How Much Does a Tattoo Cost?
As you can imagine, most tattoos aren’t free. Sure, if a close friend of yours is a tattoo artist you might get him or her to give you a freebie or even a discount, but for the most part you’ll have to pay like everyone else. Also, remember the saying “you get what you pay for.”
Statistics show that most single tattoos cost somewhere in the $75 – $200 price range. Many different factors affect the final cost of a tattoo:
- the size of the tattoo
- the complexity of the design
- whether you’ve selected tattoo flash from the tattoo studio or request a custom design
- the reputation or fame of the tattoo artist
- the location of the tattoo shop
The cheapest tattoos are English lettered names or small hearts. The more expensive tattoos are custom designs that cover a large part of the body and take many hours and many sessions to complete. If a world famous tattoo artist provides your tattoo you could end up paying well over $500 for a single small tattoo. Imagine what a famous tattoo artist like Mario Barth of Starlight Tattoos in Vegas charges. He’s the guy that performed the first ever tattoo in the air (he tattooed Tommy Lee on a flight from Burbank, CA to Miami, FL). He’s tattoed people like Lenny Kravitz, Nikki Six, and Ja Rule.
Of course there are lots of talented local tattoo artists in your state.
Tattoo Prices
On average you’ll pay $80 – $200 dollars an hour depending on the factors listed above. Most tattoo shops have a minimum charge for a tattoo, regardless of the size and the time it takes to complete the tattoo. Additionally, in some shops the amount charged per hours depends on the experience of the tattoo artist. For example, apprentice artists will have a lower price range than more experienced or senior artists. This is not to say that you shouldn’t get a tattoo from someone just starting out. Quite the contrary, they have to start someplace. Just be sure to take a look at the portfolio of the artist, regardless of their experience.
Also, the cost of a tattoo will vary depending on the location, i.e., urban vs. rural. In large urban cities you may be able to get a small tatto for $80 – $100 while the same tattoo may cost several dollars less in more rural areas where the cost of living is lower.
If you provide the artwork for the tattoo or use a flash design provided by the tattoo shop you may simply pay a lump sum price for the tattoo. If you’re looking for custom work or a design that’s large or complex, the tattoo artist will probably charge by the hour. Here’s what you SHOULD NOT do: don’t haggle with the tattoo artist over the price, especially if they quote you a flat rate (which should be posted in the shop). In some shops you may see the sign “the price depends on your attitude.” That’s sometimes true. Also, think about this might affect the quality of the work they do. Don’t ever try to cheat the artist out of what he/she deserves or try to talk them down from their normal prices. This is a business for them; treat it with the respect it deserves.
Shop Around for Tattoo Prices
As with most things it’s important to do some comparison shopping. Not only should you visit more than one tattoo shop to get a feel for tattoo pricing in your local area and to look through portfolios, you should also visit shops to get a feel for their procedures, cleanliness of the tattoo shop, and their customer service attitude. If you find one shop whose prices are considerably lower than others in the area, beware. The shop may be cutting costs by skimping on safety and health issues, like reusing items that should be thrown away after being used, or hiring artists that, for whatever reason, are willing to work at reduced rates. You want to proceed with caution if you come upon a shop like this.
Also, when you’ve selected the shop you’ll use, be sure to get a price estimate UP FRONT. Don’t leave it up in the air. You should come to your appointment with a set cost in mind based on your conversation with either the tattoo artist himself or the person working behind the desk at the shop.
Should You Tip a Tattoo Artist?
In a word YES. Tattoo shops and artists provide a service, just like a hair stylist. If you get a haircut or a hair coloring done you usually tip the stylist. They take pride in their work and want to do a good job. They also want to make sure the customer is happy and that they leave the shop with good looking hair. Tattoo shops and artists are no different. If customers aren’t happy they don’t come back. They also tell their friends about the experience (both good and bad). Equally important is the fact that the tattoo wearer (if the tattoo is located in a visible place) is actually a walking advertisement for the artist. The artist wants others to look at their work and think “Wow, that’s a great looking tattoo. Where’d you get it from?” Therefore, if you’re pleased with the work that the artist does and you feel they treated you well as a customer, you should tip them. Don’t base your tip on whether you experience any pain during the application process. You’ll experience some discomfort during the process. Instead, base your tip on whether the design is well done, whether you actually got the design you asked for, and if you were treated well as a customer.
You should tip between 10% – 20%, based on the factors described above.
So, to summarize:
- Visit different tattoo shops and do some comparison pricing
- Don’t try to cheat the tattoo artist or persuade them to lower their prices
- Beware of very cheap tattoo pricing
- Tip your tattoo artist if you’re pleased with their work
[...] How Much Does a Tattoo Cost? [...]
i wanted to get my leg tattooed in color in memory of my dad i was wondering how much it would cost i wanted my whole leg done if you could email me back that would be appreciated thank you
how much would it cost to get my dads name which is 5 letters and my moms name which is also 5 letters on my wrist and the writting is half an inch?
How much would it cost to get my son’s name tattoed on my whole ribcage? email me the price ranges.
How much would it cost to get a dragon on the side of my lower right leg. the dragon wouldn’t take even half my leg
how much for a full sleeve of a tribal design with red black and silver colour?
thanks
How much would a 2 inch by 1 inch tattoo of a black gecko on the side of my foot cost?
How much would a tattoo about 3/4 inch tall of my moms name which is 8 letters cost?
it would be on my wrist
Thanks.
How much would a biohazard symbol about the size of my palm in the middle of my upper back cost? The colors would be black and lime green.
E-mail please.
i wanna get the fleur de lis on fire across my chest, i want the fleur de lis on my sternum and then the flames on each side to reach my shoulders. from shoulder to shoulder, the length of the tattoo is gonna be about 13″ and width to be about 4″ curving from the sternum curving up to the shoulders. i want the flames to be red and the fleur de lis to be black probably. if u could please e-mail with an estimate. i already have a drawing though i might ask for them to draw a better one. thank you.
I want to get a memorial piece for my mom on my upper back. Right the middle. I want to be a medium sized tattoo, with her name(which is seven letters) in the middle and lots of swirls and intricate designs around it. Also, I want her date of birth and date of death somewhere within the design around her name. I want it all in black and grey. How much do you think that would cost?
i want to get a tribal tattoo for my upper arm, i want to know how much this will cost? also how old would i have to be if im alone or with an adult or does the age stay the same prefferably at tattoo studio 81 preston.
I’m looking to get a quarter sleeve (from the top of my shoulder, right where the strap of a tank top would start, down to the middle of my bicep) of an array of TV shows and video games I was into as a kid. It’d be colored and shaded. Can you email me a general price range, just so I have a vague idea as I go to check out different shops?
IM GETTING A QUARTER SLEEVE FROM THE TOP OF MY SHOULDER TO THE MIDDLE OF MY BYCEP, NO COLOR. ALREADY HAVE HOURLY QUOTE IM JUST WONEDERING BALL PARK HOW MANY HOURS IT MIGHT TAKE.
can u read, it just said it depends on the artist, everyone is different, you guys have no brain call around and not be retarted, you want the prices tattooed to retards
How much would no lies just love cost across my wrists?
sean. thank you! to everyone who keeps asking… did you not read the article?
A) it depends
B) we cant tell you. you have to ask the people that would be doing it.
goodness people open your eyes
I want to get an outline of a heart with teardrops on my shoulder just a black outline, no colour and want to know how much it would cost? about A6 papersize… email please, many thanks
How much would a 3-4 inch cross tattoo on my right shoulder blade cost? It also has a ribbon(i guess that is what you would call it) running through it and I want to put the Phil. 4:13 in it. I know there are many factors that decide the cost but if you could give me a rough estimate it would be very much appreciated
I’ve been checking your blog for a while now, seems like everyday I learn something new
Thanks
How much will it cost to get my girlfriend’s name, which has six letters, on my wrist and for her to get my five letter name near the hip area? What would be the total cost? All will be in black ink.
Hi,Terrific blog dude! i’m Fed up with using RSS feeds and do you use twitter?so i can follow you there:D.
PS:Have you considered putting video to this blog posts to keep the people more interested?I think it works.Best regards, Mitchel Heister
hey, i saw a guy with a tattoo around his calf, and since then i have been searching for a similar pattern online (it was something like a string of bands). Most of the tattoos online dont cover the entire region around the calf, but only the back part. I wonder if such patterns are available. It would be helpful if you could suggest some links that display some of those patterns, and their cost.
Thank you.
I wanted to get peace in cursive with a heart underneath on my left wrist and love with a peace sign underneath on my right wrist. I don’t want it to take up more than half of my forearm…how much do you think this would approximately cost how much time would it take and are there any health risks? Thanks.
Ali Isola
80% of tattoist are lazy scratchers, so take care very well on the choice of a tattoist.
looking for a price my tatt
starts at the top of my shoulder and should end a few inches above my elbo…
its in memorie of my brother baby girl who was killed by a drunk drive she was only one. i have the dates and a custom pictuer i drew up….so if you can help me on a price look i would apprciate….thanks.
hey guys i wanted to get my first tattoo its my last name witch is 7 letters down the side of my torso going over my ribs its about 30cm long by 15 cm wide wats pricees do u think im looking at for it and its just plane black in old english style writing
How much would it cost to get ART done on the lower back of my neck, in small/medium print?