Is my boyfriend cheap? 28f, 27m.

Hi everyone,

I am eastern european and my bf is balkan raised in Italy. we easters europeans have different mentality maybe, but he talks about saving money a lot of times. if someone is paying for him, later he makes a point that at least he did not pay. every time someone pays for him, he always says at least he did not have to pay for it. he does not want to do anything just so that he won't spend money. when we go out, he's used to the fact that for me dividing money for restaurant or a cafe is not okay and sometimes he pays, sometimes i pay. but even when we go to the grocery shop, i know he won't buy steak, just because it might be 1-2 euros more. he would walk a lot just so that he would not spend money on bus. is this european thing or i should be aware of the situation? i was raised differently, my dad used to be the main person to oay for stuff, because he was a man, i can't even imagine going to a dinner and me and my partner deviding the money, my worst nightmare. now we are doing long distance and only time we spend money is travelling to see each other, he's open handed for me kinda, but not much, i'm used to environment where man spoil women, maybe with small gifts, nice gestures. but from him nothing, if he really does not have to. when he's gonna visit me, i'm afraid to take him to see my friends, cause we, in my culture love to invite others, because that's how we express respect and love, and i know he won't do that. and also maybe wait until someone pays for him, or at least wait until other's pay for themselves and then he pays for himself only.

is my boyfriend cheap? i'm giving it time, cause maybe i will see the situation differently in the future, but i don't know, anytime he mentions money, i get annoyed.