Mr Molloy estimates a night out with his wife Alexandra sets the couple back about $300, including $215 for their meals at a restaurant and $80 on a ride-sharing service such as Uber. Movie tickets and babysitting add to the cost. A date night at home is far cheaper - the monthly cost of streaming services such as Netflix and Stan is less than a movie ticket and dinner delivered by UberEats costs about $50. Michael Rodrigues, the chairman of the Night Time Industries Association, said Netflix and meal delivery services offered a “pretty compelling” reason to stay at home. “There has never been a better time to be at home,” he said. “Think House of Cards and Mary’s Burger (drink optional) and you will have a cost-effective and entertaining quality night in at the press of a couple of buttons.” Staying at home may not be as memorable as a visiting a restaurant, or attending the theatre or a concert, but it is a lot cheaper and more convenient.

“It may not be amazing but compared to the alternative, which might be well in excess of $500 for a couple, the at-home entertainment offer has now been made mind-numbingly addictive,” Mr Rodrigues said. Sun-Herald readers argued last year that Sydneysiders were too financially squeezed to enjoy a good night out. And if they do get off the couch, they find pokies instead of live music, and no public transport to get home. Sydney is one of the most expensive cities in the world for an evening out, according to the TripAdvisor TripIndex, which calculated the cost for two people of one night in a hotel, drinks, dinner with a bottle of wine and taxi fares. A study by investment bank UBS found Sydney was the sixth most expensive city in the world for a night out based on the cost of club entry, two cocktails, a taxi ride and one Big Mac.

Sydney’s nighttime spending lags behind Berlin, London and San Francisco, according to Sydney As A 24-hour City. Loading The report, compiled by the Committee for Sydney, found 36 per cent of spending in the German capital, which is renowned for its vibrant nightlife, happened after 6pm compared to 23 per cent in Sydney. John Graham, Labor’s spokesman for the Night Time Economy and Music, said Sydney's lack of venues made it more expensive to go out. “The loss of hundreds of venues, the lack of temporary spaces all add up to a more costly night out for the average person,” he said. “Because music and performance venues run on a shoestring budget, shutting the city down early forces up the price of food and entertainment across Sydney.”

Mr Rodrigues said the state government had not considered providing families with low-cost or free night-time activities: “The NSW government has no vision for its night-time economy and has done little to create the enabling conditions for it to thrive.” A spokeswoman for NSW Arts Minister Don Harwin said: "There are countless cost-friendly options for going out in Sydney and we remain committed to supporting the work of our local governments and businesses who contribute to Sydney’s bustling nightlife which locals and visitors alike have come to expect." Loading The City of Sydney has given $850,000 to 40 businesses for after-dark programs including author talks, cooking demonstrations, all-ages gigs and ‘meet the maker’ events as well as producing or supporting events such as the gay and lesbian Mardi Gras and Sydney Festival. The council announced in November a plan for 24-hour trading in Sydney's CBD, and encouraging more night-time venues in residential areas such as Surry Hills and Green Square.