How much are you supposed to spend on an engagement ring?
Quick answer
There is no rule. The three months' salary line is a 1930s De Beers advertising campaign, not a tradition. Spend what suits your finances. The most useful number in Australia is what most couples actually pay, which sits broadly around $1,500 to $5,000 depending on stone choice and setting, with lab-grown diamonds and moissanite stretching that budget the furthest.
Where the "supposed to" rule comes from
The idea that you are supposed to spend a set amount comes from De Beers advertising, not from any tradition. The campaign started in the 1930s with one month's salary, then grew to two and eventually three months in later decades. It was a line written to sell diamonds, and no etiquette rule backs it. If a partner or relative quotes the three months figure, they are quoting a slogan.
What Australian couples actually spend
The most useful benchmark is what other couples pay, and in Australia that varies widely with the centre stone. A lab-grown diamond or moissanite centre brings a well-made ring into the low thousands, while a natural diamond of the same size costs several times more. Set your number from your own savings and priorities, then choose the stone type that fits it.
See the full engagement ring cost guide with current AUD prices
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