How Much To Spend on Engagement Ring
How Much To Spend on an Engagement Ring – A Better Answer Instead of Some Bogus Salary Ratio
For decades, Americans have been told various percentages and ratios of how much salary they should spend on an engagement ring. I looked for this answer a few years ago myself, when looking for my now wife’s engagement ring. Many blogs have blasted these figures (rightfully so), but they do not provide any guidance on what that correct amount to spend is. I write this blog post with a hope that I can help you arrive at an appropriate range for how much to spend on an engagement ring.
The Correct Answer to How Much to Spend
A lot of blogs blasted the “3 month salary rule” but no one helped clarify how to arrive at that number, or even provided a range. I wrote this blog post with the intent to offer some help to those in the same position as me.
Minimum range: I think to get a decent, very high quality engagement ring, that you will need to spend at least $550. This means getting a solitaire engagement ring in white gold, and a forever one moissanite or natural sapphire as the center stone. Or, for a few hundred dollars more, getting a small, really good quality diamond. There are cheaper rings out there, but spending this minimum could mean a truly beautiful ring that doesn’t need to be upgraded later on. For example, below is a picture of our 4 prong classic solitaire ($450) with a 5.5 mm round forever one moissanite stone ($509), for a total of $959.
Asha Ring with 5.5mm Forever One Cushion Moissanite Stone for $959
Based on my logic above, I looked into average costs (home, car, medical, putting money away into savings and retirement accounts, every day expenses, etc.) for various salary ranges of people in their twenties and thirties. From there, I used my logic above to calculate the maximum someone should spend on an engagement ring. This is not what I recommend to spend, but rather, the maximum I suggest for anyone to spend. Here are the results:
Salary (US Dollars) | Minimum To Spend (US Dollars) | Maximum You Should Spend (US Dollars) | “3 Month” Rule |
$25,000 | $550 | $2,600 | $6,250 |
$50,000 | $550 | $5,900 | $12,500 |
$75,000 | $550 | $9,200 | $18,750 |
$100,000 | $550 | $12,500 | $25,000 |
$125,000 | $550 | $14,400 | $31,250 |
$150,000 | $550 | $20,500 | $37,500 |
$200,000 | $550 | $25,500 | $50,000 |
$300,000 | $550 | $37,000 | $75,000 |
$500,000 | $550 | $64,000 | $125,000 |
$750,000 | $550 | $92,000 | $187,500 |
$1,000,000 | Who am I to give you financial advice? | $250,000 |
Tips on How To Get the Same Engagement Ring for Less
1. Buy Your Engagement Ring Online
In general, online companies do not have as much overhead expenses and therefore are able to price their rings for less. Also, a lot of times with online engagement ring companies, you won’t have to pay sales tax. For example, all of our rings are tax-free as long as it is shipped outside of Texas.
2. GIA Certified Diamonds Only
Do not get a diamond that is uncertified or certified by anyone else other than GIA. GIA is the strictest diamond certificate by about 1-2 clarity grades, and 1-3 color grades. This means, you’re not saving money by getting a diamond with a non-GIA certificate, you’re just getting a worse stone.
3. Make sure your jeweler really knows how to get value
While setting a budget for how much to spend on your engagement ring is one thing, maximizing the value within that budget is even more important. Make sure your jeweler knows how to look for great values on diamonds, and really pick a stone that maximizes dimensions without loosing any brilliance. For example, one thing we always check for after a customer places an order is if there is a diamond that might be a pinch less in carat weight, but offer the same dimensions and sparkle (this can save a lot of money). If you want us to help at any point, please feel free to contact us and we would be more than happy to help. Since I care a lot about finding rings that have the most bang for the buck, feel free to ask for me personally (my name is Krish).
Verifiably Ethical & Sustainable
Guaranteed 1:1 Impact
Personalized 1:1 Customer Service
handcrafted & american-made
you before us, always
Verifiably Ethical & Sustainable
Guaranteed 1:1 Impact
Personalized 1:1 Customer Service
handcrafted & american-made
you before us, always
Thoughtfully crafted, made to last, and designed for life's most meaningful moments. LEARN MORE
Diamonds, Gemstones, & Metals

Verifiably Ethical & Sustainable
Every piece of Do Amore jewelry begins by not hurting the world. All our natural diamonds are either ethically sourced in Canada, recycled to eliminate additional demand, or accompanied by a blockchain ledger showing every hand your diamond passed through, proving your stone is truly conflict-free.
We also offer sustainable lab-created stones and guarantee all precious metals are recycled to eliminate the environmental impact of mining. Since March 2022, we carry absolutely no Russian diamonds and continue to urge the industry to follow suit.
Clean Water

Guaranteed
1:1 Impact
We desire to deepen the well of love in the world. We guarantee that every single purchase—whether engagement ring, wedding band, or piece of jewelry—directly impacts one person’s life by giving them access to clean water.
We do this by directly matching jewelry purchases to people in communities to ensure our funding has a one-to-one impact. We also show you the exact GPS coordinates and a photo of the water well your ring or piece of jewelry helped fund.
Customer Service

Personalized
1:1 Support
As a small, 100% founder- and employee-owned team, one-to-one encounters are at the heart of our values. Whichever way you want support throughout your engagement ring or jewelry purchase process, our team is here to accommodate you.
From high-touch to hands-off, video calls to text messages, you have our dedicated, responsive team on your side from the moment you start your search, to the day your well is built, to the time we meet again.
Engagement Rings, Bands, & Jewelry

Handcrafted & American-Made
Every Do Amore design, whether one of our own or unique to you, is beautifully handcrafted in America and made specifically for you. Each ring is made to order, every time.
From classic to custom, you have the option to select from dozens of gorgeous settings or work with our design team to create something entirely bespoke. Plus, you are always covered for free inspections, polishing, cleaning, stone tightening, rhodium-plating, and resizing for life.
Our Promise

You Before Us, Always
We care about what matters most to you, not what’s easiest for us. If it’s a minor change to a setting or arriving at a completely custom design, we work to ensure you get precisely what you love.
From statement-making to understated, we have options at any price point. Plus, you always have our team on your side searching to bring you every stone within your specifications. We also offer 60-day returns and a limited lifetime warranty to cover you in the rare event of a manufacturing defect.