Average Cost of Entertainment per Month (2021–2023)
Being entertained is one of the main reasons people all over the world flock to the internet—especially social media. Products related to entertainment also currently rank among the top digital expenses of Gen Z shoppers and millennials.
But how much do Americans actually spend on entertainment? Here’s a look at the average entertainment costs in recent years.
Average entertainment costs: table
|
Year |
Average annual entertainment costs (total) |
Annual change |
|
2021 |
$3,568 |
|
|
2022 |
$3,458 |
-3.1% |
|
2023 |
$3,635 |
+5.1% |
Average entertainment cost per month: 2021–2023
So, how much does entertainment cost American families?
According to the latest consumer expenditure data released by the United States Department of Labor, average entertainment costs registered at $3,635 per household in 2023. Breaking this down, it means that the average cost of entertainment per month was $302.92.
This represents a 5.1% increase from the previous year and a slightly slower growth rate compared to the 5.9% increase in annual expenditures.
A closer breakdown of average entertainment costs reveals that much of this annual increase is attributed to rising expenditure on fees and admissions and pets, toys, hobbies, and playground equipment. Expenditure on these items surged by 14.2% and 16.4% year over year, respectively.
Spending on other entertainment products that do not fall in either of the two above-mentioned subcategories fell by 6.4%.
The rise in US consumers’ overall average entertainment expenses in 2023 follows a 3.1% decrease in 2022. That year, people spent $3,458 on entertainment, with the average cost of entertainment per month for one person rounding to $288.17. In 2021, this figure was higher, at $3,568—or $297.33 per month.
Average entertainment cost per month: breakdown by type
|
Average annual cost |
Average monthly cost |
Annual change |
|
|
Fees and admissions |
$951 |
$79.25 |
+14.2% |
|
Pets, toys, hobbies, and playground equipment |
$1,057 |
$88.08 |
+16.4% |
|
Other entertainment supplies, equipment, and services |
$653 |
$54.42 |
-6.4% |
In 2023, the average American consumer spent $1,057 on entertainment items related to pets, toys, hobbies, and playground equipment. This equates to around $88.08 per month.
Here’s a breakdown of the average cost of entertainment per month by subcategories:
- Fees and admissions: $951 total ($79.25 per month)
- Other entertainment supplies, equipment, and services: $653 total ($54.42 per month)
Average entertainment expenditure share by household size
|
Family composition |
Share of entertainment of total expenditure |
|
Married couple only |
5.0% |
|
Married couple with children |
4.9% |
|
Other married couple consumer units |
4.1% |
|
One parent, at least one child under 18 |
3.8% |
|
Single person and other consumer units |
4.5% |
|
All consumer units |
4.7% |
The average US household spent 4.7% of its total 2023 expenses on entertainment. This share varies according to household composition. A household consisting of only a married couple spent 5% on entertainment, while families with a married couple and children spent 4.9%. Households with one parent and at least one child under 18 spent 3.8% of their expenditure on entertainment in 2023.