Would You Give Up Dining Out or Delete Social Media to Afford Concert Tickets? Here’s What Different Generations Say

Lexi LaneSat, April 18, 2026 at 10:30 AM UTC

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Teenagers at summer music festival (stock image).Credit: Getty

Concerts are back in full swing for 2026. But how much are people willing to give up to see their favorite artists perform live?

As Coachella starts to wrap its second weekend, and the summer concert season gets ready to kick off, a new study from PayPal highlights what different generations would forgo in order to afford tickets.

One in 10 Americans would lower their grocery budget each month to make sure they could see their favorite artists live, per the study.

The findings also state that 21% of Americans would delete their dating apps for a month to do so, while 19% of Millennials and 16% of Gen Z would also delete all social media apps for a month.

Nearly one in five, or 19%, of people involved in PayPal's study said they would put their streaming subscriptions on pause for concert tickets.

Elsewhere, 32% would stop going out for meals to be able to afford tickets, and 30% would cut back on new clothes and shopping.

Meanwhile, 26% would cancel nights out with friends.

A crowd at Coachella in 2025.Credit: Timothy Norris/Getty

In total, 38% of Americans plan to attend a concert or festival in 2026, including 49% of Gen Z and 45% of Millennials, according to the PayPal survey.

Per the findings, 18% of Millennials said they are willing to spend $500 or more on concert tickets this year.

PayPal offers fans different ways to pay for concert tickets, including "Buy Now, Pay Later" options, as well as an interest-free PayPal Credit to manage purchases over time with no late fees and no impact to credit scores.

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Last year, the average concert ticket price was $132, according to Rolling Stone, which cited Pollstar.

The outlet reported that the rise in costs is tied to dynamic pricing, scalping, bots and more.

“The price will not change until we stop this legalized exploitation of fans,” Randy Nichols, a board member for the National Independent Talent Organization (NITO), said. “Fans will pay less money when bots stop buying all the tickets and marking up the price."

According to a study from Airbnb published last month, fans are traveling more for concerts.

Internet searches for Coachella rose by over 70%, with around 55% done in September 2025, when the acts were announced, the study found.

“This summer, some of the world’s biggest artists with devoted fans are lighting up stages across the U.S.,” Airbnb said. “In Boston, a major tour stop this summer, excitement is off the charts, with triple-digit spikes in guest searches in the city during the two-week period after their tour announcements."

The company added, "For several artists, it’s their first headline tour since 2019, making these shows even more coveted.”

Group of friends at a music festival (stock image).Credit: Getty

Some popular tours expected this summer include ones from BTS, Demi Lovato, Bruno Mars, Cardi B, Rosalía, Olivia Dean, Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi and Ariana Grande, to name a few.

Harry Styles' residency at Madison Square Garden in New York City is also highly anticipated, as is Bad Bunny performing shows across Europe.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”