How much to spend on an engagement ring? 

In the United States the average price for an engagement ring ranges from between $2,000 to $7,000, with only about 5% of people spending more than $25,000. What you want to spend is completely up to you and should be determined based on what you are comfortable with. Don’t be disillusioned by De Beers’ famous marketing campaign in the 1930’s which said you should spend 3x your monthly salary. On this site, we’ll show you ways you can get more bang, for less bucks! Whether you plan to spend $500 or $50,000 this guide will help you pick the perfect forever diamond with confidence.

Large online jewelers like Blue Nile and James Allen typically offer the most for your money as they operate with smaller margins, and do not have the brick and mortar store costs like utilities, rent, staff, etc. Alternatively, going to a local jeweler will probably cost an additional 10-30% for the same ring, but you’ll get a personalized experience from an expert.

Roughly speaking, expect to pay the following per carat for a nice quality diamond *Note: Prices can range widely based on many characteristics and round diamonds are typically more expensive than other shapes due to their popularity (updated 2023).