SAN DIEGO — With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s crunch time for lovers looking to treat their special someone to a romantic evening. But with budgets tightening, one might be thinking that a special night might not be something they can afford.

San Diegan lovers shouldn’t fret though, because they’re in the right place: San Diego was ranked third among the 100 largest U.S. cities as one of the most romantic yet affordable cities for celebrating the holiday, according to WalletHub’s list of “Best Places for Valentine’s Day.”

To determine the rankings, the company compared the cities across 26 different metrics, including florists per capita to forecasted weather on the big day to the cost of a meal for two.

San Diego ended up right below San Francisco and Seattle on the list.

Los Angeles was the next Southern California destination on the list, ranked at 16th.

WalletHub estimates that Americans this year will spend about $25.9 billion on Valentine’s gifts and experiences, with the average sweetheart shelling out about $193.

The company estimates though that 23% of Americans expect their significant other to spend less on the holiday this year and 36% of people think that a Valentine’s Day dinner might be too expensive.

Still, one in five think that the holiday is worth shelling out the big bucks for, according to WalletHub, but this ranking shows that it might not be necessary.

While there certainly are activities to do this Valentine’s Day in San Diego that are on the expensive side, there’s plenty of affordable and romantic options to choose from that won’t break the bank.

“Inflation and higher prices for just about everything mean that people need to find ways to cut expenses,” C. Samuel Craig, director of the Media and Technology Program at New York University’s Stern School of Business, said to WalletHub. “The easiest way to have a wonderful Valentine’s Day experience is simply to do it at home. With flowers, candlelight, a bottle of wine, and romantic music any apartment or home can be magically transformed.”

Whether you and your Valentine spend the night watching a drive-in movie in Santee, have a picnic in Kate Sessions Park at sunset, go on a hike or cook a romantic dinner at home, options are endless to make the night a memorable one.

“Valentine’s Day does not need to be expensive,” instructor at St. Cloud State University, Emily Goenner, said to WalletHub. “Curtailing spending may result in even more meaningful gifts.”