TOP  REASONS COUPLES ARE MOVING IN TOGETHER

1. To test out how living together feels, before we think about/plan to get married (36%)
2. To lower household costs, and combine our cost of living (31%)
3. Traveling to see each other has become so expensive (25%)
4. To live in a city that better matches our shared interests (23%)
5. To be close to family (either mine or theirs) (20%)
6. To save to buy a home (19%)
7. To save money for a wedding (14%)
8. Relocation for a new job (either mine or theirs) (10%)
9. To pay down debt (either mine or theirs) faster (9%)