Getting back to the subject at hand, no pun intended, I don't think it is a "date" when you buy a prostitute just to have sex with. A date usually lasts 3 to 4 hours or more if your having a good time whereas the prostitute won't be with you for more than 1 hour, unless you pay more money . Dates usually have interesting things to discuss and perhaps you can actually learn some new things with a date but prostitutes only want sex and then leave, not much to discuss with them.
So I'd say , if you can find one, a date would be better if you're not just looking for sex but a prostitute if all you want is sex, that is if you are single. Just hope that the prostitute doesn't have any medical problems or STD's that you'll need to treat afterwards.