$143 for a dozen roses, a 20% markup on chocolate: Why this Valentine’s Day could break the bank

The cost of Valentine’s Day may be a lot higher this year compared to last year. You’ve probably heard the price of eggs has skyrocketed, but if you haven’t already started shopping for your Valentine, be prepared for some sticker shock, especially for perennial favorites like roses and chocolates. Here’s why.

How much will I pay for roses this year?

Depending on where you live, you might be paying a hefty price. This Valentine’s Day, the average price for a dozen long-stemmed roses (red or white) is a staggering $90.50, 2% more than last year, according to FinanceBuzz as reported by CBS News.

Yet a 2% hike would be getting off easy, considering that if you live in Hawaii, you’ll have to shell out $143 for that same dozen, which is 58% more expensive than the national average.

Wondering where the best bargain can be found? It’s California, where you’ll pay an average of $68 for a dozen roses, compared to $110 in Texas (where the cost of living is on average much cheaper than in California).

Another reason for the hefty price tag on bouquets? Inflation over multiple years. The average price went up from $80.16 in 2023 to $88.61 last year.

Here are the states where roses are most expensive these days, rounded to the nearest dollar based on data from FinanceBuzz:

• Hawaii: $143 per dozen
• Texas: $110 per dozen
• Washington: $107 per dozen
• Montana: $105 per dozen
• Kentucky: $102 per dozen
• Wyoming: $102 per dozen
• Ohio: $102 per dozen
• South Carolina: $102 per dozen
• Kansas: $100 per dozen
• Iowa: $99 per dozen

While erratic weather patterns can also play a role in flower production and prices, this year’s prices are mostly a result of, and in line with, inflation, as supplies remain high. In fact, some 940 million cut flower stems have already arrived in the U.S. for the holiday via Miami International Airport, mostly from Colombia and Ecuador, according to ABC News. Around 90% of holiday flowers sold in the U.S. from around the world transit through Miami, with the other 10% transiting through Los Angeles before they are distributed to stores around the country, according to ABC.

What about chocolate prices?

Alas, sweets for your sweet will cost you more this year, too. With the price of cocoa more than double what it was at the start of 2024, expect to pay 10% to 20% more for a box of chocolates this Valentine’s Day, according to a Wells Fargo analyst, as reported by CNN.

The reason? Like eggs, cocoa production has been hit with supply chain issues stemming from COVID-19, inflation, and the weather.

In West Africa, which produces 70% of the globe’s cocoa supply, extreme weather events, including El Niño, have raised temperatures in the region, created both drought conditions and flooding that led to fungus on the crops. As a result, growers have been producing fewer crops, which means fewer cocoa beans.

At the time of this writing (midday on Tuesday), cocoa was trading at $10,103.13 per metric ton, up 72% in the first few months of 2025, but still down from its December high.

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