This Halloween, spooky season comes with an extra fright: high prices. As inflation continues to strain household budgets, more Americans are scaling back on candy, costumes, decorations, and parties. A new CouponFollow survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, along with collected pricing data, reveals who's spending, who's skipping, and how rising costs are affecting Halloween plans in 2025.
Key Takeaways
- Nearly 1 in 5 Americans (19%) aren't celebrating Halloween this year. Among those skipping the holiday, 72% are cutting back due to inflation, and 46% say they can't afford it.
- 50% of baby boomers, 22% of Gen Xers, 16% of millennials, and 10% of Gen Zers aren't planning to celebrate Halloween this year.
- Nearly 1 in 5 Americans (19%) have a lower Halloween budget in 2025 compared to last year.
- This year, Americans plan to spend about $220 on Halloween, from costumes and parties to decorations and candy.
- 3 Musketeers are the priciest Halloween candy or chocolate this year, averaging $0.93 per ounce.
- M&M's are the only candy to drop in price, decreasing 3% from last year.
- Mr. Fantastic tops the list as the most expensive popular costume this year at $87.99.
- Stitch is the most affordable costume, costing $23.54 on average.
Why Halloween Has Some Americans Too Stressed to Celebrate
More Americans are finding Halloween less treat and more trick this year. Financial stress and regret over past spending are pushing many to reconsider how—or if—they'll celebrate in 2025.
- Nearly 1 in 10 Americans (8%) say they regret spending too much on Halloween in 2024.
Biggest Halloween Spending Regrets in 2024
- Spent too much on candy: 16%
- Bought things too late and paid higher prices: 12%
- Bought low-quality items that didn't last: 9%
- Didn't set a budget and overspent: 8%
- Spent too much on costumes: 8%
- Nearly 1 in 3 Americans (32%) are stressed about planning Halloween this year, and 19% aren't celebrating it.. Among those skipping the holiday, 72% are cutting back due to inflation, and 46% say they can't afford it
- Over 1 in 5 Americans (28%) do not plan to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters this year.
The Price of a Sweet Tooth This Halloween
Candy is a Halloween tradition that's quickly getting more expensive. Here's how the price per ounce has changed for chocolate bars and other sweets since last season.
- 3 Musketeers remain the priciest Halloween candy or chocolate this year, averaging $0.93 per ounce.
- M&M's are the only candy to drop in price, decreasing 3% from last year.
- Laffy Taffy saw the steepest jump, rising 44% to $0.69 per ounce.
- Skittles are still among the cheapest candies at $0.40 per ounce, despite a 25% increase from 2024.
- On average, chocolate ($0.71/oz.) is 48% more expensive than candy ($0.48/oz.) in 2025.
- Chocolate prices have risen 13% since 2024, while candy prices are up 23%.
- Buying in bulk ($0.53/oz.) saves about 37% compared to purchasing small quantities ($0.84/oz.).
The High Cost of Dressing Up This Halloween
Whether you're channeling a superhero or a spooky icon, Halloween costumes in 2025 cater to all kinds of budgets. The season's most popular looks show there's still room to have fun without going overboard.
- Mr. Fantastic tops the list as the most expensive popular costume this year at $87.99.
- Stitch is the most affordable, costing $23.54 on average.
Methodology
In August 2025, we surveyed 1,000 Americans to explore how inflation is reshaping Halloween in 2025. The average age was 41; 50% were female, and 50% were male. Generationally, 8% were baby boomers, 25% were Gen X, 49% were millennials, and 18% were Gen Z. We used data from CamelCamelCamel to compare current Halloween candy and chocolate prices to those from our previous year's study, and Amazon to identify current prices and average costs of popular Halloween costumes. Data was collected between August 7, 2024, and August 11, 2025.
About CouponFollow
CouponFollow helps online shoppers save time and money by tracking the web's best deals and promo codes. Visit CouponFollow to start saving instantly on everything from costumes to candy this Halloween.
Fair Use Statement
Feel free to share these Halloween savings insights for noncommercial use. Just include a link back to this page with proper credit to CouponFollow.
