Here's How Much Your Next Bach Party Could Cost You

If you've been tasked with planning a bach party, you may be daunted by all the options—and the potential cost. Between travel and accommodations, the swag, the drinks and more, the expenses can add up. According to a new study, 37% of attendees of both bachelor and bachelorette parties spend over $1,000 on the event, with 39% of male attendees and 34% of female attendees spending in the four digits. And with costs rising across all areas of the economy due to inflation (the U.S. Travel Association shows lodging and flights have each increased by 15% since 2019), it should come as no surprise that bach parties are costing more, too. The good news is that you don't have to spend a ton to slay the bach party game—in fact, there are lots of budget-friendly ways to celebrate (we'll get to that in a minute). .

The study—which surveyed roughly 500 respondents who attended, or plan to attend, a party between in 2023—also revealed that the average length of a bach party has returned to its pre-pandemic norm. In 2019, the average bach party lasted two days, but that increased briefly post-pandemic in 2021 to three days, as people were eager to travel and celebrate and had more work flexibility. This year, however, the average length of a bach party is back to two days. That's not to say that longer bach parties don't occur—17% of bachelor parties and 15% of bachelorettes last four days or more. As you can imagine, the longer the event, the more expensive it can be. So exactly how much does a bach party cost? Read on to find out.

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In this article:

• How Bach Party Spending Has Changed
• How Much Bachelorette Parties Cost
• How Much Bachelor Parties Cost
• How to Determine Your Bach Party Budget
• Ways to Save on Your Bach Party

How Bach Party Spending Has Changed

No, you're not imagining it: The cost of a bach party has increased over the past few years. According to our new study, the average cost of a bach party is $1,400, which is a $500 increase since 2019. On average, 64% of attendees spend more than $400 on a bach party, and when the bash takes place in a pricier location (aka a major metropolitan city) that number goes up to 82%. And 29% of celebrants are actually spending $2,000 (or more) to party in a major metro city! This cost does vary widely by location, necessary travel and length of time—we'll break it all down for you a little later.

Yes, this may sound like a lot of money, but here's the thing—attendees say that the expense is worth it. Our data shows that 4 in 5 bach party attendees are excited to attend the celebration, particularly because they're eager to connect with friends. And they're willing to shell out to create a personalized and curated experience, with nearly half of bachelorette parties purchasing favors and customized swag for an Insta-worthy event.

The average bach celebration lasts for two days, and about one-fifth of attendees are flying to the party destination, similar to what we saw in 2019. We're also seeing home rentals grow in popularity for bach parties, which can be a great way to save on lodging (we also found that affordability was the top priority for those looking for bach party lodging). With so many booking options available these days—from Vrbo to Plum Guide and Welcome Beyond, staying together in a rental house is particularly appealing to many. It's worth noting that hotels are the most popular lodging option with 40% of bach attendees staying in one.

How Much Bachelorette Parties Cost

What's the average cost of a bachelorette party per person? Well, it depends. Our study from 2023 found that the average cost of a bachelorette party is $1,300, which is a $600 increase since 2019. It's important to note that the majority of bachelorette-goers spend less than $1,000 on attending—but 1 in 10 spend over $3,000. As we dig into the data, one thing becomes clear: There are a lot of factors at play here, the biggest being the length and location of the bachelorette celebration.

According to our study, those who are partying for between one and two days spend an average of $1,135, while those celebrating for three or four days spend $1,630. Clearly, the more time you're spending at the bach party, the more you're shelling out on lodging, food, activities and other incidentals.

And if you're traveling a long distance to the bachelorette party destination, you can expect to spend even more. The study showed that those who traveled to the bachelorette party location by plane spent an average of $2,000, while those who traveled by personal car spent $900. And past studies have shown that those who party in a major metropolitan area tend to spend money, which totally tracks—cities are expensive

Of course, you can spend whatever you want and still have a good time. If you're looking to cut costs, check out this awesome guide to bachelorette parties on a budget. And remember, nothing says you have to extend the celebration beyond a single day. These one-night bachelorette party ideas are all excellent options. Because Vegas is great, but it's not for everyone.

How Much Bachelor Parties Cost

How does the average bachelor party cost per person compare to the average cost of a bachelorette party? Well, bachelor parties tend to cost more than bachelorettes for a few reasons. Bachelor party attendees are more likely to travel to expensive cities like Las Vegas, Los Angeles and NYC, and they're slightly more inclined to stay in hotels, rather than more affordable house or apartment rentals. According to our study, bachelor party attendees spend $1,500, which is a $440 increase since 2019. And 15% of groom's crews go all out, spending over $3,000 on the celebration. Similar to bachelorette parties, there are numerous variables that affect the cost of a bachelor party—length and location being the biggest.

Bachelor parties lasting one to two days cost an average of $1,300 per person, while those that are three to four days cost $1,650 per person. And bachelor parties that require a flight cost an average of $2,000 per attendee, while those where guests can drive to the location average out at $1,000 per guest.

If you're throwing a bachelor party and you're wondering how to fit it into your (and everybody's) budget, check out these bachelor party planning tips.

How to Determine Your Bach Party Budget

Setting a bach party budget before starting the planning process is crucial. And with so many stakeholders involved (the average bach party has 10 attendees), it can be a little complicated to get everyone on the same page. To start off, designate someone as the bach party planner, or "keeper of the budget". Then, it's time to decide whether a destination or local bach party works better for your crew's style and budget (you can even show everyone this article for a sense of how much things cost, hint hint!). You can also do some digging yourself to figure out pricing for travel and accommodations for a chosen destination, or what it might cost to rent a house nearby. All attendees should share what they're comfortable spending, and the guest of honor should also have a say, even if the wedding party is doing most of the planning.

Once you've priced out the biggest expenses, start to think about things like meals, activities, swag, decorations and more. What's most important to you and your crew—going to a cool location or creating a super-curated themed experience (or are you willing to shell out for both)?

Ways to Save on Your Bach Party

As you can tell, there are two pretty straightforward ways to save on a bach party—cutting the length of the event and choosing a destination closer to home. If the crew wants to travel, be sure to check out sites like TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Expedia and Hotels.com for deals and travel tips. And see if you can get a good group rate at a hotel—check out HotelPlanner for more info. As for party supplies? While there's no need to buy a bunch of novelty attire you'll only wear once, The Knot Shop sells tons of fun accessories at budget-friendly prices.

At the end of the day, as cheesy as it sounds, it's about the memories—not what you spend. Besides, even the coolest party can give you a menty b if the price (on top of everything else the wedding party is already paying for) feels like a burden.