Do you feel interested in getting tattoos? Would you like to know how much your tattoos will cost? Well, lately, more and more people have become interested in getting tattoos. Two common reasons to have tattoos inscribed in the body are personal identification and remembrance of important events in life.
However, before getting tattoos on your body, you will need to consider the quality of the tattooing service. The quality of tattoos will determine the performance of tattoos on your body. High-quality tattoos look beautiful, but low-quality tattoos look ugly.
Table of Contents
How much do Tattoos cost?
The average cost for a tattoo is between $50 for a small and simple tattoo without color, from $100-$250 for medium size with some colors, and $300- up to $1000 for a considerable size. If you consider making a full cover tattoo, the cost can range up to $1500.
It has become a clear fact that the cost of a tattoo is usually different.
Several factors influence the cost of the tattoo.
In the following list, you can see all the variable that can make the price of a tattoo more expensive:
- Experience of Tattoo artist
- The popularity of Tattoo artist
- Size and Design of Tattoo
- Location of Tattoo shop
These are the most important factors that influence the cost of Tattoos.
We will analyze the average cost for each part of the body during the article, considering the data taken from experienced people who get a Tattoo.
Experience of Tattoo artist Cost
The most influential factor is the skills and experiences of a tattoo artist. A fully experienced and skilled tattoo artist can charge a premium cost for their works.
This extra charge on the cost of a tattoo is due to the tattoo artists’ reputation during the years.
There are several tattoo artist that makes part of the experience category from these the main one is:
- Kat Von D
- Paul Booth
- Ami James
- Bob Tyrrell
- Chris Nunez
- Sarah Gugler
- Scott Campbell
Kat Von d Cost for Tattoo
Kat von d is an experience and beautiful tattoo artist gain popularity thanks to the TV series La link. During the reality show, her personality and skill were immediately visible.
For that reason, she built a strong reputation during the year and became one of the world’s most experienced and skilled tattoo artists.
If you want to make a tattoo on Kat Von D for sure, you will have to wait a long time and cost you $200/h.
Paul Booth Cost for Tattoo
If you like the black and grey tattoos, Paul Booth can be considered one of the best. He became very famous after Tattooing famous people, like Slipknot, Pantera, Mudvayne. The hourly cost for a tattoo from Paul Booth is $300/h.
Ami James cost for tattoo
If during the past year, you watched LA or Miami ink TV series, for sure you will recognize this name.
Ami James likes tattooing Japanese style tattoo, but he can tattoo many others style; he is also known to be one of the most expensive tattoo artists globally, with a $500 per hour.
Bob Tyrell cost for tattoo
Like the other Tattoo artists, he becomes famous after participating to the TV series Miami ink and LA Ink, in that case, the cost of charge for a tattoo done by Bob Tyrell is less expensive than the other one; it charges around $150 per hours.
Chris Nunez Cost for Tattoo
We cannot proceed with our list without a name on the most important part of The TV series Miami ink.
A session of tattoo done by Chris Nunez can cost you around $500, but it can go up to $2000 depending on the complexity and size of the tattoo.
Sarah Gugler cost for tattoo
Sarah Gugler’s minimum cost for a tattoo starts from $450 just for a simple and small tattoo.
Scott Campbell cost for tattoo
Scott Campbell is the most expensive tattoo artist actuality, he is very famous, known for tattooing big names, and very celebrative people, the cost for a tattoo done by Scott Campbell is $2000 per hour.
The popularity of Tattoo artist cost
As we saw on the previous list, the cost for a tattoo can reach a very incredible price.
Some tattoo artists are more popular than other tattoo artists. Usually, the more popular the artist is, the more expensive the cost is.
The size and design of the tattoo also influence the cost of the tattoo. If the tattoo is big and has a complicated design, it will cost more. The location of the tattoo shop also influences the cost of the tattoo. If the shop is located in the city, it usually charges customers more expensively.
Further, to determine how much you should pay, a tattoo artist has two ways of quoting. They are:
Hourly Fee cost for tattoo
How much do tattoos cost per hour?
Professional tattoo artists usually charge clients hourly if the piece of the tattoo is considerable. A large piece of tattoo takes more time to do and needs more resources. The fee for one hour is determined by the operating cost, the time required to finish the tattoo, and the artist’s skills and experience.
The better the skills are, the more expensive the hourly fee is. In the typical tattoo shop, without considering the famous tattoo artist that we saw before, might charge $50 to $60 per hour, up to $100 per hour, while experienced tattoo artists charge $200 up to $250 per hour.
The benefit of an hourly rate is a cheaper rare in the long run. The drawback is the possibility of the artist to force more hours by slowing down his work.
Flat Fee
This type of quoting is usually chosen if clients come with a predefined design. A predefined design enables a tattoo artist to predict how much the cost is.
This type of quoting is preferred if the artwork or design is small and uncomplicated. In this case, the complexity of design, number of colors, and length of time needed to complete the tattoo are the factors that are considered in determining the flat fee.
The benefit of a flat fee is that it gives you the ability to measure whether you can afford it. The drawback of this quoting type is that you might pay a flat fee for two hours of work, but the artist can finish it in one hour and 15 minutes. This means that you pay for another 45 minutes for nothing.
Now it is time to take a look more in detail, which are the cost that influences the final price of a tattoo.
Cost of Tattoo per dimension
Depending on what people like, the tattoo can be done in different dimensions, the primary dimension that you have to choose in case you decide to make a tattoo are:
- Tiny tattoo, where the dimension is usually under 2 in
- Small tattoo, the dimension between 2-4 in
- Medium tattoo, with dimension between 4-6 in
- Large tattoo that usually comes with a dimension of 6+ in
Cost for Tiny Tattoo
Tiny tattoo is usually the first chosen done by a people who make their first tattoo, are part of the category of a tiny tattoo, small sun, anchors, moon, flowers, etc.
As you can imagine, the cost of tattooing this type of tattoo is relatively low. The average price is $30-$100.
Cost for Small Tattoo
For a small tattoo, you can imagine a small star, some rose or flower, a diamond on your wrist. Here the price starts to increase because the size is getting bigger, and the average cost for a small tattoo is $50-250$.
Cost For medium tattoo
The medium tattoo is for sure one of the most popular chosen people because it guarantees a good appeal.
Make part of this category a koi, a pirate ship done on the arm, a lion. The cost for a medium tattoo has an average of $150-$450.
Cost for large tattoo
The last and the most expensive size that you can choose for a tattoo is a large size. Make part of a large tattoo, a set of angel wings, or a complete tattoo on your torso, a full arm Japanese style tattoo.
The cost for a large tattoo is, on average $500-$4000.
Cost of Tattoo per Hour
Another type of price setting for a tattoo artist is the rate per hour. The cost per hour depends on the years of experience of the tattoo artist. The cost per hour can go from $80 per hour for a beginner with 1-3 years of experience until reaching $250 for artists that have more than 10 years of experience.
In the Tattoo world, there are 4 different types of tattoo artists, and making part of one category can make a significant difference on setting the rate per hour.
These 4 category are:
- Beginner, means that she/he has 1-3 years of experience.
- Established, she/he has a piece of good knowledge and is tattooing more than 5 years up to 10 years.
- Experienced Tattoo artists, are people that are tattooing from more than 10 years.
- Famous artists: indigently from the years of experience he/she gained a considerable reputation during the years. For that reason, the cost per hour can be more expensive than the other one and can reach more than $500 per hour.
Beginner Tattoo artists cost per hour
If you are searching for a not complicated type of tattoo, my advice is to find a good beginner who wants to expand his knowledge ahead.
If you are lucky, you will found a good beginner tattoo artist, with an average cost of $80 -$120 per hour.
Established Tattoo artist cost per hour
If you want a tattoo more complicated, that requires attention to the details and fantasy, your next option should be to search for an established tattoo artist; usually, thanks to the age of experience that he/she has, you will get what you want.
Be aware that the average cost for an established tattoo artists is $150 per hour.
Experienced Tattoo artist costs per hour
If the budget is not a problem for you, and you want to get the best tattoo possible, the perfect choice that you can do, is to go and search for an experienced tattoo artist.
In that case, we are speaking about persons with many years of experience and many tattoos done.
The average cost you will spend if you won’t get a tattoo from an established artist is around $200 per hour.
Famous Artists Tattoo cost per hour
The cost that famous artists will request to you depends on how famous the artists are and how much success the tattoo artists have.
As we saw previously, the cost to get a tattoo from a famous artist is varying; you can expect a range between $200-$500.
Cost of Tattoo per body part
After has analyzing the average cost per hour, and all the related variable that can make the price of a tattoo higher, now is time to take a look at the average global cost that a tattoo studio will require you, considering the part of the body on which you want to get a tattoo.
The part where you can get a tattoo are many, and in the following part of the article I wanted to summary the most common one.
- Half-sleeve tattoo
- Full-sleeve tattoo
- Wrist tattoo
- Lip/ inner lip tattoo
- Forearm Tattoo
- Triceps tattoo
- Finger tattoo
- Chest tattoo
- Ankle tattoo
- Shoulder tattoo
- Sternum tattoo
- Leg tattoo
- Calf tattoo
- Thigh tattoo
- Rib side tattoo
- Hand tattoo
- Foot tattoo
As you can see, there are many parts of the body where you can get a tattoo, and the choice is subjective; sometimes there are tattoos that will look better on some part of the body, as always the last decision is on your hands.
Now let’s go to see more in detail the various cost of tattoos per body part.
Half-sleeve tattoo cost $1000-$2000
A half-sleeve tattoo is one of the most common part of the body for a man; it looks very great on a man with a toned arm, biceps, and shoulders.
We assist to an incredible number of styles that you can realize on the half-sleeve during the years, from black and white style to tribal, skull, dragon, Japanese style tattoo, etc.
The only things that already you can imagine are that the cost is not the same of a small tattoo, because the size is more prominent, the half sleeve tattoo will cost you a minimum of $1000 on a quality and professional tattoo studio, and depending on the complexity the cost of your tattoo can reach $2000.
Full-sleeve tattoo cost $2000- $3500
A full-sleeve tattoo is for people that know what exactly they want to express on that tattoo. The full-sleeve tattoo can have a different style from Japanese to traditional, fantasy, and so on.
The only limitation is our fantasy, because it covers all arm, the cost for making a full sleeve tattoo is higher, and some tattoo artists require many times to do it.
On average, the cost for a full-sleeve tattoo is between $2000 and $3500, a price that not everybody can permit, but considering that this tattoo will remain forever on your skin, don’t look at the cost but at the quality.
Wrist tattoo cost $50-$150
This position can be considered as one of the most important because of its visibility. The wrist tattoo is visible every time and all the season and all the time.
Usually, that position is chosen for a tattoo with significant meaning and part of this category: anchors, flowers, birds, etc. Getting a tattoo on your wrist is not so high, it will cost you around $50 for a black and white and reaching $150 for a colored and more complicated tattoo.
Lip / Inner tattoo cost $100-$250
You can think, why is an inner lip tattoo so expensive compared to the dimension of a tattoo? The answer is that many tattoo studios don’t want to do it.
The main reason is that this position is considered one of the most dangerous because our mouth is full of bacteria, and making a tattoo on the lip can cause you a potential risk of infection.
The majority of tattoo studios don’t accept doing a tattoo on that sensible part because they want to avoid any possible future problem with the client.
If you dream is to have a tattoo on that part, and you are lucky to find someone that accept to do it, you can expect a minimum cost of $100, but if you are near a place where only that tattoo studio makes this type of tattoo, the price may increase until reaching the cost of $250.
Fore Arm tattoo cost $200-$1500
Also, in that case, the forearm tattoo is chosen by people that have a significant meaning to show.
Thanks to the position, it will always be visible; here, the fantasy doesn’t find any border; you can tattoo everything on that part of the body, from fantasy, portrait, Japanese style, rose tattoo, name, animal, tree, etc.
For that part of the body, the cost of getting one is very variable.
The leading cause is that you can make it on the outer part of the forearm, inside, covering all the forearm.
Anyway, depending on the dimension, you can expect a cost that ranges from $200 until reaching more than $1500 for a full forearm tattoo.
Triceps tattoo cost $200 – $500
The triceps tattoo is not so common as the other one mentioned until now, but it deserves a space on our list because always more people are starting to get interested in making a tattoo on that part of the body.
The triceps are usually chosen by people who have a job requiring a certain appeal, and they have to hide it during the day.
You can insert almost every style you like, from animals, symbols, and traditional tattoos in the triceps tattoo.
Considering the average size of the triceps of a person, the cost for making a triceps tattoo goes from $200 to $500 if you won’t realize a colored tattoo with a complicated line.
Finger tattoo cost $50 – $100
Finger tattoo has becoming more and more famous during the last period; this is due to the increase of Vip that chose that part of the hand to make a tattoo.
Numerous celebrities have finger tattoo, some of that one are Rihanna, Chiara Ferragni, Nicole Guerrier, Eleanor Calder, etc.
The size is minimal, and for that reason, the cost for a tattoo on the finger is not high, anyway. For some complicated tattoo as some small lion that requires high accuracy, you can pay more than $100.
Chest tattoo cost $400-$1200
If you think of doing a chest tattoo, you have to consider that this type of tattoo is made by people with strong personalities and won’t express something at 100%.
One of the symbolic chest tattoos that almost everyone is aware of is the Conor McGregor chest tattoo.
There are many chest tattoos out there, and the style is infinite.
The most common ones are; animals, names, family, quotes, rose traditional, skull.
Considering the dimension, the cost for a chest tattoo goes from $400 reaching more than $1200 for a complicated one.
Ankle tattoo cost $100-$200
Ankle tattoo can be considered as one of the most favorite places where women want a tattoo.
Thanks to its position that can be easily hidden during the last years an increasing number of woman has done a tattoo on that part of the body.
You can choose any style to apply on the ankle, from simple black and white to a colorful tattoo.
The average cost is relatively lower, and you can easily find a tattoo shop with a price that goes from $100 to a maximum of $200 for a super complicated one.
Shoulder tattoo cost $700-$1500
Shoulder tattoos are most commonly used for the man because the shoulder is considered a place of power and strength.
One of the most famous tattoos done by a celebrity on the should is for sure the one of The Rock, where he has contributed to this increased number of requests to make a tattoo on that part of the body.
Considering that they should take a considerable part, the tattoo is more expensive and go from $700 until reaching $1500.
Sternum Tattoo cost $300-$500
Sternum tattoo makes part of that tattoos that has gained more popularity during the last years, thanks to the position this tattoo position can be the right choice if you need to hide a tattoo during your daily work.
Many celebrities have done a tattoo on the sternum, and like most things, they influenced most people.
The style for a sternum tattoo are various; the most popular one is the rose, followed by a flower tattoo and animal.
The cost for getting a tattoo on that position is around $300; in case you want a bigger tattoo, the price can reach a maximum $500
Leg tattoo cost $300-$1800
As you notice from the title, the cost for a leg tattoo is the most variable.
As mentioned in the first part of the article, this is because the tattoo cost depends on the size of the tattoo.
If you chose to make a small tattoo on your leg, it would cost you a minimum of $300, then if your dream is the one to have an entire covered leg, this tattoo can be one of the most expensive reaching the price of $1800 or more, if your tattoo is colored and complicated to reproduce.
Calf tattoo cost $200-$350
A good variant of the complete leg tattoo is the calf tattoo.
Very frequently saw on the man, this part of the leg is perfect for Maori, religious, traditional tattoo, etc.
The average cost for a calf tattoo is $200, but some tattoo artists studio can ask you more if the tattoo is complicated or full of color, as in a Japanese tattoo.
In the last case, the cost can go up $350
Thigh Tattoo cost $200 – $1500
This part of the body was not so common until some years ago, but now it is always becoming more frequent to see a woman with a tattoo on done thigh.
A tattoo done on that part of the body gives more prominence to the body shape, and for that reason, more and more women are getting a tattoo on the thigh.
Also, in that case, the cost for a thigh tattoo is various; it goes from a minim of $200 for a small one up to $1500 for full coverage of the area.
Rib side tattoo cost $500
Rib side tattoo is stunning to have, but at the same time is very knower to be one of the most painful parts where to get a tattoo.
You can get any types of style that you like on that part; it simply fits perfectly.
Considering the dimension of an average rib for both men and women, if you want to get a tattoo on the rib side, it will cost you around $500.
Hand tattoo cost $100 -$250
If you don’t have any problem and making a tattoo on the hand will not influence your daily job occupation, you should take into consideration a tattoo on the hand.
It is the most visible part of the body after the face, and it is suggested to make a tattoo on the hand only after considering every aspect of your life and its meaning.
The most popular tattoo done on the hand are rose, Polynesian style, Lions, traditional tattoos.
The average cost for a hand tattoo is around $100-$250 for a complicated one.
Foot Tattoo cost $50 -$200
Foot tattoos are for sure much more fascinated if applied to a woman.
There is an incredible number of styles that you can apply on foot, and for sure, it will fit perfectly without any problem.
From tribal to numbers, flowers, and animals.
The cost is relatively small, you can get an excellent tattoo on foot with a maximum cost of $200
Cost of Tattoo by types of design
The type of tattoo that you will choose, in the same case, can have a substantial influence on the price. Nowadays, the types of tattoos present are huge, and almost impossible to cover in one article.
For that reason, I decided to insert the most common one, giving you an average price for the type of style and dimension you choose.
Word or name tattoo cost
The simplest and easier one to reproduce for a tattoo artist is the word or name tattoo. This type of tattoo can be done by just bringing to the tattoo shop the character that you like to have and what will be the word.
Unless you require adding some other thing on the tattoo, the word or name tattoo is the cheaper type of design you can choose.
The average cost for a word or name tattoo is around $100.
Portrait Tattoo cost
Sometimes the portrait tattoo is fascinating; if they are done with precision are incredibly eye-catching.
If you are thinking of doing a portrait tattoo, my suggestion is the one to find a professional and, if it is possible, a tattoo artist that has years of experience in the tattoo world.
Due to the complexity, usually, the portrait tattoo cost is variable.
The cost for a portrait tattoo can change, depending on the dimensions and type of subject you choose.
The average cost for a portrait tattoo is calculated per hour, with an average rate of $150 per hour.
Tribal tattoo cost
For sure, one of the most used during the beginning of 2000, the tribal tattoo can still be considered popular.
The particularity of tribal tattoos is due to the geometric forms. They are not complicated to do, and for that reason, the cost is for a small tribal is starting from $50, while for full arms, you can pay a maximum of $300
3D tattoo cost
As for everything, the tattoo worlds are a continuing evolution, either regarding the instruments used, like inks and machines, as well as the style of tattoo.
In the last years, a growing number of tattoo artists have shown the world 3D tattoos.
The primary purpose of this tattoo is to generate a close similitude with reality.
For that reason, the 3D tattoo is done only by people that are specialized to recreate the image as close as possible to reality.
Due to the limited number of people capable of generating a good piece of the 3D tattoo, the artists who are skilled in doing it will require you more money than you can expect.
The average cost for a 3D tattoo is around $200 per hour, and to give you a more clear idea, a medium-size 3d tattoo can cost you $700 or more.
Watercolor tattoo cost
If you want a colored tattoo, but you won’t remain far away from the classic full-colored and strong eye-catching tattoo, your next step should be the watercolor tattoo.
The watercolor tattoo is a particular style of tattoo that uses the color but limiting its brightness.
During the last years, more and more people required a tattoo with that style, and more tattoo artists are specializing in doing this type of tattoo.
The average cost for a watercolor tattoo is around $150 for a small, $200-450$ for a medium-large size.
Forest and tree tattoo cost $350
If you are following some Instagram page about tattoos, I am sure that in your home feed sometimes had appeared a tattoo done on the arm that was representing a forest and tree.
Well, this type of tattoo has gained a lot of space during the last years; if you want a forest and tree tattoo, you can expend to spend much more money than other types of tattoo.
The average cost for a forest and tree tattoo is up to $350.
Lion Tattoo cost $200-1000$
Entering the animal field of tattoos, the Lion is for sure one of the most popular. The Lion has a strong appeal and is a synonym of strength and courage.
As for the other types of tattoo, the cost for a Lion depends mainly on the size and the artists that will do the tattoo.
If you choose a small lion, you can have it for $200 if done by a beginner tattoo artist.
While a more complicated or colored Lion can reach considerable cost, you can pay more than $800 for a Lion reproduction depending on the tattoo artist.
Rose Tattoo cost $50-250$
We cannot continue our list of tattoo costs without insert the rose tattoo. The rose always stays on the podium for the most popular tattoo from the tattoo’s origin.
Thanks to its beauty, almost everyone would like to have one drawled on his/her skin. The cost is variable and depending on which type of rose you would like to have.
For a black and white small rose, you can find some tattoo shops that charge you $50, while for a medium black and white with more details, you can expect $150 or more.
Maori tattoo cost $250 -$600
The Maori tattoo is perfect for people like a black and white tattoo. They have a lot of meanings and are the perfect tattoos for almost every part of the body.
As you probably can imagine it come in various size, and sometimes it is hard to choose the best one.
If you want to keep on the small size, it will probably cost you a minimum of $250, while a big Maori tattoo can reach more than $600.
Japanese tattoo cost $900-$4000
The Japanese tattoo can be considered as one of the most beautiful styles of the tattoo world. The Japanese tattoos have a great varying of colors and, most important of meanings.
As you saw from the title, the cost is high if we compare it with other tattoos.
This main difference is due to the dimension that a Japanese tattoo usually has.
In facts, the Japanese tattoos come mainly in big size dimensions,
The cost for a Japanese tattoo depending on the locations and from the tattoo artists that will do it.
In Tokyo, for example, the average cost for a Japanese tattoo is ranging from $150-$250 per hour, and considering that a full arm tattoo will take a minimum of 16 hours, the cost for a single tattoo can reach more than 4000$.
Summary of cost influence for tattoo
To summarize the cost of a tattoo, I decide to list all the variables that vary the cost for a tattoo.
The most important ones are:
- Location of tattoo
- Tattoo size
- Tattoo details
- Tattoo color
- Tattoo cover-up
- Tattoo touch up
Tattoo costs depend on the locations.
There are many places where you can make your tattoo; some parts are easier to do, while other parts required a lot of attention.
The most difficult part for a tattoo artist is the parts with a high concentration of nerves because this part is highly sensitive.
Make parts of these area nipples, shins.
For that reason, the tattoo artist may require more money to do the tattoo.
Tattoo size
As we saw during the first part of the article, the cheaper tattoo is the small one because of many factors.
The first is that for tattoo artists, performing a small tattoo doesn’t require a big-sized tattoo because he/she has to focus only on a small portion or part.
The second reason that makes the small tattoo cheaper is the ink. A big tattoo requires a lot of ink, while a small tattoo does not.
The counterpart of a medal, if you decide on a big tattoo, the artist has to focus more, and he/she has to deal with many colors and complexity of the design.
Tattoo details
Sometimes we arrive at the tattoo shop with not a clear idea about which design we want.
For that reason, there are the tattoo artists that make our imagination reality, thanks to their skills, they can realize what we want, and in the majority of the case, surpass our expectations.
As for everything also this has a cost, and in case you don’t have a clear idea about your tattoo, and in your mind, you were thinking about a complex tattoo, for sure you have to pay more for this.
You have to consider the effort that the tattoo artists make to satisfy your expectations.
Tattoo color
Another important factor that makes varying the cost of a tattoo is the color.
If you are a lover of the color tattoo, you can expect to pay more for your tattoo.
To make a full-colored tattoo, the artist has to utilize not only black and white that is the cheaper color present on the market.
But he/she use all color possible and that fit precisely on your tattoo. This operation makes the final cost of a colored tattoo more expensive than a normal black and white.
Tattoo cover-up
At the first moment, you can think that a cover-up will not cost you a lot.
I can tell you that this is not the truth.
The cost for a cover-up design, in some cases, can be more expensive than a regular tattoo. This because there is a double responsibility from tattoo artists.
If you want to make a cover-up tattoo, your first operation should be to check if the tattoo shop where you are going is available to do it because many tattoo artists don’t want to take this responsibility.
The next step is to expect a cost for a cover-up tattoo of around $100 per hour of work.
Tattoo touch up
If you made a tattoo some months ago and you see your tattoo, not in a good state, the best step you can do is make a touch-up.
In the majority of the case, the tattoo touch-up doesn’t have any cost. The only cost that you can expect to afford is if you take the touch up in another tattoo shop.
In the case you take the tattoo touch up in another tattoo shop, the cost for this operation can be between $30-$100.
Conclusion
The tattoo cost we saw during the article can assume different prices; it is too variable to give a specific set of price, and the only thing that we can do is to estimate it.
We did this during that article, taking the price from different sources, putting some experience, and generating with all the examples possible the cost that a tattoo can have.
