The cost of getting married for men in Beijing has skyrocketed 20-fold in just four years, according to a new survey.

People's Daily found that a groom from the Chinese capital now has to present their prospective in-laws with an average of 200,000 yaun (£23,340) as a cash gift.

On top of that, the man is also expected to buy his wife-to-be an apartment and a car. Gold and diamond pieces of jewellery are also favorable tokens of love.

Who said romance was dead? The cost of getting married for men in Beijing has skyrocketed 20-fold in just four years, according to a new survey

The picture marks a sharp contrast to four years ago, when the same investigation was carried out.

Back then bachelors only had to give 10,000 yuan (£1,167) and other gifts to win their new family's seal of approval.

Traditionally in China, the groom's family would have to give a large sum of money to the bride's family for the marriage.

But in recent years, the betrothal gift has caused a great burden for many families, particularly in rural areas of China.

The People's Daily study aims at mapping out the average cost of betrothal gifts in cities across China.

It's believed the costs have ballooned because men have had to compete over the dwindling pool of women - a consequence of the 'one-child policy'.

Upward trend: Some families have been known to spend over 400,000 yuan (£46,889) on wedding ceremonies

From cars to cows: The People's Daily study aims at mapping out the average cost of betrothal gifts in cities across China

Some families have been known to spend over 400,000 yuan (£46,889) on wedding ceremonies.

Together with the gifts, the nuptials could have depleted the families' assets.

To stop more families from getting into debts due to their childrens' weddings, Henan's Taiqian county has recently released a guideline on wedding gifts.

According to the guideline, which came into effect on January 1, the combined cost of wedding gifts given by one party shall not exceed 60,000 yuan (£7,036).

Despite the upward trend, especially in the north, the recent People's Daily study revealed that the cost of betrothal gifts in some southern cities has started to level out.

In some areas the costs have even started to fall compared to four years ago. In some extreme cases, bachelors have turned to agencies in countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar to buy a wife because the cost is cheaper.