Halloween has gotten extra scary — scary expensive, that is. While this year, the candy and the cobwebs will be much the same as the years before, the prices have gotten a bit more chilling. 

According to a new survey of 1,500 U.S. consumers from the professional services network Deloitte, the average consumer will spend around $285 on the holiday that celebrates spookiness (while hoping not to get spooked at the register). $219 of that spending will be done on retail purchases, and around $66 will be used on experiences.

Most of the holiday shopping with me done in stores, with 67% saying they’ll shop in person and only 33% choosing to shop online. Households expect to spend the most at three distinct venues: mass merchants or big box stores, supermarkets or grocery stores, and at specialty Halloween stores. 

Whether the spending happens on costumes, decorations, or candy, it’s likely to add up. For more than a third, the numbers will come out to more spending than they did last year. 34% of those surveyed plan to spend more than they did in 2025, while only 11% say they plan to spend less. 

The extra spending doesn’t seem to be happening because the holiday actually feels affordable to consumers, however. Only 71% say they can comfortably afford the spending that is likely to come with their planned celebrations, while close to a third will struggle with the startling costs. 5% year-over-year, exceeding $1 trillion for the first time ever. More than half of the spending increase will come from inflation.

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