This is How Much Brits Expect an Engagement Ring to Cost in 2025
The latest National Wedding Survey from wedding planning website Hitched.co.uk reveals that December is the most popular month for Brits to propose, as almost a third (32%) of those married last year say they got engaged between Oct and Dec, with the majority (16%) choosing December as the time to pop the question to their partner. As couples begin to plan their December proposals, we teamed up with the wedding experts at Hitched to break down the average cost of an engagement ring in the UK and dispel the old-fashioned tradition of saving three months’ worth of salary in order to buy the perfect ring.
The Average Cost of an Engagement Ring in 2025
In a recent poll of Hitched’s Instagram followers it was found that the majority of respondents (41%) spent less than £2,000 on their engagement rings, with less than a quarter spending up to £3,000 or over £4,000, and only 14% spending between £3,000 – £4, 000 on their ring. What’s more, despite the long-held expectation that an engagement ring should cost the equivalent of three months’ salary – around £8,600 here in the UK – only 15% of respondents said they had expected their partner to spend more than £4,000 on a ring. Instead, the majority (54%) of people polled had anticipated that their partner would spend no more than £2,000 on their engagement ring – less than the equivalent of just one month’s salary in the UK (approx. £2,888 after tax^).
| Approximate cost of engagement ring | How much was spent on your engagement ring? | How much did you expect your ring to cost? |
| Under £2,000 | 41% | 54% |
| £2,001 – £3,000 | 22% | 20% |
| £3,001 – £4,000 | 14% | 11% |
| Over £4,000 | 23% | 15% |
Zoe Burke, leading wedding expert and editor of Hitched.co.uk says the myth that engagement rings should cost a certain amount to be “forever” is well and truly an outdated marketing ploy.
“The idea that engagement rings need to cost an arm and a leg is nothing more than an incredibly well executed marketing campaign from the late 40s when DeBeers the jeweller needed to sell more diamonds after the Great Depression.
“The brand’s ‘A diamond is forever’ campaign certainly changed the rules of engagement, as before then it was highly unusual to propose with a diamond ring. According to Campaign, in 1940 only 10% of first-time brides were given diamond engagement rings, and by 1990 that number had soared to 80%.
“Not only did it cause a surge in diamond ring sales, it additionally launched the expectation that a diamond ring should cost the equivalent of two months’ salary because all their ads had the slogan: ‘How else could two months’ salary last forever?’
“This was followed by additional ads that later led to the extravagant three-months figure we’ve all heard of, and that’s all it took to set the sort of benchmark that engagement rings should be mega expensive diamonds.
“Thankfully, times have changed, and couples continue to rip up the rule book when it comes to getting engaged and planning a wedding that is personal to them – starting with the way they pop the question.”
Tips to Save Money on Engagement Rings
The jewellery experts at Taylor & Hart tell YCB their top tips for saving money on an engagement ring without compromising on beauty or significance.
Prioritise the Cut: You can go slightly lower on clarity or colour, within what still looks beautiful, while keeping cut quality high. A beautifully cut stone will sparkle more than a larger stone with subpar proportions. It’s also important to note that this is only the case for round diamonds. Other shapes aren’t graded on cut.
Explore Alternatives: Exploring alternatives including lab grown diamonds will give you access to bigger stones for a fraction of the price of natural diamonds. You can also consider shapes like oval, emerald, or cushion may appear larger than they are and cost less per carat weight than a round cut.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions: A great jeweller will patiently explain your options and the impact of each design decision so that you’re feeling reassured. You should also buy from makers who include aftercare, like us. Cleaning, polishing, and resizing. These services are recurring throughout the lifespan of your ring and add ongoing value.